Trip Report
FAR NORTH PELAGIC
21-24 May 2004
A group of us (Derek Bettesworth, Mike Imber, Kim Westerskov, Brett Rathe,
Karen Baird & Chris Gaskin) did a private three-day pelagic in the Far
North, out from Whangaroa Harbour. It was an opportunity to probe some
of the warm/cool water areas off North Cape, and a great chance to see
what's "out there" at this time of the year, as well as testing the notion
that NZ Storm Petrels might remain in New Zealand waters (utilising the
East Auckland Current) following breeding.
We traveled up to Whangaroa late Friday night (21 May) and over-nighted on
board Shardae at the marina.
Saturday 22 May
6AM start on a calm harbour at sunrise. White-fronted terns and red-billed
gulls heading up the harbour as we motored out. A reef heron crossed in
front of the boat as we neared the heads. Breakfasted off Stephenson Island,
then headed for a point at the 500m line NE from Stephenson Island.
Birds seen on a way:
Little Shearwater - one went through close
Fairy Prions - individuals and small groups, further out more common
Buller's Shearwater - 1s
Fluttering Shearwater - 1 seen
A. Gannets - common all the way out
Black-browed Albatross (adults and juvenile) - occasional
Albatross (sp) - 2 unidentified
Grey-faced Petrel - individuals
200-500m
Grey-faced Petrel - big increase in numbers
Juv. and adult Black-browed Albatross
Fairy Prions - 10s
First Chumming Location
34 42.63S174 00.01E 600m 18.4C
Birds seen:
NZ Black-browed Albatross 20+
Grey-faced Petrel 10s
One dark faced Grey-faced petrel
A white rumped Grey-faced Petrel-type bird seen flicking through - frustrating
Flesh-footed Shearwaters 1
Fairy Prions 10+
Gibson's Albatross 4 plus one dark juvenile
Snowy Albatross 1
Brown (Southern) Skua
Finished chumming: 34 42.77S 174 00.43E 18.7C 11.50AM
Headed north-west - bit of a bash into the wind and a muddled sea
More Grey-faced Petrels (some following the boat)
Fairy Prions
Black-browed Albatross 3
Wandering (Gibson's) 1
Second Chumming Location
34 37.62S 173 50.62E
Birds seen:
Grey-faced Petrel 10s
Providence Petrel 1 (First NZ sighting of a live bird)
NZ Black-browed Albatross (juv. and adults) 10+
Gibson's Albatross 2
Gibson's Albatross 1 juv
Antipodean Albatross Female 1
Fairy Prions 10+
Buller's Shearwater 5+
Heading towards Karikari Peninsula - reached Maitai Bay on dusk
Grey-faced Petrel - common most of the way in towards shore
Gibson's (adult & juv) Albatross
NZ Black-browed Albatross
Buller's Shearwater 1
Fluttering Shearwater 1s 1-2nms from shore
Diving Petrel 100+ 1-2nms from shore (most heading towards Moturoa Islands)
Sunday 23 May
Left Maitai Bay at 9.45AM after a leisurely start!
Light SW/S
Blue Penguin 7
White-fronted Terns and Red-billed Gulls feeding out in the bay first
thing.
Headed out past Cape Karikari and Moturoa Islands
Gannets 1s
Fluttering Shearwater 4
Red-billed Gull c.4
Fairy Prions small groups, 1s
White-capped Albatross 2
Groups of five to ten gannets flying south-east 10s (116m 17.2C)
Common Dolphins (154m 17.7C)
Fairy Prions 1s
White-capped Albatross 1
More A Gannets
Gibson's Albatross juv. (380m 18C)
First Grey-faced Petrels
White-capped Albatross
Head of 'trench'
34 27.13S 173 28.65E
Wind strength 10-15kns 18.2C
Big increase in numbers of Grey-faced Petrels
Fairy Prions - small groups and individuals
Gibson's Albatross (adult and juv.)
