Tutukaka Pelagic October 7.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:29 am
Ten of us met at 6:30am (one of the get up at 4:00am days) and travelled straight out the the chum spot east of Poor Knights. The trip out was a bit rocky and there were some generous berley contributions and not too many photos. It was worth it when we got out there.
Highlights were:
Wilson's Storm Petrel that stayed around with the NZ Storm Petrel and White-faced Storm Petrel;
White-chinned Petrel (We don’t see them that often this far north):
A complete list of birds seen at the chum spot:
1 Buller's Mollymawk
1 Northern Royal Albatross
6 Wandering Albatross
1 Wilson's Storm-Petrel
7 White-faced Storm-Petrel
4 New Zealand Storm-Petrel
1 Northern Giant Petrel
8 Grey-faced Petrel
30 Cook's Petrel
40 Fairy Prion
1 White-chinned Petrel
6 Parkinson's Petrel (Black Petrel)
1 Flesh-footed Shearwater
3 Buller's Shearwater
10 Sooty Shearwater
12 Little Shearwater
7 Australasian Gannet
On the way out to Poor Knights:
450 Common Diving Petrel were directly observed, but we guessed there were over 1000;
100's of Buller's Shearwater;
100’s Fairy Prion were also passed before we reached Poor Knights;
120 Little Shearwater;
3 Little Blue Penguin;
1 Black-browed Molly;
43 Pied shag roosting on trees in the harbour;
135 Red-billed gull roosting on the rocks in the harbour
A Blue shark was very interested in the berley bag. It stayed around for over an hour, and when it wasn’t pestering the berley bag had an ongoing discussion with a young Wandering Albatross.
The return trip inside the Poor Knights started out with passing Buller’s Shearwater and Fairy Prion in a steady stream, then suddenly, it was all excitement. A boil-up of Mackerel pushing Krill to the surface brought around Buller’s Shearwater, Fairy Prion and a few Fluttering Shearwater.
A great end to another great Tutukaka Pelagic day. Thanks Scotty.
Highlights were:
Wilson's Storm Petrel that stayed around with the NZ Storm Petrel and White-faced Storm Petrel;
White-chinned Petrel (We don’t see them that often this far north):
A complete list of birds seen at the chum spot:
1 Buller's Mollymawk
1 Northern Royal Albatross
6 Wandering Albatross
1 Wilson's Storm-Petrel
7 White-faced Storm-Petrel
4 New Zealand Storm-Petrel
1 Northern Giant Petrel
8 Grey-faced Petrel
30 Cook's Petrel
40 Fairy Prion
1 White-chinned Petrel
6 Parkinson's Petrel (Black Petrel)
1 Flesh-footed Shearwater
3 Buller's Shearwater
10 Sooty Shearwater
12 Little Shearwater
7 Australasian Gannet
On the way out to Poor Knights:
450 Common Diving Petrel were directly observed, but we guessed there were over 1000;
100's of Buller's Shearwater;
100’s Fairy Prion were also passed before we reached Poor Knights;
120 Little Shearwater;
3 Little Blue Penguin;
1 Black-browed Molly;
43 Pied shag roosting on trees in the harbour;
135 Red-billed gull roosting on the rocks in the harbour
A Blue shark was very interested in the berley bag. It stayed around for over an hour, and when it wasn’t pestering the berley bag had an ongoing discussion with a young Wandering Albatross.
The return trip inside the Poor Knights started out with passing Buller’s Shearwater and Fairy Prion in a steady stream, then suddenly, it was all excitement. A boil-up of Mackerel pushing Krill to the surface brought around Buller’s Shearwater, Fairy Prion and a few Fluttering Shearwater.
A great end to another great Tutukaka Pelagic day. Thanks Scotty.