13 Nov 2025
THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT
30 SPECIES --> 104,00 SEABIRDS!
Had an outstanding day out on the latest pelagic seabird tour to The Petrel Station, offshore from Tutukaka (in Northland, New Zealand).
Highlights of the tour were:
South Polar Skua (scarce in NZ waters)
11 Mottled Petrel
11 Wandering Albatross types
Huge workup of 80,000 Fairy Prion surrounding the boat
the first Grey Noddy of the season
In total we recorded just short of 104,000 stunning seabirds, and 30 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were fine, with solid 15 knot winds and a 1.5m swell.
Keen to join us for some unique spring seabird action? Check out our upcoming seabird tour dates and get in touch – the best way to experience these stunning seabirds is out on the ocean, in their world. It’s always a great day out!
Here’s the full tour results from the day:
Seabirds seen:
2 x Wandering Albatross
9 x NZ Wandering Albatross (7 Gibson's, 2 Antipodean)
1 x Salvin's Albatross
1 x Black-browed Albatross
18 x White-capped Albatross
1 x South Polar Skua
98,000 x Fairy Prion
11 x Mottled Petrel
324 x Cook's Petrel
2 x Pycroft's Petrel
6 x Grey-faced Petrel
6 x Black Petrel
800 x Buller's Shearwater
135 x Fluttering Shearwater
32 x Little Shearwater
172 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
18 x Sooty Shearwater
3 x Short-tailed Shearwater
56 x White-faced Storm Petrel
13 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
3 x Wilson's Storm Petrel
1,060 x Common Diving Petrel
1 x Grey Ternlet
8 x White-fronted Tern
2,300 x Australasian Gannet
1 x Little Blue Penguin
700 x Red-billed Gull
2 x Black-backed Gull
81 x Pied Shag
1 x Little Black Shag
Other marine life encountered:
20 x Common Dolphin
1 x Sunfish
1 x NZ Fur Seal
2 x Flying Fish