Part 2
Hauraki Gulf, North Island,
Stewart Island and the Foveaux Strait,
New Zealand.
Hauraki Gulf is a vast area of water accessible from Auckland that lies between the mainland and the Coromandel Peninsula, opening up in the north to the South Pacific Ocean. The Gulf is peppered with islands and these small isolated areas of land are where a number of sea and land birds are making their last stand against extinction. Although highly politically charged, debate about the devastating affects of rats and cats on island populations of birds has led the New Zealand Government to authorise clearance of vermin from some of the key islands.
We joined two pelagic trips organised by Kiwi Wildlife Tours and made our own arrangements with a charter boat for a third day into the Gulf. The first organised trip was a 'steam, tick and run' affair around the Gulf to meet the purposes of a British group of birders, starting at 11.00 and finishing at 17.00. The second was a laid-back cruise. Our own charter was far more expensive since the NZ$800 cost was shared by just two of
us, however, we saw virtually all species logged on the other two trips, plus a few others and we did things our way (the boat used was MV Assassin skippered by Brett Rathe who can be contacted by email boatnfish@xtra.co.nz.
We visited locations recommended by Kiwi Wildlife Tours off Little Barrier and Great Barrier Islands. A main target for the Hauraki Gulf was two more Pterodroma petrels, the breeding Cook's and Pycroft's Pterodroma pycrofti. Cook's were easy to find.
Campbell Albatross
The much more rare Pycroft's were very difficult to pick out from the Cook's. The identification problem arises because of the very similar size, structure and plumage of the two species. In all honesty, I could claim only to have seen three definite Pycroft's over the three trips.
Another speciality of the Gulf is Black Petrel since the islands offer them their last breeding refuge. We saw 15 on our private charter, but just two on the laid-back cruise and none on the 'steam, tick and run' trip. A highlight on the private charter was a flock of White-faced Storm-petrels that we drew close to the boat by using chum and then watching for several hours. White-faced Storm-Petrels were seen on all three trips.
Common Diving Petrels were indeed common, whilst Flesh-footed and Fluttering Shearwaters were abundant. The gorgeous Buller's Shearwater was relatively easy to find, although normally in small groups. Fairy Prions frequently joined in the show. A single White-capped Albatross Diomedea [cauta] steadi was a pleasant surprise on two out of the three trips. We were unlucky not to see Little Shearwater.
Fluttering Shearwaters
The most amazing sighting of our birding careers happened on the day of our private charter. A possible sighting of the New Zealand Storm-petrel Oceanites maorianus (provisional Latin name) on January 25, 2003 made on a Wrybill Birding Tours pelagic trip close to 'nearby' Mercury Island, off the Coromandel Peninsula, was published in Birding World (16: 173-175). Other than that, this Storm-Petrel was known only from three skins collected in the 1800s. Our chum enticed to the boat a group of at least ten and up to 20 of them! It is a long story and one that can be read in Birding World (16: 479-482) and on the Wrybill Birding Tours web site, with shorter news snippets on many other web sites. Suffice to say, it was and remains a mind-blowing experience.
Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand
For land-based pelagic trippers, Kaikoura is the place on the planet to see a range of forms of Albatross and to observe them close-up. And the scenery is stunning. OceanWings is an organisation in Kaikoura that offers dedicated trips to see albatrosses. Trips are run at 06.00, 09.00, 13.00 and 16.00 and each one lasts about three hours. The trips may seem short, but with a deep underwater canyon just three kilometres offshore and a fast boat, trippers find themselves bobbing up and down amongst Albatrosses within just 20 minutes or so. Floating bags containing frozen sharks livers and regular drops of chum ensure that the boat remains perpetually surrounded by albatrosses.
Salvin's Albatross
Bob and I joined nine trips and found that the 06.00 one was by far the best for our purposes since only birders turned up for dawn trips and the skip-per responded accordingly to birders' interests; e.g., steaming out further that secured extra species and cutting but a visit to a near-shore island for species that all serious birders would easily pick-up for themselves when touring the coast. Trips later in the day (especially at 13.00) were mainly for tourists turned-on by the idea of seeing an albatross and OceanWings understandably catered for their needs. In this way, OceanWings raises interest amongst the general public in 'the Albatross' and an information pack given to all participants raises awareness of 'the plight of the Albatross'. It is good to see eco-tourism operating in this way.
Gibson's Albatross
Antipodean
Over the nine trips we saw the following Albatross forms: a few Snowy Diomedea chionoptera/exulans, plenty of Gibson's and Antipodean, regular but small numbers of Northern Royal and Southern Royal, good numbers of White-capped and especially Salvin's, and one each of Black-browed, Campbell and Buller's.
Southern Giant Petrels
Northern Giant Petrels were common whilst we saw just two Southern Giant Petrels. Cape Petrels were abundant. On excursions to deeper waters we saw Fairy Prions and were over-the-moon when a Grey-backed Storm-petrel made a ten-minute visit to the oily slick run-ning away from the chum. Great-winged Petrels (the Grey-faced form P. m. gouldi) were regular, but the only Pterodroma petrel that we encountered.
