Fiordland Crested Penguins ???(and Gould's Petrel)

[sav]

Hi all,
As part of a 21 Day tour, we were today on a full-day pelagic from Stewart Island.
Bird of the day was, for me and Matt Jones, a Gould's Petrel, which unfortunately was pretty much a fly-by at longish range - but probably bird of the day for the rest was a pair of apparently pristine Fiordland Crested Penguins!
I'm away from home and lots of reference, so can anyone let me know if it is likely that these birds have already completed their moult?
Loads of other birds of course : 5 sp of Albatross, 18 sp of tubenoses altogether, all three breeding Penguins.

Yesterday was also pretty good : first ever (for me) day-time Kiwi on Ulva Island, plus 8 SI Saddlebacks in view at one time and all the other endemics. Then a 20+minute view of a female Stewart Kiwi feeding on the beach at point blank range.

Take it easy

[TonyWilson]

Hi Sav,

Unbelievably we also saw a kiwi on Ulva today and even got some good pics of it. One of our team couldn't go out kiwi spotting the night before, as he is on crutches, and he got the best views so great for him.
No sign of the Fiordland crested though.

Cheers, Tony

[Neil Robertson]

Hi Sav,
Yes it is almost certain that the Fiordland Crested Penguins you saw have completed their moult. I have been seeing good numbers daily in Doubtful Sound for the past two weeks or so, all with pristine plumage. Always in the water though, never on land, although yesterday 20th Feb we found one heading down the rocks on the Nee Islands - just happened to be in the right place during that 5 minute window when the bird had left the bush and before it had entered the water. This is the first time I have seen a FCP on land in February in 6 years of working out on Doubtful.

Loads of Arctic Skuas have turned up this week, and a single Pomarine Skua on Monday 17 Feb and Thursday 20 Feb (probably the same individual). At least 12 Arctic Skuas today 21 Feb, mostly dark phase but one really smart pale phase bird.

cheers
Neil