Melanesian tubenoses: photos + videos

Birds of the islands and waters of the South Pacific.
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Michael Szabo
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Melanesian tubenoses: photos + videos

Postby Michael Szabo » Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:23 am

In search of the little-known tubenoses of Melanesia - a pelagic expedition from Vanuatu to Papua New Guinea

"Melanesia holds the breeding grounds of four of the most sought after and little-known tubenoses: Beck’s Petrel, Magnificent Petrel, Vanuatu Petrel, and Heinroth’s Shearwater. In addition, there is a mystery all-dark Psuedobulweria which has been seen just a handful of times in the region and may be an undescribed taxon. All serious seabirders must at some point spend time in the region. I teamed up with the usual suspects Mike Danzenbaker, Angus Wilson and Kirk Zufelt (the ‘High Rollers’) and planned a four-week expedition sailing from Vanuatu to New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, via the Solomon Islands."

Link to Robert Flood's trip report with photos and video footage of these 4 species and many others: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Conte ... =664789592
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RussCannings
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Re: Melanesian tubenoses: photos + videos

Postby RussCannings » Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:24 am

Where do these guys get their $ ? Haha, good on em. Mike still owes me some binoculars... but that's another story.

Plenty yet to discover/understand here in NZ too. Hopefully more 'non-traditional' pelagics in the coming years will raise more interest from Kiwis.

Russ
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Melanesian tubenoses: photos + videos

Postby Michael Szabo » Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:22 pm

Yes, they certainly are 'dedicated'!

As Robert Flood comments, the dark Pseudobulweria bird they saw briefly could possibly be Fiji Petrel.
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Melanesian tubenoses: photos + videos

Postby Michael Szabo » Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:04 am

Further material on the Melanesian tubenoses from the same expedition has now been posted by John Jemi Homes:

Part 1: https://johnjemi.blogspot.co.nz/2017/03 ... art-i.html

Part 2: https://johnjemi.blogspot.co.nz/2017/03 ... rt-ii.html
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