23 Jan 2025

2025SUMMERTRIP REPORT
Written By Scott Brooks

THE PETREL STATION TRIP REPORT

Fantastic to head out yesterday for the first pelagic seabird tour of 2025 to The Petrel Station, offshore from Tutukaka (in Northland, New Zealand).

Highlights of the tour were:

  • Most seabirds we've ever recorded during the summer season

  • Outstanding encounter with a Manta Ray which circled the boat for about 10 minutes

  • Huge rafts of thousands of Buller's Shearwater

During the tour we recorded 18 different seabird species, and enjoyed watching just over 75,000 stunning seabirds in total! Conditions on the day were fine, with light 2-10 knot winds and a 1.2m swell. See below for the full list of seabirds recorded on the tour.

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

Here’s the full trip results from the day:

Seabirds seen:

  • 1 x Northern Royal Albatross

  • 9,500 x Fairy Prion

  • 139 x Cook's Petrel

  • 1 x Pycroft's Petrel

  • 18 x Black Petrel

  • 61,350 x Buller's Shearwater

  • 5 x Fluttering Shearwater

  • 1 x Little Shearwater

  • 15 x Flesh-footed Shearwater

  • 3 x Sooty Shearwater

  • 23 x White-faced Storm Petrel

  • 7 x New Zealand Storm Petrel

  • 1 x Little Blue Penguin

  • 48 x Grey Ternlet

  • 2,000 x Australasian Gannet

  • 1,850 x Red-billed Gull

  • 6 x Black-backed Gull

  • 72 x Pied Shag

Other marine life included:

  • 1 x Manta Ray

  • 1 x Mako Shark

  • 2 x Sunfish

  • 3 x Flying Fish

Scott Brooks
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Best of 2024