Hi Tom,
It's a White-headed Petrel. The head is a bit more grey than usual - and few
illustrations will show birds that appear this grey-headed - but individuals
that look like this aren't that uncommon.
The White-headed Petrel in this pic is similar but the grey feathers around
the head are either bleached or being replaced though moult by white
feathers http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/image/96759915
Soft-plumaged Petrel can be ruled out as the grey on the head and breast
band is usually much darker and they have dark grey tail feathers. All the
other Soft-plumaged-like petrels (e.g. Fea's, Zino's can be ruled out for
similar reasons).
There are a number of things wrong for Kermadec Petrel but the standouts are
the all-dark underwing (Kermadecs show distinctive pale flashes in the outer
'hand' and across the outer coverts), and again the white tail (Kermadecs in
all plumages show a dark tail and dark undertail coverts).
Cheers,
Rohan
Rohan Clarke
www.wildlifeimages.com.au
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