THE PETREL STATION SEABIRD TOURS MULTI DAY REPORT
2 DAYS --> 103,500 SEABIRDS! --> 30 SPECIES
We just completed 2 outstanding days in a row on The Petrel Station seabird tours, offshore from Tutukaka (in Northland, New Zealand).
Highlights of the tours were:
Chatham Albatross again!
7 species of Albatross
Huge feeding workups of thousands of Fairy Prions
Humpback and Brydes Whales lunge feeding
Over the 2 days we recorded 103,500 stunning seabirds, and 30 seabird species in total (see the full species list below). Conditions over both days were fine, with 8-20k knot winds and a 1.2-2 m swell.
Our spring season has started off with some amazing encounters already … keen to join us for a unique seabird experience? Check out our upcoming tour dates and get in touch – It’s always a great day out 😁.
Here’s the full list of all seabirds recorded over the 2 days:
Seabirds seen:
1 x Chatham Albatross
4 x Northern Royal Albatross
1 x NZ Wandering Albatross (ssp. Antipodean)
5 x NZ Wandering Albatross (ssp. Gibson's)
8 x Salvin's Albatross
1 x Campbell Albatross
1 x Black-browed Albatross
71 x White-capped Albatross
6 x Northern Giant Petrel
82,500 x Fairy Prion
145 x Cook's Petrel
1 x Pycroft's Petrel
13 x Grey-faced Petrel
24 x Black Petrel
13,100 x Buller's Shearwater
445 x Fluttering Shearwater
24 x Little Shearwater
38 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
44 x Sooty Shearwater
46 x White-faced Storm Petrel
15 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
3 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
1,700 x Common Diving Petrel
1 x Little Blue Penguin
4,000 x Australasian Gannet
1 x White-fronted Tern
1,300 x Red-billed Gull
11 x Black-backed Gull
106 x Pied Shag
2 x Little Black Shag
1 x Little Pied Shag
Learn more about the seabird species seen on this tour:
Albatross • Petrels • Shearwaters • Storm Petrels • Prions • Skuas • Other Seabirds
Other marine life encountered:
1 x Humpback Whale
1 x Bryde's Whale
200 x Common Dolphin
1 x Blue Shark
1 x Sunfish
38 x NZ Fur Seal