Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.- Trip report.

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Steve Wood
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Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.- Trip report.

Postby Steve Wood » Fri Jun 14, 2019 7:46 am

This three day pelagic will be based around southern Stewart Is. with the intentions of getting to the Snares on day two, for a 3-4 hr zodiac coastline cruise of the main Snares Island. This should provide good opportunities to see Snares Fernbird and Tomtit plus resident Snares penguin and possible other molting penguins.
The charter vessel will be the Aurora Australis 18 m mono hull. - x7 birders plus 2x skippers.
The plan is for all party’s to arrive Stewart Island on Sat 7th.
The best 3 day weather window (of the 5 days reserved),for day two from port Pegasus to Snares will be chosen. If the weather is unsuitable for the Snares, we still plan to continue with 3 day 2 night boat trip along southern coast of Stewart, so still some good pelagic birding to be had.
Due to unfavorable overnight mooring options at the Snares, we will leave late afternoon back to port Pegasus. ( approx. 5hrs steam).
Accommodation provided for 6 days ( house in Oban). All food provided whilst at sea for the three days. No catering provided whilst ashore.
Arrival and departure plans from Stewart Island is not included.

Day 1 - leave Oban heading south - pelagic birding - camp port Pegasus overnight.
Day 2. Leave very early from port Pegasus - Snares (approx 65 miles) arrive Snares midday. Zodiac x2 cruse coastline. Leave late afternoon back to port Pegasus for the night.
Day 3 - Pelagic locally and return late afternoon Oban. Stay at home base house.

Surplus day either side of the ‘3 day pelagic’ will provide options for land based birding.

Cost $2,250 p/p. looking for 5 more birder’s to make this work.

Steve
Last edited by Steve Wood on Tue Mar 17, 2020 7:07 pm, edited 5 times in total.
harryhatman
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby harryhatman » Fri Jun 14, 2019 12:48 pm

Very tempting but i'm going to have to think about this one. Bloody good value but the time off is a problem for me.

Harry
Wandoona
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Wandoona » Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:27 am

I’m in. Looks fantastic.
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Steve Wood
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Steve Wood » Sat Jun 15, 2019 11:39 am

Ok great your booked in
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Steve Wood
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Steve Wood » Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:11 pm

The trip is full at this stage - happy to take peoples names for waiting list if any one decides to pull out.

Thanks.
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Steve Wood
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Steve Wood » Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:38 pm

One place has become available if any one is interested in joining the trip.

Thanks.
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Steve Wood
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Steve Wood » Wed Jul 10, 2019 10:00 pm

Ok, now we are full again!
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Steve Wood
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Re: Stewart Island - Snares Island Pelagic. March 7th - 12th 2020.

Postby Steve Wood » Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:41 pm

Hi folks,

Just a quick follow up for those interested in what was seen on the 3day pelagic around Stewart and Snares Island last week.

Day 1 - After a damp start, most of us visited Ulva whilst waiting for a suitable weather window to go to the Snares. All expected birds were seen and there were great encounters with a kiwi that night around home base.

Day 2 - A good line up of birds was seen around the southern part of Stewart Is. although nothing unexpected. Good numbers (100+) White Capped Albatross around the boat for most of the day, a few mottled and Cook’s Petrels, one brief flyby from a White headed Petrel, plus our only Broad Billed Prion for the trip.

Day 3 - The run south to the Snares, was in a less than favorable condition for some, but all came right on arrival of the Snares, with sun and calm blue ocean!
Great views of Snare’s Tomtit and Snares Fern bird which were seen exceptionally well from the harbour cruise, and with Snipe calling in the background. Several large groups of Snare’s Penguin around the inlet but no oddities that we could see, plus a nice mixed aged group (15 +) of Antarctic tern showed well. Further around the coast we encountered a large group of feeding Prions with several hundred Buller’s Albatross loafing on the water, which soon came alongside for a great feeding frenzy.

Day 4 – Headed for a deep canyon on the west coast of Stewart about 12 miles out which proved to be very productive and probably the better chumming site of the trip. Large groups of Sooty shearwater (15,000 +) and a good mix of Albatross, 12+ southern Royals, a very cool looking Juv Salvin’s all smokey grey, appeared briefly, and a Shy Albatross (ssp Cauta) which stood out amongst the many White capped Albatross, plus four species of Stormies.
No Fulmar Prions identified satisfactory


Fiordland crested Penguin - 6
Blue Penguin -10+
Snares Crested penguin - seen well on the Snares
Antarctic Tern – 20 + around the Snares.
White Fronted Tern
Black Fronted Tern - regularly seen off shore Stewart.
Wilson Storm Petrel – 1
Black bellied Strom Petrel – 10+
White- faced Storm Petrel - 2
Grey- Backed Storm Petrel – 4+
White Chinned Petrel – regularly seen in small numbers around the boat.
White- headed Petrel – 1 brief flyby
Cook Petrel – regularly seen.
Mottled Petrel – regularly seen.
Common Diving Petrel – regularly seen
Southern Diving Petrel ? – 1 Snares.
N. Giant Petrel – 12+
S. Giant Petrel – 1
Cape Pigeon – 5+
Sooty Shearwater – common, 15,000 flock estimate. west of Stewart Is.
Short-tailed Shearwater - 1+
Wandering Albatross – 1
Southern Royal Albatross – regular around boat 12+ at a time.
N. Royal Albatross - 1
Salvin’s Albatross – 3or 4 around the boat daily plus one crisp Juv.
White Capped Albatross – common around Stewart.
Shy Albatross (ssp cauta) – 1
Buller’ Albatross – regular, common at Snares
Fairy Prion – regularly seen ,common at Snares
Broad Billed Prion – 1 flyby
Sub Antarctic Skua – several at Snares seen in flight.

Thinking of doing another trip June 2021. Let me know if you might be keen.

A couple of my personal highlights
Shy Albatross (a) - Stewart Is. March 2020 - Copy (2).jpg
Tasmanian Shy Albatross
Shy Albatross (a) - Stewart Is. March 2020 - Copy (2).jpg (201.17 KiB) Viewed 4346 times
Salvin's Albatross (juv) - Stewart Is. March 2020.jpg
Juv Salvin's Albatross
Salvin's Albatross (juv) - Stewart Is. March 2020.jpg (190.1 KiB) Viewed 5826 times

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