Hi all,
As mentioned by Ken Tucker, New
Zealand storm-petrel has
effectively been ‘rediscovered’! Some of you will remember back to our
sighting of a ‘possible’ New
Zealand storm-petrel off
of Whitianga, New
Zealand, on 25 January 2003.
This sighting caused a bit of a stir at the time, and has
continued to do so, due to the fact that this ‘species’ was
supposedly extinct, and only known from 3 specimens – one at Tring in London, and two at the Paris Museum. The fact that this ‘species’
was supposedly extinct, so little known historically, and similar in first
appearance with the Fregetta storm-petrels
(both Black-bellied and White-bellied) were at the time considered to outweigh
the possible rediscovery of this species.
Recent work does suggest that NZ storm-petrel is actually a good species
rather than a form or sub-species.
The recent sighting, by Bob Flood and Bryan
Thomas, of a small ‘flock’ of storm-petrels off Little Barrier on 17 November 2003, has in
effect provided conclusive evidence that this species still exists. Information regarding this sighting, and
a full description of the birds as seen by these two very competent birders,
has indeed just been published in the December issue of Birding World, along
with five extremely sharp, superb photos.
Bob would however, like an important erratum to be brought to
attention….
"Bob
Flood's article on the New
Zealand
Storm-petrel was published in
Birding World on December 10th.
Bob has noticed that the caption to Plates 6
&
7 is incorrect. The caption should read,
'Black-bellied Storm-petrel
Fregetta
tropica c.40 kms east of Southport,
Queensland,
Australia,
November
15,
2003 (Bryan Thomas ...'. Bringing this error to the attention of
interested
parties will prevent confusion."
We have been given the opportunity to include Bob and Bryan’s information
and photos on our website, as of 25 December 2003, and will let BIRDING-AUS know when
this has been updated. For more
information on the original sighting and photos taken at the time, see
http://www.wrybill-tours.com/idproblems/stormpet.htm
This is truly an amazing development, and something I just
can’t believe I am a part of.
Any thoughts, ideas, or contributions towards the rediscovery are welcomed.
Regards,
Brent (and Sav)
http://www.eco-vista.com and http://www.wrybill-tours.com
