Biggest shag /cormorant colony in nz?

[andrewcrossland]

Hi folks, there's a super colony of spotted shags at East head, banks peninsula with 3550 pairs breeding. Does anyone know of any other colonies of any sp of shag or cormorant in nz with this many pairs?
There are dozens of spotted shag colonies around banks peninsula but this is by far the largest continuous colony. I'm asking this Q because as part of potential predator control funding for seabirds nesting in this particular area (yellow-eyed penguin, white-flipped penguin, sooty shearwater, fairy prion) it would be really handy to add the "fact" that this is the largest continuous spotted shag colony in nz.
Cheers

[zarkov]

There's a pretty big colony at the sugar works on Auckland's North Shore, but it's nowhere near that size.

last time I was there it was a few hundred birds.

[andrewcrossland]

What species?

[Oscar Thomas]

Pied shag and a smaller number of Little shag

[kimbirdley]

The wharf in Oamaru is home to at least half the world's population of Otago Shags, as confirmed recently with a count. Unfortunately the local council want to install a zipline from Cape Wanbrow right across the top of them, which could disturb or even harm them.

[andrewcrossland]

I was at Oamaru a couple of weeks ago and noticed the Otago shags were flying in to the old wharf with nest material. I didn't have binocs so can anyone give an update as to whether they actually are breeding?, how many? And when did they start breeding? They weren't breeding 6 or so years ago.....

[David Riddell]

I was in Oamaru in mid-November last year, and the Otago shags at that time had large chicks. Didn't make any attempt to count them, but there were plenty scattered around amongst the adults - see below. These photos are only a small proportion of the colony. Also smaller numbers of spotted shag around the edge, but don't recall any indication that they were also breeding.

[Steps]

I dont know much about shags, other than they sit off the stern of the boat ans with little problem will slide a 30cm snapper down.
And that some how, maybe like dolphins, can tell the difference between free food and a bait and hook IF one simply drops it line over .
If ppl suddenly panic as the shag dives for the bait, pull on it.. its like a kitten with paper on the end of a string...dont do it.
Anyway, bottom end of Waiheke, on the rocks (3 colonies..each limited to the rock size ) at the bottom of the cliffs one can get right into the guts and what the chicks ever so precariously on the rock face , getting fed...
And if bait fish in the gut, watch parents swim around the boat..With mask and snookle can get within meters of them after a little while.
Also on the sea ward side of Shag Rock little off shore from Pakatoa Is. are a couple more colonies, which also go up the cliff face. These are up in deep guts into the side of shag rock .. Beautiful places simply to drop anchor within meters of rock/ cliff faces, have lunch and a swim with the birds.
If there is a weather wind, wind/ tide direction right we get out there at every opportunity..... next may wind next Monday, and looking like a even better window , next thurs.
The cliff face in the shadow on the left and the rock little further to the eight, also in shade have young shag being fed.
None of these places are accessible without a boat.

[zarkov]

Launched my kayak at the Tokaanu boat ramp on Sunday and paddling east toward the Tongariro delta I came across easily the largest shag colony I've ever seen. At first it just looked like one tree full of nesting birds, but as I got closer, more birds took flight and it was obvious that several other trees further into the swamp were also nesting sites, with some birds still nesting, lots of immature shags and large numbers of adults.

They quickly became unsettled, probably because their secluded location meant they were seldom disturbed, and many took to the air before I could retreat.

Initially I thought there were around 100 birds, revised that quickly to several hundred, and finally reckoned there were upwards of 500 birds, before I retreated to avoid unsettling them even further. There may have been many more, it was quite a surreal experience.

[Liam Ballard]

Species?