Trip Report
12 March 2004
4 Pax plus Skipper Brett and guide Karen departed Sandspit at 9.00AM for a pelagic tour of the Gulf.
A Southerly of 5-7knots and an outgoing tide made the sea a little rough.
We started our birding day at Beehive, with great views of 1 male Shore Plover. The tide was about half way out so the other bird normally resident may have been out of view amongst the extensive rock platforms. Other birds included Pied Shags and Variable Oystercatchers.
As soon as we left Beehive and started out into the gulf we started seeing large flocks of Fluttering Shearwaters, many sitting but many more flying through, as well as 2 skua, one a very close view of an Arctic Skua.
The large numbers of Fluttering and some Buller's Shearwaters continued to move through until a few nm out towards LBI. Other birds included Flesh-footed Shearwaters which increased in numbers coming through as we neared LBI and Gannets.
Once about level with LBI we started getting small groups of Cookilarias in twos and three's flying through. Many of these are in the moult and the stronger winds meant these birds were difficult to separate to the species level.
First Chumming Location between LBI and Mokohinaus
1 storm petrel (un-identified) was seen flicking through here so stopped to chum for half an hour
10+ Flesh-footed Shearwaters
10+ Black Petrels
Several Cookilaria Petrels came in close, moulting wing feathers
On leaving one wf storm petrel was seen flying through
Second chumming location
Again we attracted a largish flock of Flesh-footed Shearwaters and Black Petrels. We saw at least 10 individual Black Petrels, though none with bands or paint. Buller's Shearwater appeared more reticent again and didn't land to compete for food. Cookilarias are the most interested we've seen with several landing and even observed them taking chum from the surface of the water at least 50m behind the boat. 1 White-faced Storm Petrel and finally at 12.50PM after chumming for an hour one NZSP flew past just as we were about to leave. Neither of the storm petrels stayed around to feed on the surface of the water as has happened repeatedly in the past.
Our chumming technique was slightly different than previously on Assassin as we normally put out a sea-anchor which maintains our position on the sea with our head into the wind and enables a good slick to develop on the water surface down wind, drawing the birds in. Without the sea anchor the wind pushes us along and our chum surface is not as broad. On this trip we didn't have our sea anchor. We do feel, however the number of storm petrels sighted (either when chumming or steaming) was very much down on recent months and birds are likely to be moving away from the Gulf already.
By 1.15PM we decided we needed a break from the weather and headed towards the Mokohinaus for lunch. We tracked to the stern of a trawler fishing to see what birds were following along - just the usual Flesh-footed Shearwaters and Black Petrels.
There seemed to be an unusual amount of bird activity in the gulf with a large band of sea occupied by birds apparently searching for food (mainly Gannets, Flesh-footed Shearwaters and Black Petrels). Any small eruptions of feeding activity were short-lived, hence the apparent milling around of birds.
We headed in to the Arches at the Mokes where we enjoyed a quiet lunch and cuppa while the NZ Bellbirds and Parakeets flitted around above us.
Leaving the Arches we cruised around the coast of the islands looking up at the steep volcanic cliffs and commenting on the huge potential for ground nesting birds on the cliffs amongst thick vegetation of flax. As we left Burgess we saw a dead Kaka and picked it up floating on the water about 50m off the island. How had it died? The bird will be handed in to DOC for analysis.
Maori Rocks was our next stop. As the number of Gannets has dwindled - now only about 20 juveniles left, the number of Grey Ternlets seems to continue to increase with 55+ counted on the two stacks. Red-billed Gulls roosted on a low rock and we spotted a Blue Penguin nearby.
We cruised over to Fanal Island and did another coastal tour before finally leaving the Mokohinaus at 3.43PM. A 20 knots SSE wind was blowing and sea conditions were choppy. Just to the South of Fanal Island we spotted some Long-finned Pilot whales associated with a group of Bottlenose Dolphins. At least 5 individual Pilot Whales including 1 adult male, 3 females and 1 juvenile could be seen. We attempted to photograph these for id purposes.
Shortly after the whales and dolphins 2 Diving Petrels were spotted and 2 unidentified stormies
Not having a sea anchor was a problem, but solved by Brett as we anchored this time about 1 nm to the north of Simpson's Rock for our final chumming session of the day.
Third chumming location 4.20PM
We stayed at this location until 6.00PM but no NZSP came through and only 3 wf stormies, the first at 4.28PM. A large number of Flesh-footed Shearwaters and Black Petrels gathered behind the boat as Brett chummed, including 1 black petrel with a BAND!
1 Sooty Shearwater flew through and a few of the Cookilarias landed on the water and took chum. But perhaps the most exciting event was a beautiful blue shark which cruised up behind the boat and grabbed our chum bag. Brett valiantly wrestled with the shark but eventually its sharp teeth ripped through the bag and it got away with the whole lot!
Meanwhile a few of the birdwatchers were fishing and our catch included some nice snapper, golden snapper, pink maomao, blue cod and a grand-daddy hapuka, most of which went back with a few kept for the pan. The blue shark stayed around until we finally left at 6.00PM.
We cruised in close to LBI for a dinner stop and over a glass of wine and quiche we listened to the saddlebacks and tuis high above us on the pohutukawa trees, then reluctantly headed home.
--Karen Baird
Pterodroma Pelagics - Hauraki Gulf Seabird Tours
|
