Foraging Storm Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus were observed at a tidal front near the northern breakwater of IJmuiden harbour (figure 1) on 22 September 1990. Severe storms had forced many pelagic seabirds inshore during the end of this month, but only the numbers of Storm Petrels were unprecedented. Feeding of (any) storm petrels in inshore waters in the Netherlands is highly unusual.