Great-winged Petrel
Westland Petrel
We saw two species of Procellaria petrels with Westland very common and White-chinned occasional. Hutton's Shearwater was an abundant species and small numbers of Buller's Shearwater were seen most trips. White-fronted Terns were common. OceanWings records all sightings on its
Bob and I joined nine trips and found that the 06.00 one was by far the best for our purposes since only birders turned up for dawn trips and the skip-per responded accordingly to birders' interests; e.g., steaming out further that secured extra species and cutting but a visit to a near-shore island for species that all serious birders would easily pick-up for themselves when touring the coast. Trips later in the day (especially at 13.00) were mainly for tourists turned-on by the idea of seeing an albatross and OceanWings understandably catered for their needs. In this way, OceanWings raises interest amongst the general public in 'the Albatross' and an information pack given to all participants raises awareness of 'the plight of the Albatross'. It is good to see eco-tourism operating in this way.
Over the nine trips we saw the following Albatross forms: a few Snowy Diomedea chionoptera/exulans, plenty of Gibson's and Antipodean, regular but small numbers of Northern Royal and Southern Royal, good numbers of White-capped and especially Salvin's, and one each of Black-browed, Campbell and Buller's.
Northern Giant Petrels were common whilst we saw just two Southern Giant Petrels. Cape Petrels were abundant. On excursions to deeper waters we saw Fairy Prions and were over-the-moon when a Grey-backed Storm-petrel made a ten-minute visit to the oily slick run-ning away from the chum. Great-winged Petrels (the Grey-faced form P. m. gouldi) were regular, but the only Pterodroma petrel that we encountered.
We saw two species of Procellaria petrels with Westland very common and White-chinned occasional. Hutton's Shearwater was an abundant species and small numbers of Buller's Shearwater were seen most trips. White-fronted Terns were common. OceanWings records all sightings on its
Hundreds of thousands of Sooty Shearwaters Puffinus griseus in the waters around Stuart Island, New Zealand provided one of the most enduring ornithological spectacles of our trip.
.
Stewart Island and the Foveaux Strait, New Zealand
This southernmost Australasian location for land-based pelagic trips was included on our itinerary for breeding Mottled Petrel, Broad-billed Prion Pachyptila vittata, and 'the experience'. We joined a pelagic trip organised by Thorfinn from Half Moon Bay. We left port at 09.00 and soon were watching a Brown Skua (Subantarctic form) and Little Blue Penguins.
Little Blue Penguins
We then steamed eastwards and into tens of thousands of Sooty Shearwaters. The sight was spectacular with `muttonbirds' visible in every direction and as far as you could see. Sooties dived like auks and popped-up like corks all around us. The boat's echo sounder showed 'shoals' of them feeding underwater.
Sooty Shearwaters
White-capped Albatross
White-capped Albatross
White-capped Albatross was present in good numbers and we saw two Salvin's Albatrosses, a Snowy Albatross, and six Northern Giant Petrels. Common Diving Petrels were everywhere. There were two big disappointments however. First, the organiser did not bother with chum! Second, at 14.00 the organiser took participants on an island botanical walk rather than completing the full day pelagic trip that we were promised. On the boat trip back we did at least glimpse a Fjordland
White-capped Albatross was present in good numbers and we saw two Salvin's Albatrosses, a Snowy Albatross, and six Northern Giant Petrels. Common Diving Petrels were everywhere. There were two big disappointments however. First, the organiser did not bother with chum! Second, at 14.00 the organiser took participants on an island botanical walk rather than completing the full day pelagic trip that we were promised. On the boat trip back we did at least glimpse a Fjordland
Crested Penguin Eudyptes pachyrhynchus and were shown Stewart Island Shags Phalacrocorax chalconotus. And 'the experience' at this wild and rugged location was awe-inspiring. We travelled to Stewart Island by ferry from Bluff. Although this mega-sized rib does the crossing in just over an hour and viewing is restricted, it still provides opportunities to watch seabirds. The outward journey was calm and so all we saw in any numbers were Sooty Shearwaters and Common Diving Petrels, with three distant White-capped Albatrosses. The return journey was fun in-itself, like a rollercoaster ride with spray caused by strong winds that also brought out seabirds with near to 100 White-capped Albatrosses and, finally,
about twenty Broad-billed Prions, a target bird for this location. Rewarding indeed, but braving the outside left us utterly soaked.
about twenty Broad-billed Prions, a target bird for this location. Rewarding indeed, but braving the outside left us utterly soaked.
Concluding Comments
The list of seabirds seen on our adventure is representative of the abundance of seabirds available to land-based pelagic birders visiting Australia and New Zealand in spring/summer. Some organisers have web sites that document their sightings across all seasons that in addition to this article will facilitate planning.
We had a fantastic time and our only regret is that we did not have more time to join pelagic trips from other locations. Trips we missed out include those from Albany, Eden, Port Fairy and Tasmania, and also in Australia; and Cook Strait, Tolaga Bay and Whitianga in New Zealand. Obviously, we will have to make a return trip down-under to broaden our experience of these outstanding and sometimes overwhelming locations for seabirds.
Acknowledgements I would like to thank Wrybill Birding Tours for additional information about pelagic trips in New Zealand that we were unable to include on our itinerary, but are covered above. Thanks also to the following sea birders for details of one-day pelagic trips that they organise and the seasonal summaries for their location;
Paul Walbridge for Southport, Frank O'Connor for Albany and Perth, Chris Lester for Port Fairy, and David Webb for Eden.
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