New breeding species for New Zealand - Leach's Storm Petrel

[Graeme T]

Just back from Chatham Islands where we were doing some petrel monitoring on Rangatira Island. Made an exciting discovery on 10 February. We were checking black-winged petrel nests up near the summit when one of our team (Gemma Green) found a small black petrel in one of the marked BWP burrows. She brought it over to me to identify and my pulse surged when I saw the size of it. A storm petrel with dark underwings, dark belly, white on rump and forked tail. I guessed it was a Leach's storm petrel and once I saw the short tarsus and brown markings on the upper wing I knew it was this species. But best of all the bird was sitting on an egg in the burrow. A few measurements were taken along with lots of photos and it was returned to the nest. The next day we went back and banded the bird. The partner was caught and banded on 13 February. Mike Imber first located this species ashore on Rabbit island on other side of Pitt Island back in 1980. The two birds caught that year were banded but neither were nesting.

Great to have another species to add to the New Zealand breeding list. I'll post this then try and figure out how to add some photos.

[Graeme T]

A few photos of the bird.

[Graeme T]

And a few extra photos - egg and close up of head

[Oscar Thomas]

Great stuff Graeme. Now I’ll have 4 species to go back to the Chathams for after missing the taiko, Chatham petrel and Forbes kakariki. Awesome find.

[Tim Barnard]

Thanks Graeme, we can still sense the buzz in your post... must have been very exciting moment to fine the bird and then the egg. Well done team ...

[Colin Miskelly]

Awesome find Graeme!
Hopefully I will be able to provide an update when I return from the island in early April (I am taking leave all next month to volunteer for DOC).
Cheers
Colin

[Chris Gaskin]

'Pulse surged" brilliant stuff GT!.

I remember Mike I's relating the earlier discovery - seeing the white rump and thinking NZSP, then feeling a tad disappointed that it was 'only' a Leach's sp.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

What a cool find! Well done.
N

[Colin Miskelly]

A tale of woe I am afraid

The nest site was checked the day after we arrived (7 March) and found to contain a pair of broad-billed prions with no sign of a storm petrel egg or chick. Once the prions were removed, I found the desiccated remains of a banded Leach's storm petrel incorporated in the nest lining.

A barricade intended to exclude larger species but let storm petrels in was fitted to the entrance tunnel (Novacoil) a few days later, with an internal stick fence to detect any birds entering the burrow. The fence had not been disturbed at the last check 3 weeks later.

Play-back of Leach's storm petrel calls near the nest site and at rock tumbles within 100 m of the site on several fine nights failed to elicit a response.

And so the status of Leach's storm petrel as a breeding species in New Zealand is back to square zero.

Cheers
Colin