Trip Report
HAURAKI GULF PELAGIC
19 March 2005
Seven of us left Sandspit 8AM on a brilliant day. 5-10kns SW. Long E
swell (2m) further out but easy conditions. Our route and plan was to
head for the Mokohinau Islands, passing Little Barrier (LBI) on the way
and push on further out if we didn't pick up key target birds. And so
it proved. We were all prepared for a long day - the conditions were in
our favour.
Overall very, very quiet at this 'in-between' time of the year. We stopped
to chum north of LBI and had Black Petrel, Buller's and Flesh-footed Shearwaters
for close viewing. At the Mokes we did a stop at Maori Rocks for the Grey
Ternlets (still there) then pushed on. Armed with recent SST mapping and
working on the notion that our key target (NZ Storm Petrel) stays in NZ
waters (or at least along the East Auckland Current) outside their breeding
season we plotted a position 'X' on the Nav system and went for it. Again
all very quiet going out although numbers of birds picked up when the
water temps started climbing. We hit our spot early afternoon in great
conditions - 10kns SW and light chop/long swell. Within a minute or two
we had a NZSP (just enough time to get the sea anchor out and a drop a
bit of oil in the water) but it must have been close by. It seemed as
though it had been conjured out of nothing! In fact after it flicked through
we wondered whether we'd all been dreaming! We'd followed more or less
the same game plan as last year and it worked. More on our sightings below.
After a couple of hours there we tracked through to the Needles at the
top of Great Barrier Island, made a bee-line for LBI , had a bite to eat
then home. Back in at 7PM.
Birds and marine life seen:
Buller's Shearwater - 100s seen throughout the day. Rafts of resting birds
seen outside Mokes, north of GBI and close to the Needles (mixed with
Fluttering Sw and Flesh-footed Sw). Later in the afternoon there was a
constant flow of BSw flying south to north from the east of GBI.
Fluttering Shearwater - 100s seen. Usually in groups - in side Kawau Island,
small group outside Takitu Point, off GBI and to the west of LBI on the
way back in the early evening. We did see individuals near the Mokes and
a couple well outside. One very dusky-headed bird shot through under the
bow prompting a call of Hutton's, but having seen Hutton's recently further
south (Kaikoura, West Coast South Island and Stewart Island) I'm going
for Fluttering in this case.
Flesh-footed Shearwater - 100+ seen throughout the day, particularly later
in the day with birds heading for Hen Island. Seen close at hand while
chumming.
Sooty Shearwater - 2 seen of LBI in the morning
Black Petrel - 10s always in at chumming and while steaming out from LBI
Cook's Petrel - 20+ seen while chumming (close flying by) or while steaming
out beyond the Mokes
Grey-faced Petrel - 1 seen while chumming out beyond the Mokes
Common Diving Petrel - 3, individuals seen zipping past while steaming
NZ Storm Petrel - at least 4 prob 8 possibly as many as 12 - very hard
to get an accurate count over two hours with birds coming through at widely
spaced intervals either singly or in pairs (on two occasions). Birds very
flighty with only the occasional dabbling. Looking very sharp. Worth noting
that we didn't see any White-faced Stormies throughout the day which would
indicate they have departed Hauraki Gulf waters. Will be interesting to
see what turns up in the Far North next weekend.
Fairy Prion - 5 out beyond the Mokes
Campbell Albatross - 1 imm. It turned up at the same time as a Fairy Prion
and a NZSP. Hard to know what to concentrate on, however it stayed around
for a good while often very close to the boat.
Blue Penguin - 10+ mostly inside Kawau with a few more out from Takitu
Point
Australasian Gannet - 200+ Adults plus one imm at Maori Rocks. Some lovely
skeins of Gannets flying to beside GBI later in the afternoon. Some flights
right up against the cliffs of Miners Head. There is another large colony
on a stack to the west of GBI.
Pied Shag - 30+ around Mokes, on stacks at the Needles, LBI and near Kawau/Tawharanui
Grey Ternlet - about 30 at Maori Rocks
White-fronted Tern - 10s
Caspian Tern - 1
Black-backed Gull - 10+
Red-billed Gull - 10s
Arctic Skua - 5 (both phases) some harassing White-fronted Terns inside
Kawau
Other marine life:
Long-finned Pilot Whale - a pod of about 15 including two youngsters cruising
along in a line feeding with Fleshies and Black petrels following along
behind.
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - a pod of about 10 close to the Needles. Great sight
amongst the foam generated by the big swell surging through the rocks,
the clear water and high rock stacks
Flying fish - several during the day. Blue fish with long flights....
Superb!
A few fish work-ups - one in side Kawau with terns and Arctic Skua, another
close to LBI, then off Takitu when we were coming in. Purse seine boats
have been hitting the Gulf quite hard which has to be of great concern
as these fish concentrations appear to be diminishing.
Shark - one unidentified. Some on board saw a fin while steaming
Mako Shark - a large splash while sitting at anchor close to LBI
Bryde's Whale - 3 spaced blows seen a few 100ms off our track while steaming
late in the day but didn't see the animal itself
During the course of the day we picked up reports of several marlin being
caught and tagged/released out from Tutukaka - not far north of where
we were.
Chris Gaskin
Pterodroma Pelagics
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