Gannet colony, Muriwai.

[zarkov]

Well worth a visit right now, lots of gannets are already starting to nest, breed etc.

Also, more White fronted terns than I've ever seen there before, nesting in some of last years gannet areas.

I think it's because the WFTs have got there first in big numbers, while many gannets have yet to arrive.

[zarkov]

Couple of pics from Muriwai today, the first shows some Chinese fishermen dicing with death, the second the extent of the massive increase of WFTs.

Most of the gannets are yet to arrive I think.

[zarkov]

Fur seals on top of Oaia island today.

I'd never have thought they could get up there.

[Ian Southey]

Do these pictures indicate low Gannet numbers or have all of the birds not yet returned to the colony? I'm sure I have seen more there in the past although I don't visit often.

Ian

[zarkov]

Definitely less gannets on Oaia Isle, a guy counting for ebird that I was talking to suggested that may be a consequence of the extra fur seals getting up there.

Oaia Island has been the first to be colonized for nesting in earlier years, and I'm thinking most gannets have already arrived for this season.

There has been quite an increase in seal numbers all round the coast, just from my own observations.

Gannet numbers overall at the mainland colony seem to be the same or slightly up.

Certainly more areas of vegetation being cropped for nest building purposes.

WFT numbers are way up.

I

[zarkov]

Do these pictures indicate low Gannet numbers or have all of the birds not yet returned to the colony? I'm sure I have seen more there in the past although I don't visit often.

Ian

Sorry, I misunderstood your question.

The pics of the main colony were taken a month ago.

The colony has filled right up since then.

[zarkov]

I counted 34 seals on the top of Oaia island today, and that probably wasn't all of them, truly an amazing sight that seems to coincide with strong south westerlies.

There's a small colony of maybe 30 gannet nest sites right in the middle, but it must be at risk with the increasing amount of seal traffic up there. About 10 seals were to the left of the gannet colony so must have passed though the nest site to get there, since they climb up from the right as seen from the mainland.

I think the access to the top is confined to a narrow ridge since the island is precipitous, and wonder if an obstruction of some kind could be put in place to restrict the seals to lower levels since I doubt they really need to be right up on top, and this gannet colony is definitely under threat from the growing fur seal population now.

Could someone please draw the attention of whichever branch of DOC looks after these colonies, to the predicament these birds face?

[zarkov]

70+ Seals on Oaia Island today, including some very large bulls who looked to be getting ready to rumble.

I've had some contact with DOC about what's going on out there, and their initial view seems to be let nature take it's course, which was my first reaction also. However, since we're directly responsible for the burgeoning seal numbers around the North Island, it seems a bit tough on the Gannets to walk away and leave them to it. The adult birds may be able to hold their own for the moment [although I doubt it having seen what's happening out there today], but when the chicks are left to fend for themselves later in the season, I'd say they'll be grist to the mill.

The other reaction I got from the department was that it would be too hard to stop the seals getting up there in the first place, and where would they go when it was rough?. I don't agree with that at all, since you really only need to protect the radius of the colony itself, the seals could have the rest of the island to haul out in inclement weather.

I understand that we don’t want to interfere if possible, but it was our decision to protect the NZ fur seal that has massively weighted the scales against the historic Gannet colony on this island. As we know, mainland colonies are at more risk than island ones, so if the gannets lose Oaia we’ve literally put all our eggs in fewer baskets.

Makes no sense to me to spend a lot of time and money trying to establish gannet colonies at Tawharanui and Motuora in the Hauraki Gulf, if we sit on our hands and let this one be lost.

Comments please.

[Davidthomas]

You could also argue that the gannet colony there only exists due to our historic persecution of fur seals dropping them to historically low numbers, hence why as we see numbers now increasing they're regaining their former haunts/range.

Just my two cents

[zarkov]

For sure, although I imagine it's swings and roundabouts.

Gannets probably had more mainland colonies before we brought the stoats and cats, the seals certainly would have been able to haul out anywhere without us and our dogs, and there were almost certainly more big sharks hanging around places like Oaia.

We don't quit on the other species just because we made a hash of their environment.

I guess we're stuck with what we have at the moment.