2, maybe 3 soft-plumaged petrels @ kaitorete spit today

[andrewcrossland]

Niall Mugan is out sea watching at kaitorete spit tip this afternoon. He’s just called me to say he’s seen 2 definite and 1 probable soft-plumaged petrel flying west to east toward Birdlings Flat. Easy to ID thru scope. Also Giant Petrels and Huttons Shearwaters passing by.

[Adam C]

Sat on Brighton Pier for an hour before the rain really started to set in just now. Nothing too exciting other than a few Giant Petrels way out and Sheawaters (prob huttons) but highly enjoyable!

[andrewcrossland]

An update from Niall just now - 4 soft-plumaged petrels in total from his kaitorete spit seawatch - also 2 Pomarine skuas and 15 gannets amongst the more common stuff.

[rowey]

Andrew

Looking from where in particular?? The beach at Birdlings Flat, or Taumutu end of the spit. Does this sound quite unusual for these SP Petrels to be so observable from the coastline??

[andrewcrossland]

Niall was doing his search from the dunes out on the tip of the spit (opposite the mudflats area). The soft-plumaged petrels and most other seabirds were heading toward birdlibgs flat. Bizarrely the pomarines were flying south! Niall knows these species very well from guiding sub-Antarctic trips. He reckons tomorrow will be better. Niall reckons with the continuation of this weather tomorrow May even be better than today out sea watching.
And to answer the question about soft-plumaged petrels - no - They’ve never come in this close before in numbers , although the occasional one has been found alive ashore in the chch area.

[andrewcrossland]

Niall’s message: “ Well I plan on a trip to birdlings and if no joy I’ll try the second entrance near the doc sign. Not sure what time but morning. I think there’s got to be more birds around if you’re able to see anything. More eyes the better I reckon”.
By the second entrance he means the old sand mining area. If you drive out on the spit along Bayleys Road you come to a flash wooden closed gate. Turn left and follow the side road down to the DoC reserve and the beach. You’ll know if Niall is there as his vehicle has a big picture of a chough on the side and the words “keystone ecology”.
I can’t make it myself until Monday but good luck to anyone who ventured out. Take a flask of hot coffee and hot fish’n’chips to keep warm!!