NZ Black-browed Albatross 1
Buller's Shearwater 2
First Chumming Point (25kns east of North Cape)
34 26.69S 173 30.46E
11.30AM 18C
Birds seen:
Giant Petrel (very dark) flew through just before we started chumming
Gibson's Albatross 5+
Gibson's Albatross (juv) 2+
Antipodean Albatross female 1
NZ Black-browed Albatross 10+ (5 at one time)
Buller's Albatross (Southern) 1
Sooty Shearwater 1
Grey-faced Petrel 50+
Fairy Prion 20+
New Zealand Storm Petrel 3 (probably 4) - found the target bird!
34 26.69S 173 30.46E
Wind strength 20-25kns 18.4C
Finished chumming 1.30pm
Headed west - towards North Cape
Grey-faced Petrel
Fairy Prions 1s or small groups
NZ Storm Petrel (34 24.8S 173 21.13E) seen while steaming. Crossed the
wake.
White-headed Petrel 1
NZ Black-browed Albatross 1s
Wandering (Gibson's) 2+
Little Shearwater 3+
Buller's Shearwater 3+
Second Chumming Location
34 24.59S 173 09.05E
Wind strength 25kns 17.5C
Birds seen:
Grey-faced Petrels 50+
Fairy Prions 50+
White-capped Albatross
NZ Black-browed Albatross 5+
Yellow-nosed Albatross
Buller's Shearwater
Little Shearwater 1 flew close over chum - several further out (50-100m)
1 distant bird possible Black-winged Petrel
Finished 34 24.59S 173 09.05E
Started making our way into the wind to Houhora. Heading first towards
the mouth of the Parengarenga Harbour then parallel to the beach at Great
Exhibition Bay. Birds seen before nightfall included: Grey-faced Petrel,
Little Shearwater and Fairy Prion. Steamed up Houhora Harbour well after
dark and anchored just upstream from new Game Fishing Club building.
Monday 23 May
Cruised out of Houhora with a cuppa in our hands. White-faced and Reef
Herons, Turnstone, SI Pied and Variable Oystercatchers, Welcome Swallow,
and Red-billed and Black-backed Gulls. Also, five Bottle-nosed Dolphins
in the harbour.
Breakfast on the way out to sea with Fluttering and Buller's Shearwaters,
blue Penguin and three Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the wake. A. Gannets circling
and resting on the surface. Started to pick up Diving Petrels. A mob of
Fairy Prions over a high reef (rising to a few metres below the surface
from an area of shelf 60m deep) - king fish and bait fish could be seen
hovering around and over the reef in the depth sounder.
Continued out N of Cape Karikari
More Fairy Prions and Fluttering Shearwater, and one Black-browed Albatross
Chumming Location
34 38.24S 173 26.32E
200m 18C 10.20AM
Very quiet initially, birds seen:
Birds seen:
Grey-faced Petrel 10s
Diving Petrel 3 (flicking by)
Fairy prions 20+ (a number dabbling on the surface, a few even diving below)
Gibson's Albatross 3
Buller's Shearwater 1
Little Shearwater 2 (in distance behind the boat)
Black-browed Albatross 10+
And one very casual Mako Shark kept us very entertained.
Headed for Whangaroa Harbour
Again very quiet for a long stretch with just the occasional Fairy Prion,
A. Gannet, Grey-faced Petrel and Fluttering Shearwater. Then off Doubtless
Bay starting picked up lots of gannets and Fluttering Shearwater heading
out to deeper water. Soon after more Fluttering Shearwaters heading for
Doubtless Bay, and many Diving Petrels as we close in on Whangaroa Harbour.
Reached Whangaroa about 4.30PM and unloaded.
This private trip was made possible by the generous offer from John Greensmith (Warkworth)
for the use of his lovely boat Shardae. And the irrepressible energy of our skipper
Brett. Great trip!
--Chris Gaskin & Karen Baird
Pterodroma Pelagics - Hauraki Gulf Seabird Tours
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