ShareThis19 June 2011
For the second year in a row, apparent New Zealand Storm Petrels are turning up off the east coast of Australia. Last year’s birds caused a stir … so the discovery of another likely candidate on the Southport Pelagics this week was bound to do the same.
Although the identification of this bird as a definite New Zealand Storm-petrel has yet to be absolutely confirmed, there is little doubt that this is what it is.
- Storm-petrel thought by most to be a New Zealand Storm-petrel, seen off Southport on Saturday 18th June 2011. Photo courteousy of Rob Morris.
There is still some contention regarding a bird seen off Ulladulla last year that had surprisingly dark underwings. The underwings on birds from the Hauraki Gulf are supposed to be extensively white.
Further Reading
- SUMMARY of recent east coast records.
- More information and images of Storm-petrels of Australia.
- Bird-O Seabird Boat Trips Page.
- Bird-O Southport Pelagics Page.
- A useful compendium of past images of New Zealand Storm-petrels from the Hauraki Gulf (NZ), Ulladulla and Wollongong.
- Seabirding in New Zealand.
Images by Rob Morris from the Southport Pelagic, 18 June 2011.
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- Storm-petrel thought by most to be a New Zealand Storm-petrel, seen off Southport on Saturday 18th June 2011. Photo courteousy of Rob Morris.
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