1 Nov 2023

THE PETREL STATION TRIP REPORT

Had a MEGA day out on the latest pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station, offshore from Tutukaka (in Northland, New Zealand). The highlights of the tour were:

• STREAKED SHEARWATER - the first live record ever in New Zealand. Stayed with the boat for over 4 hours putting on a tremendous display

• Chatham Mollymawk – for the 4th year in a row we have now recorded Chatham Mollymawk on the spring tours.

• More ridiculously huge dense feeding workups of Fairy Prion and Buller's Shearwaters.

• 6 species of Albatross / Mollymawk

• A super pod of 300+ Common Dolphins with hundreds of Flesh-footed Shearwaters and approx 25 Mollymawks

Naturally the Streaked Shearwater was a new seabird for The Petrel Station, and we've now recorded 67 species, of which 50 are tube-nose species :)

During the trip we saw 28 different seabird species, and enjoyed watching just over 90,000 stunning seabirds in total! See the full trip list below.

Conditions on the day were mostly overcast but fine, a easy 1.5m swell, and variable 7 to 15 knot NW winds.

If you’re interested in coming out to The Petrel Station then check out the upcoming tour dates and get in touch – it’s always a great day out.

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Chatham Mollymawk

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Streaked Shearwater

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Streaked Shearwater

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Buller's Shearwater

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Here’s the full trip results from the day:

Seabirds seen:

• 2 x Northern Royal Albatross

• 2 x Wandering Albatross (Gibsons)

• 1 x CHATHAM ALBATROSS

• 1 x Buller's Mollymawk

• 5 x Salvin's Mollymawk

• 52 x White-capped Mollymawk

• 3 x Northern Giant petrel

• 52000 x Fairy Prion

• 60 x Cook's Petrel

• 2 x Pycroft's Petrel

• 4 x Grey-faced Petrel

• 2 x Black Petrel

• 1 x STREAKED SHEARWATER

• 32000 x Buller's Shearwater

• 2500 x Fluttering Shearwater

• 11 x Little Shearwater

• 9 x Sooty Shearwater

• 400 x Flesh-footed Shearwater

• 40 x New Zealand Storm Petrel

• 18 x White-faced Storm Petrel

• 1 x Wilson's Storm Petrel

• 1000 x Common Diving Petrel

• 1 x Little Blue Penguin

• 1350 x Australasian Gannet

• 4 x White-fronted Tern

• 550 x Red-billed Gull

• 20 x Black-backed Gull

• 28 x Pied Shag

Other marine life included:

• 300+ x Common Dolphins

• 1 x huge Mako Shark

• 1 x Bronze Whaler Shark

• 8 x NZ Fur Seals