Otago (Stewart Island) Shag Ashburton rivermouth

[andrewcrossland]

1 pied phase otago shag at Ashburton rivermouth amongst a roost of 7000 spotted shag at dusk tonight.

[Jim_j]

Hi Andrew
Can you confirm that's 7000 (not 700)?
That amount of shags flying in would be an impressive sight

cheers
jim

[andrewcrossland]

the actual count was 7180. I do monthly counts for Environment Canty and they peak at 6000-7000+ at this time of year. I think its by far the largest spotted shag roosting flock anywhere. Here's a pic of most of the flock.

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And here's a pic (cell phone camera thru scope) of the Stewart Island Shag

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[Jim_j]

Thanks - wow very impressive - yes must be surely the biggest congregation of the species left?

[andrewcrossland]

There were 3 Otago Shags amongst c.7370 Spotted Shags at the roost at Ashburton Rivermouth this evening. These were 2 bronze phase birds and an adult pied phase (so birds different to the juv pied phase seen on my census last month).

A heads up to people visiting places that are night roosts for Spotted Shags on the Canterbury Bight coastline - eg; Timaru Harbour, Rangitata Rivermouth, Rakaia Rivermouth, etc. I reckon small numbers of Otago Shags now reach South and Mid Canterbury waters well north of the traditionbal limit about opposite Lake Ki-Wainono, and they can be potentially seen within a half hour or so of sunset when they join Spotted Shags at favoured night roosts. So, please have a look if anyone has a chance and report what you find?

Here' s some pics. Although the photos don't show it well, the pinkish legs and feet were very obvious under the brightness of the setting sun.

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[andrewcrossland]

another pic of the roost

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[andrewcrossland]

Five Otago Shags at the Ashburton rivermouth this evening amongst c.8130 Spotted Shags (a larger number than usual).
The Otago Shags were 1 ad pied phase, 1 imm pied phase and 3 imm bronze phase.
Also present, chasing W/F Terns offshore, were 2 late season Arctic Skuas.

[andrewcrossland]

3 Otago Shags at Ashburton Rivermouth today amongst a flock of 10,000 Spotted Shags. A pretty impressive sight!! Spot the pied morph in the centre of this pic...... a small pin in a very big haystack. The other two were juv bronze phase birds.

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Some views of the Spotted Shag roost...

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The slightly larger white splot in the top right corner of the pic below is the Pied morph Otago Shag..

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[andrewcrossland]

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[AngryBird45]

I'm shocked at how few people have a Stewart Island Shag on their Canterbury Life List; Timaru's Inner Harbour is a really easy place to find one