Moeraki Pelagic to Otago Canyons 16/10

[Oscar Thomas]

Another successful Moeraki Pelagic on Saturday with Ezifish Charters, with Sunday's unfortunately cancelled due to winds picking up. Had a solid mix of birds including stunning views of Broad-billed Prion, Black-bellied Storm-Petrel and Grey-backed Storm Petrel sticking close to the boat. Oddities were 3 Shovelers and a Yellowhammer quite far from shore heading back toward land. The marine mammals were showing off too with a pair of big male Orca and 4 Shepard's Beaked Whales very close to us. Next trip is scheduled for the end of the year on Tuesday 28th December, please email me at oscarkokako@gmail.com if you are interested in joining.

Species estimates:
korora/Little Penguin - 1
hoiho/Yellow-eyed Penguin - 1
Wandering Albatross sp. - 1
Southern Royal Albatross - 40 (22)
Northern Royal Albatross - 3 (1)
Black-browed Albatross - 1
Campbell Island Albatross - 1
White-capped Albatross - 50 (30)
Salvin’s Albatross - 100 (70)
Northern Giant Petrel - 12 (6)
Cape Petrel - 200 (100) (including several of the Antarctic subspecies)
White-chinned Petrel - 40 (20)
Westland Petrel - 8 (3)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel - 1
Black-bellied Storm-Petrel - 4 (1)
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel - 10 (3)
Fairy Prion - 50 (20)
Broad-billed Prion - 5 (2)
Unidentified Prion - 20
Hutton's Shearwater - 4 (2)
Sooty Shearwater - 10000
Short-tailed Shearwater - 5 (2)
White-fronted Tern - 2
Red-billed Gull - 20 (6)
South Black-backed Gull - 25 (8)
Otago Shag - 400
Spotted Shag - 8
Pied Shag - 4
Little Pied Shag - 2
Australasian Shoveler - 3
Yellowhammer - 1
Orca - 2
Shepard's Beaked Whale - 4
Dusky Dolphin - 1
New Zealand Fur Seal - 1

Outside brackets = day total sightings, inside brackets = high count at one time