Trip Report
Wednesday 10th November 2004
Another fantastic day - no wind and sunny, departed Sandspit at 8.45AM
with 10 pax plus skipper Brett. We started our trip by cruising over to
Beehive Island to look for the 2 resident male Shore Plover, which were
easily spotted with a NZ dotterel pair and their 3 chicks, a pair of Variable
Oystercatchers and a pair of Caspian Terns. Pied Shags were also roosting
on the rocks.
On our run to Little Barrier large numbers of Gannets were seen spread
out over the gulf feeding with a huge widespread school of Common Dolphins.
In one feeding group a Sooty Shearwater was seen with 20-30 Flesh-footed
shearwaters and diving Gannets. 1 Black Petrel was also seen on the water.
Near Little Barrier Island we picked up a dead Cooks Petrel - freshly
dead, floating on the water, which will be passed on to Mike Imber the
DOC scientist studying the Cook's Petrels. We identified it by measuring
the bill size, separating it from the closely related and difficult to
separate Pycrofts Petrel.
At LBI we stopped for morning tea and Kaka then headed out towards the
Mokohinaus. We were surprised when a large brown bird lifted off the water
in front of us, a Brown Skua, fairly uncommon in the gulf. Only a few
Cook's were seen, along with some Blue Penguins and Gannets. We stopped
to chum at 12.20PM, although there seemed to be so much natural food around
we wondered if there was any point. It did bring in a few Flesh-footed
Shearwaters, a couple of Black Petrels, White-faced Stormies and Fairy
Prions.
We headed off again as conditions became even more glassy. 30-40 White-faced
Stormies were seen working the plankton lines and could see many Diving
Petrels sitting on the water. One possible NZ Stormie was seen. Birds
were well spread and working the natural food so we decided to head off
to the Mokohinaus to look for Grey Ternlets (still not present) and to
see the Gannetry. A large group of 100+ Bullers Shearwaters were sitting
on the water next to Maori Rocks and there were large numbers of Fairy
Prions flying around.
We headed over to Burgess Island and found the Red-billed Gull group
feeding on the water and stopped in at the Arches for a lunch, with some
going for a swim and a snorkel. Red-crowned Parakeets were easy to observe
playing around the overhanging pohutukawas , 3 NZ Pigeons, Bellbirds,
Tui, Fantails, 1 Reef Heron, Starlings and House Sparrows were also seen
on the islands.
After lunch we motored out beyond the Mokohinaus. Calm conditions continued
and flocks of birds were sitting around on the sea feeding including Bullers
Shearwaters and Fairy Prions. Occasional boil-ups of pilchards attracted
some bird interest. We finally headed back past Groper Rock and on towards
Little Barrier Island where we stopped to chum. 1 NZ Storm Petrel a few
Flseh-footed Shearwaters and 1 Sooty Shearwater. Motoring further towards
LBI we stopped again at 5.00PM and after chumming for about 20 minutes
we spotted the first NZ storm Petrel, eventually getting at least 3 (seen
together) and possibly up to 6 or 7 individuals. A large group of Flesh-footed
Shearwaters between 60 and 70 gathered and bird activity on the gulf had
increased significantly. 1 possible Pycrofts was seen amongst the increasing
numbers of Cook's. Time was now 6.00PM. Just as we were about to leave
a Little Shearwater and a Grey-faced Petrel flew by. Between 6.30 and
7.00PM as we motored in to Little Barrier mobs of Cook's Petrels were
seen lifting off the water as well as a few Grey-faced Petrels.
We stopped at Little Barrier for dinner, complete with a small pod of
Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the bay and a beautiful sunset.
Back in - late!
- Karen Baird
Pterodroma Pelagics - Hauraki Gulf Seabird Tours
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