Mercury Islands Pelagic – North Island New Zealand – 12-12-09
Vessel -
Mamma Mia a 35ft launch out
of Whitianga.
Captain - Andy Kerr
Trip participants -
Rob Morris (Organiser) Grant Penrhyn, Frank Pierce & Janie Vaughn and
her husband.
Departed Whitianga main wharf at 1pm returned 7.30pm.
Weather / sea
conditions, fresh (or frish if you're in NZ) NW winds (10-15k) up to 20k. Sea
up to 1 m swell + messy chop to 0.5m. Overcast throughout.
Overview.
Travelled directly
through Mercury Bay to Red Mercury from Whitianga -covering the 25-30km in
around 1 hour! Had lunch / tea
in the shelter of Red Mercury -seeing 1 or 2 North Island Saddlebacks from
the vessel (no landing allowed). Then headed up to 5NM NE and put out a block
of fish in a mesh bag as well as chumming with a mixture of fish, fish oil and
chum/fish biscuits in tuna oil) and
traversed the area keeping in relatively sheltered waters up to 3NM from Red
Mercury. Initially picked up
many Cook’s Petrels apparently heading for the Hauraki Gulf (i.e. not hanging
around) but sightings of Pycroft’s increased as the evening went on –
with small groups being located sitting on the water adjacent to the vessel in
the early evening - these birds appeared to be waiting to return to Red Mercury
where they breed (c. 300 pairs).
Highlights
Superb
views of Pycroft's Petrels along side Cook's Petrels. An excellent supporting
cast of Black and Grey-faced (Great-winged) petrels, White-faced Storm Petrels
and Buller's Shearwaters.
Approximate numbers
(max. count in brackets)
Common diving petrel 4 (2)
Grey-faced
(great-winged) petrel 2 (1)
Cook's petrel 45 (3)
Pycroft's Petrel 60
(15)
Fairy Prion 12 (3)
Black Petrel 6 (2)
Buller's Shearwater
120 (30)
Flesh-footed
Shearwater 20 (6)
Fluttering shearwater
250 (120) – mostly in Mercury Bay
White-faced
storm-petrel 200 (40)
Australasian Gannet 20
(5)
Arctic Jaeger 2 (2)
Kelp Gull – common in
Mercury bay
Red-billed Gull –
small nos. in Mercury Bay
White-fronted Tern –
common in Mercury Bay
If anyone wants more
details – or would like to know how to organize such a trip (summer only for
Pycroft’s & Cook’s Petrels, please let me know and I’ll assist.
Rob Morris
If It Exists, You'll Find it on SEEK Shopping Trolley Mechanic
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