17 Nov 2025
THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT
Had another 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:
Chatham Albatross (scarce to see off mainland NZ)
16 Mottled Petrel
In total we recorded just short of 12,000 stunning seabirds, and 26 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were fine, with 10-15 knot winds and a 1.7m swell.
Keen to join us for some unique spring seabird action? Our ‘Spring’ tours are in full swing (with only a few spaces left now), and our ‘Summer’ tours are already filling up too ...Check out our upcoming seabird tour dates and get in touch – It’s always a great day out!
Here’s the full tour results from the day:
Seabirds seen:
1 x Chatham Albatross
1 x Campbell Albatross
14 x White-capped Albatross
7,600 x Fairy Prion
16 x Mottled Petrel
305 x Cook’s Petrel
5 x Pycroft’s Petrel
4 x Grey-faced Petrel
12 x Black Petrel
17 x Buller’s Shearwater
186 x Fluttering Shearwater
9 x Little Shearwater
51 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
5 x Sooty Shearwater
2 x Short-tailed Shearwater
18 x White-faced Storm Petrel
12 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
2 x Wilson’s Storm Petrel
180 x Common Diving Petrel
1 x Little Blue Penguin
5 x Grey Ternlet
2,250 x Australasian Gannet
950 x Red-billed Gull
2 x Black-backed Gull
78 x Pied Shag
1 x Little Black Shag
Other marine life encountered:
1 x Sunfish
1 x NZ Fur Seal