Prion ID

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
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Shane McPherson
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:01 am

Prion ID

Postby Shane McPherson » Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:42 pm

A great Beach Patrol run yesterday. Just before the weather packed in again.

16 in total!
3 white capped albies
2 bullers ablies
1 wandering albie
1 sth giant petrel
1 nrth giant petrel
2 cape petrels
1 blue penguin
1 pied shag
1 gannet juv
1 black swan
a definite broad billed prion

and a probable Fairy Prion
although its metrics are a bit bigger than expected.
does have the broadish dark tail tip
culmen 24.7
tarsus 30.4
mid toe 35.5
wing 183
tail 90
bill photo attached, slender

DSCF7609.JPG
DSCF7609.JPG (143.5 KiB) Viewed 4658 times


p.s. also found a very young fur seal pup wrecked, only 890mm long snouth to tail tip, I guess muriwai would be the closest breeding colony?
Rodney
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:11 pm

Re: Prion ID

Postby Rodney » Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:27 pm

Hi Shane,

Great beach patrol results, but you don't say where the beach is or how far you covered for this tally ?

Thanks,
Rodney
Christopher
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:39 pm
Location: Parnell, Auckland

Re: Prion ID

Postby Christopher » Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:52 pm

Hey shane, i'm not very familiar with prions, but, depending on where you were, could it be a fulmar? or else a fairy, but the beak looks a bit like a fulmar's.

Chris
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Shane McPherson
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:01 am

Re: Prion ID

Postby Shane McPherson » Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:03 am

Ha yeah, sorry about that

We do regular surveys of Ripiro Beach between Pouto Point and Baylys Beach, Kaipara North Head. 70km.

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