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Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:29 pm
by andrewcrossland
1 pied phase otago shag at Ashburton rivermouth amongst a roost of 7000 spotted shag at dusk tonight.
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:27 am
by Jim_j
Hi Andrew
Can you confirm that's 7000 (not 700)?
That amount of shags flying in would be an impressive sight
cheers
jim
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:04 am
by andrewcrossland
the actual count was 7180. I do monthly counts for Environment Canty and they peak at 6000-7000+ at this time of year. I think its by far the largest spotted shag roosting flock anywhere. Here's a pic of most of the flock.
- Ash S shag roost.jpg (156.02 KiB) Viewed 3150 times
And here's a pic (cell phone camera thru scope) of the Stewart Island Shag
- Otago shag1.jpg (123.3 KiB) Viewed 3150 times
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:28 pm
by Jim_j
Thanks - wow very impressive - yes must be surely the biggest congregation of the species left?
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:44 pm
by andrewcrossland
There were 3 Otago Shags amongst c.7370 Spotted Shags at the roost at Ashburton Rivermouth this evening. These were 2 bronze phase birds and an adult pied phase (so birds different to the juv pied phase seen on my census last month).
A heads up to people visiting places that are night roosts for Spotted Shags on the Canterbury Bight coastline - eg; Timaru Harbour, Rangitata Rivermouth, Rakaia Rivermouth, etc. I reckon small numbers of Otago Shags now reach South and Mid Canterbury waters well north of the traditionbal limit about opposite Lake Ki-Wainono, and they can be potentially seen within a half hour or so of sunset when they join Spotted Shags at favoured night roosts. So, please have a look if anyone has a chance and report what you find?
Here' s some pics. Although the photos don't show it well, the pinkish legs and feet were very obvious under the brightness of the setting sun.
- Otago Shag pied phase1.JPG (21.36 KiB) Viewed 2908 times
- Otago Shag 3.JPG (15 KiB) Viewed 2906 times
- shag roost 1.jpg (124.08 KiB) Viewed 2906 times
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:51 pm
by andrewcrossland
another pic of the roost
- DSCF3812.JPG (422.64 KiB) Viewed 2907 times
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 8:00 pm
by andrewcrossland
Five Otago Shags at the Ashburton rivermouth this evening amongst c.8130 Spotted Shags (a larger number than usual).
The Otago Shags were 1 ad pied phase, 1 imm pied phase and 3 imm bronze phase.
Also present, chasing W/F Terns offshore, were 2 late season Arctic Skuas.
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 6:56 pm
by andrewcrossland
3 Otago Shags at Ashburton Rivermouth today amongst a flock of 10,000 Spotted Shags. A pretty impressive sight!! Spot the pied morph in the centre of this pic...... a small pin in a very big haystack. The other two were juv bronze phase birds.
- 23 May 2021 093.JPG (451.53 KiB) Viewed 1488 times
Some views of the Spotted Shag roost...
- 23 May 2021 089.JPG (319.48 KiB) Viewed 1488 times
The slightly larger white splot in the top right corner of the pic below is the Pied morph Otago Shag..
- 23 May 2021 105.JPG (611.93 KiB) Viewed 1488 times
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 7:01 pm
by andrewcrossland
- Otago 1.JPG (52.15 KiB) Viewed 1482 times
Re: Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth
Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 8:51 am
by AngryBird45
I'm shocked at how few people have a Stewart Island Shag on their Canterbury Life List; Timaru's Inner Harbour is a really easy place to find one