FONTIJN W J & M JONKER (2009) European Strom-petrels Hydrobatus pelagicus in the Wadden sea: a new phenomenon?. LIMOSA 82 (3): 187-193.

European Storm-petrels are rarely seen in the Wadden Sea. There are only a handful of records off the mainland coast of the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Noord-Holland in more than a century. A small influx occurred in The Netherlands during November 2006. It was noteworthy that 12 out of the 16 birds observed during this influx were seen off the mainland coast of the Wadden Sea (Tab. 1). During heavy storms in November 2007, the largest European Storm-petrel invasion ever occurred in the Netherlands, with 117 birds along the Dutch coast, of which 32 in the Wadden Sea. It seems that very heavy November storms with northwesterly winds are necessary for European Storm-petrels to occur in the Wadden Sea (Tab. 2). Moreover, high water levels probably improve the chances of observing these birds. Since it is unlikely that the birds were missed in the past since in Lauwersoog seabirds have been observed from the mid-1990 onwards, also during November storms, this seems to be a new phenomenon. Recently, Den Oever and the western Eemshaven area were discovered as good places to see European Storm-petrels in the Wadden Sea. Perhaps the recent knowledge about the ideal situation, heavy northwesterly winds combined with high water levels, is essential for these influxes to be noticed and documented.

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