An orgy of albatrosses – 4th

Andy served breakfast at 9am. Delicious and wholesome as usual. I got ready for a pelagic trip and walked down to the harbour, with a stop for a latte to go. The old wooden boat Rawhiti left the harbour at 10:30am. The skipper John Leask arranges different excursions and this one were in fact dedicated to traditional fishing with hand lines. While the other participants fishing Blue Cod I enjoyed all the seabirds around the boat. It was indeed an orgy of White-capped Albatrosses, which were the most numerous species throughout the boat tour. Following species were recorded: Blue Penguin (10), White-capped Albatross (c. 150), Wandering Albatross (1), Salvin’s Albatross (1), Buller’s Albatross (1), Giant Petrel (2), Cape Petrel (10), Common Diving Petrel (3), Sooty Shearwater (c. 100), Brown Skua (2), Australian Gannet (2), Red-billed Gull (100), Black-backed Gull (20), White-fronted Tern (10) and four species of shags. A completely great day at sea and John took care of everything and served coffee, cooked blue cod and fried paua on toast. We arrived to the harbour at 4pm. I was very excited, but kind of exhausted too. Almost 500 photos of albatrosses and other seabirds! I took a power nap for an hour then walked the Horseshoe Point track for about three hours. Great views and the usual bird species were seen in the lovely forest.

The old wooden boat "Rawhiti".

On our way out to the open sea.

Kevin from Christchurch looking for albatrosses.

Part of Stewart Island and Paterson Inlet.

White-capped Albatrosses. No, the photo is not arranged.

White-capped Albatross!

This island were named The Haystack by Cook.

White-capped Albatross "hanging" in the wind.

A beautiful White-capped Albatross.

White-capped Albatross.

Buller's Albatross, did a quick stop only.

Salvin's Albatross.

White-capped Albatross.

What an awesome good-looking bird!

White-capped Albatrosses, Red-billed Gulls and a single Black-backed Gull.