Tutukaka Pelagic Seabird Trip Results - 20th April 2019

[ourspot]

Had a great day out on Saturday (20th April) on the Tutukaka Pelagic Seabird trip with 8 of us venturing out via the Poor Knight Islands to the explore the deep beyond. Conditions were overcast with a couple of spells of rain, variable light wind and a 1m swell.

Highlights of the trip were:
– 3 Wilson's Storm Petrels that put on a great show flying round extremely close to the boat (within a metre at times) and hanging around for very long periods.
– 21 New Zealand Storm Petrels counted at the same time off the back of the boat at the chum spot.
– 8 Wandering Albatross of various ages and plumages.
– A mixed pod of Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins right by the boat.

During the trip we sighted 20 different seabird species. Was a fantastic, fun day out.

Cheers Scott
021 322 324 | scott@ourspot.nz

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So here’s the full trip results:
8 x Wandering Albatross
3 x Campbell's Mollymawk
1 x Giant Petrel
300 x Buller's Shearwater
20 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
40 x Fluttering Shearwater
2 x Little Shearwater
7 x Fairy Prion
2 x Cook's Petrel
5 x Grey-faced Petrel
25 x Black Petrel
300+ x Common Diving Petrel
21 x NZ Storm Petrel
3 x Wilson's Storm petrel
1 x White-faced Storm Petrel
27 x Grey Ternlet
40 x Gannet
20 x Red-billed Gull
7 x Black-backed Gull
44 x Pied Shag

Other sea life included:
12 x Pilot Whales
15 x Bottlenose Dolphins
2 x Fur Seals

[gmckinlay]

Excellent Scott. Wish I could have been out there again.
Would love to see photos of the pilot whales too.
Glenn

[Tim Barnard]

One having a look around ... I've never seen Pilots as well as this before - very impressive. I presume these are Long-finned pilot's based on that pale anchor shape on the throat. Happy to be corrected.
Cheers
Tim