Nov 26, 2017 Whitianga Pelagic Trip
13:00-19:30
Cloudy
Wave height : 1-1.5m (a swell from the east)
Wind condition : 4-5m (from the northeast)
We joined the pelagic trip by Wrybill Birding Tours.
We want to see a certain Pycroft’s Petrel. Because there are uncertainty records of Pycroft’s Petrel? in Japan. So we wants to make sure of Pycroft’s Petrel! In the Mercury Islands, at off Whitianga, there are colonies of Pycroft’s Petrel. The main purpose of this pelagic trip is observing Pycroft’s Petrels around their colonies. In the end, we could observe 3? Pycroft’s Petrels! We understood that ID is very difficult… But the body balance, face and neck pattern and bill size are certainly different! It is exciting that we could observe 2 Little Shearwaters. In comparison to Bryan’s Shearwater, the under parts (especialy under wing and under tail) of Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis looks more white! In addition, we could observe many Buller’s Shearwaters and some Cook’s Petrels, Parkinson’s Petrels and White-faced Storm-petrels.
And the seafood in Whitianga is very delicious!! It was good day :)!
Bird List
- Blue Penguin
- Cook’s Petrel
- Pycroft’s Petrel
- Fairy Prion
- Parkinson’s Petrel
- Flesh-footed Shearwater
- Buller’s Shearwater
- Hutton’s Shearwater
- Fluttering Shearwater ?
- Little Shearwater
- Common Diving-petrel
- White-faced Storm-petrel
- Australasian Gannet
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Pied Cormorant
- Swamp Harrier
- Variable Oystercatcher
- Red-billed Gull
- Black-backed Gull
- Caspian Tern
- White-fronted Tern
