31 May 2026 Report
OVERVIEW
Fine, some cloud, increasing. 21C. West-southwesterly winds to 18 knots. Seas to 1m. 20.9C sea surface temperatures.
TRIP SUMMARY
Conditions were smooth as we left the heads due to little swell or wind. As we motored further out from the protection of the coast the conditons changed markedly with winds increasing to 18 knots at the drift.
We didn't encounter our first Albatross until we were a few nautical miles out. That particular bird decided to continue on its northward path without joining us. Fortunately the next few birds we encountered were more cooperative and were keen to follow the boat. A Humpback was observed to blow not too far from the boat but disappeared promptly. Approaching the shelf we encountered a Providence Petrel. It wasn't until near the end of our drift at the shelf that we added another Providence Petrel to the day's tally.
By the time we'd reached the shelf, we had a good selection of Albatrosses following us including several Shy, Black-browed, a Campbell, an Indian Yellow-nosed and a Buller's Albatross. We soon attracted a handful of Wilson's Storm-Petrels to the slick. A lone Black-bellied Storm-Petrel was picked out amongst the Wilson's as it made a close flyby past the boat. That is the first we've had of this species since two birds were seen in 2019. A Northern Giant-Petrel made a showing just as we were leaving the drift for the return leg.
We managed to drag most of the Albatrosses along for the ride back. A small pod of Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins were encountered just prior to entering the heads.
BIRD LIST
(Note that the numbers in parentheses represent the approximate maximum number of that species in view at one time)
| Silver Gull | 75 | (60) |
| Greater Crested Tern | 22 | (9) |
| Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross | 5 | (3) |
| Buller's Albatross | 4 | (2) |
| Shy Albatross | 19 | (14) |
| Black-browed Albatross | 18 | (10) |
| Campbell Albatross | 3 | (2) |
| Wilson's Storm Petrel | 10 | (7) |
| BLACK-BELLIED STORM-PETREL | 1 | (1) |
| Northern Giant Petrel | 1 | |
| Providence Petrel | 2 | (1) |
| Sooty Shearwater | 1 | |
| Fluttering Shearwater | 2 | (1) |
| Fluttering-type Shearwaters | 2 | |
| Australasian Gannet | 60 |
OTHER
| Oceanic Bottlenose Dolphin | 3 |
| Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin | 4 |
| Humpback Whale | 1 |
| Bronze whaler | 1 |
Highlights
(Photographs Nick Thompson, Victor Hélias and Greg McLachlan).
Nick Thompson
Nick Thompson
Nick Thompson
Nick Thompson
Victor Hélias
Greg McLachlan
Greg McLachlan
Greg McLachlan
Greg McLachlan
Greg McLachlan
Greg McLachlan