Great shearwater - Kaikoura

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Brent Stephenson
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Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby Brent Stephenson » Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:12 am

Sav's utterly jammy streak continues much to my disgust! Whilst sitting fishing off Kaikoura this morning at approx 10:30am a GREAT SHEARWATER flew past...I hope they don't catch any fish!!

He has let Gary at Oceanwings know so they will be on the lookout.
Cheers,
Brent Stephenson
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ - Great birds, real birders
Jan
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Re: Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby Jan » Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:05 pm

Look at the calendar, Brent.
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mark ayre
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Re: Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby mark ayre » Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:25 pm

HaHa :lol:
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Brent Stephenson
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Re: Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby Brent Stephenson » Sat Apr 02, 2011 11:33 am

Sav is a joker Jan, but he wouldn't stoop that low! This is for real...unfortunately!
Brent Stephenson
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sav
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Re: Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby sav » Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:43 pm

I can assure you all that it really was not an April Fool's joke.

We were on a fishing boat just a couple of miles offshore - loads of birds around, including several Buller's Shearwaters. A large shearwater with a completely different jizz came past (within 30m) and showed the distinctive dark cap, pale collar and white rump patch of a Great Shearwater. It's wings were long and straight, body rather thick-set - in fact it's jizz was a bit like a giant Sooty Shearwater. I barely saw the underside at all except to note that it was pale on both body and wing. Just one pass and it was gone.......southbound......

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Sav Saville
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ
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Jan
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Re: Great shearwater - Kaikoura

Postby Jan » Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:52 pm

So sorry sav to be doubtful of your degree of angularity.

Is this bird a Streaked Shearwater or a Great Shearwater [from Atlantic] If the former, shouldn't it be up round Korea at this time of year? Does this mean warmer water is responsible for its being so far south?

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