Trip Report
24 May 2003
While Auckland (and the northern mainland) was buried by a big thunderstorm, we managed an escape by heading out into Gulf in fine and calm conditions. Wind gradually increased to a NW breeze in the afternoon before dying away again after dark. Overall, while the trip did not produce the variety of species of other recent reported trips (incl. our own earlier Hauraki Gulf trips) it was certainly spectacular in terms of abundance of marine/seabird life. The Hauraki Gulf continues to impress.
Route for the day aboard HAWERE: Ti Point -> Little Barrier -> North end of Great Barrier -> Mokohinaus -> Hen & Chickens -> Ti Point.
Ti Point to Little Barrier
About a third of the way across this leg we picked up the first of the vast rafts of Fluttering Shearwaters. The birds in these rafts were easily approached and it was possible to watch them very close to the boat peering underwater, then diving and swimming (flying) below the surface to feed.
A Gannets 10s
BB gull (1 juv)
W-fr terns 2
Buller's Shearwater 1
Diving Petrel approx 10
More great rafts of Fluttering Shearwaters then scattered individuals before reaching the south coast of Little Barrier.
We also saw the first of a number of 'boil-ups' - big shoals of feeding fish - on this leg
Little Barrier
Saddleback, bellbird and Pied Shag
Little Barrier to Great Barrier (Miner's Head And Needles Point)
Again, more rafts of Fluttering Shearwaters some working the very active shoals of fish.
Scattered Fluttering Shearwaters
A Gannets - individuals and a big flock of 200+ sitting on the water
W-fr terns 5
Bb gulls 5
Blue Penguins 5
Close to the Needles we sat amongst a couple of big 'boil-ups' of trevally - amazing sight of
hundreds of tightly bunched bright blue backs breaking the surface.
Needles Point (Great Barrier)
Pied Shags and Black-backed Gulls on some of the stacks
Needles to Mokohinaus
More big 'boil-ups' of trevally and possibly kingfish
Then started picking up Diving Petrels fairly evenly spread every 30-50 metres (200+ hard to estimate)
Small loose flocks of Fairy Prions (100+)
A Gannets - individuals, or twos and threes (50-100)
Blue Penguin 1
Small pod of common dolphins (with one juv) - these guys were in a hurry with fish schools visible
4 Bb gulls incl. one with very unusual plumage (darkish head and white body)
Mokohinaus (Maori Rocks)
Grey ternlets (8 incl 1 juvenile) - excellent and very close views of these birds on ledges of one of the stacks, then seen feeding around the fringes of yet another fish 'boil-up'.
A Gannets and Red-billed Gulls on another flat-topped stack
(Burgess Island and Lizard Rock)
Late lunch and snorkel-time for Kathy and Richard.
Birds seen while parked beside Lizard Rock:
Red-crowned parakeet (incl. small flock of 6, then one individual with very little red on head). Some feeding on the ground and under low-growing plants.
Bellbird 2 feeding close to the ground and amongst ice-plant and taupata
Starlings 5+
Kingfisher 2
W swallow 1
Little shag 1
Pied Shag 5
Passing flock of prions
A Harrier 1
MOKOHINAUS -> HEN & CHICKS
Once past Groper Rock we started to see large numbers of Diving Petrels. Initially seeing flying birds, with some bouncing (like skipping stones), and diving. Then saw larger and larger mobs. At one stage we were slipping through lots of birds under the water (just visible by bubble trails) and their heads as they came up for air. An extraordinary sight - again birds right beside the boat. No-one on board had seen so many Diving Petrels.
Fairy Prions 100+
Blue Penguin
Fluttering Shearwaters - a few scattered individuals or in small loose groups; then as we closed in on the Chicks larger numbers
Buller's Shearwaters - one very tight little group of ten birds
A Gannets 50-100 well spread, some diving
Grey-faced Petrels (picked up the first of these about half-two thirds across this leg, then more and more as we neared the Chicks) 100+
Little shearwater - one clearly identified off the bow.
And one whale blow (but not seen)
Between the Chicks (Lady Alice, Coppermine et al) and Hen more Fluttering Shearwaters and a few grey-faced Petrels
Hen Island (Taranga)
Parked close to shore in Wahine Bay on the south coast of Hen. Fantastic sunset with evening sun picking out the thick thunderclouds over Auckland, Little Barrier and Whangarei. The clouds were lit by big lightning flashes as it grew darker. And then the fun really began as birds started to fly in to Hen Island over the boat - we heard high pitched calls (a bit like w-fr terns) which were grey-faced Petrels in small groups, sometimes quite high, at other times low to the water. We also heard other calls (we've checked with tapes and discussion with Johnny Kendrick) - one we now know as another grey-faced petrel (oi) call, Fluttering shearwater, Blue Penguin, little shearwater, even (possibly) some sooty shearwater calls. Added to that we had morepork and little spotted kiwi! The latter a nice boast for a pelagic trip!
After dinner we gathered on the front deck and with some energetic yodeling had grey-faced Petrels landing on the water beside the boat, flying (with a couple of Fluttering Shearwaters) around the mast lights. One landed on the back-deck which allowed us a bird-in-the-hand look before being released safely.
Using the spotlight in the water off the back of the boat brought fish and a red squid (half metre) to the surface.
Hen To Ti Point
Made in darkness. The highlight for this leg was a fantastic ride at 20 knots (big bow-wave and wake) through phosphorescence in calm waters - truly beautiful.
Surprise or interesting omissions:
White-faced Storm-Petrels (in fact stormies of any description)
Pterodromas (other Grey-faced Petrels - given the time of year this is not surprising
Cetaceans - no sightings other than the a single 'blow' and small pod of common dolphins, given the excellent conditions for viewing.
--Chris Gaskin & Karen Baird
Pterodroma Pelagics - Hauraki Gulf Seabird Tours
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