Possible Gould's Petrel, Ruakaka beach

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Michael Szabo
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Possible Gould's Petrel, Ruakaka beach

Postby Michael Szabo » Sun Feb 10, 2019 8:53 am

A putative Gould's Petrel was found yesterday at Ruakaka beach according to photos posted on Facebook by Julie Winslow. The bird was found alive, floundering in the shallows. A search for it in the same area of the beach this morning did not find the bird.

Link to photo: https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5CE0B698

Link to photo: https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5CE1E1B0
Last edited by Michael Szabo on Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pat Miller
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Re: Gould's Petrel, Ruakaka beach

Postby Pat Miller » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:03 pm

Sorry folks, but this looks like a Cooks Petrel by my reckoning. The bill is too long for Gould's and the blackish plumage is due to the bird being wet and waterlogged. Gould's has a bill the same shape as a Black-winged Petrel. The space on this birds bill between the nostrils and the start of the hook is long like a typical Cooks Petrel not a Gould's or Black-winged which are much shorter.
Pat
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Gould's Petrel, Ruakaka beach

Postby Michael Szabo » Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:45 am

Yes, I think you're right looking at this photo of a Gould's Petrel in the hand: http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/goulds-petrel
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