27 Nov 2025
THE PETREL STATION TOUR REPORT
123,000 SEABIRDS --> 26 SPECIES!
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:
Grey Petrel
Long-tailed Skua
Huge feeding workups
In total we recorded just over 123,000 stunning seabirds, and 26 seabird species (see the full species list below). Conditions on the day were fine, with 5-8 knot winds and a 2m swell.
Keen to join us for a unique seabird experience? Our ‘Spring’ tours are in full swing (and all full now), and our ‘Summer’ tours are filling up fast 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:
2 x Northern Royal Albatross
2 x NZ Wandering Albatross (ssp. Gibson's)
2 x Buller’s Albatross
11 x White-capped Albatross
1 x Northern Giant Petrel
1 x Long-tailed Skua
97,000 x Fairy Prion
128 x Cook’s Petrel
3 x Pycroft’s Petrel
1 x Grey Petrel
1 x Grey-faced Petrel
34 x Black Petrel
21,500 x Buller’s Shearwater
37 x Fluttering Shearwater
11 x Little Shearwater
39 x Flesh-footed Shearwater
5 x Short-tailed Shearwater
3 x Sooty Shearwater
19 x White-faced Storm Petrel
6 x New Zealand Storm Petrel
650 x Common Diving Petrel
6 x Grey Noddy
3,350 x Australasian Gannet
550 x Red-billed Gull
3 x Black-backed Gull
81 x Pied Shag
Other marine life encountered:
1 x Whale sp.
1 x Sunfish
1 x NZ Fur Seal
1 x Flying Fish