Tutukaka Pelagic Seabird Trip Results - 9 January 2019

[ourspot]

Had a great day out on Wednesday (9th January) on the Tutukaka Pelagic Seabird trip with 10 of us venturing out via the Poor Knight Islands to the explore the deep beyond. Conditions were very calm with very little wind which made for bit of a quieter day but still provided great viewing of a variety of seabirds.

Highlights of the trip were:
– 20+ New Zealand Storm Petrels at one chum spot seen at the same time. There were more way back in the slick and they were constantly flying around the boat and into the chum slick.
– At least 10 Pycrofts Petrels flying around the boat during our time at the chum spots, and coming into the Poor Knights Islands to roost.
– The end of the trip dusk BBQ at the Poor Knights Islands where we watched thousands of Buller’s Shearwaters rafting and swirling about in huge numbers against the orange sunset, before they began to head to their island burrows as the light faded to black. A great experience.

During the trip we sighted 20 different seabird species. A fantastic day (and evening) out.

Cheers Scott
021 322 324 | scott@ourspot.nz

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So here’s the full trip results:
1 x Wandering Albatross (Gibson's)
18 x Grey-faced Petrel
50 x Cook's Petrel
10 x Pycroft's Petrel
10,000+ x Buller's Shearwater
15 x Black Petrel
1 x White-chinned Petrel
3 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
100 x Fluttering Shearwater
4 x Little Shearwater
60 x Fairy Prion
11 x Grey Ternlet
8 x White-faced Storm-Petrel
26 x New Zealand Storm-Petrel
1 x Common Diving Petrel
2 x Little Penguin
70 x Red-billed Gull
2 x South Black Backed Gull
1,000 x Australasian Gannet
3 x Pied Cormorant

Poor Knights Islands sightings (on or flying above):
3 x Wood Pigeon
4 x Swamp Harrier
1 x Sacred Kingfisher
13 x Red-crowned Parakeet
3 x New Zealand Bellbird
6 x Welcome Swallow
1 x Eurasian Blackbird
14 x European Starling
2 x Common Myna
2 x House Sparrow

Other sea life included:
A pod of Common Dolphins
1 x Sun Fish

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Sounds like another great trip.
You could call them Poor Knights bellbirds if you are in to subspecies.