Sea Birds

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Little Shearwater

Little Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis)

Wingspan 630mm body weight of 220-260g

A very hard bird to photograph as he doesn’t come close to boats often, so my shot of this guy aren’t great. A small fast flying Shearwater, breeds on the outer islands and a few breed on the main island in small burrows. Can be seen here from April to November if your lucky!!

Little Pied Cormorant

Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)

This bird drops in every now and again; I only have one picture I couldn’t get close enough. They range all around the coast of Australia and NZ. Breed in NZ and Australia.

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

These guys drop in every year and stay for a while, large all black with a yellow face. I found this one down at Balls Pyramid a year ago. Breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America.

Little Black Cormorant

Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)

These guys drop in every year and stay for a while. There are here now (15/12/11) sitting down at the park every day after they feed.

Southern Skua

Southern Skua (Stercorarius antarctics)

Wingspan 1500mm body weight of 2kg.

This bird is the largest of the Skua’s, breeds in the southern ocean islands feeds on almost anything it can scrounge. Large powerful looking bird.

Red-billed Tropic Bird

Red-Billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus)

Wingspan 1100mm body weight of 420g

This guy must have got lost!! The first record for this bird in Australia was on Lord Howe last November 2010. Great bird to watch fly, he is much faster than the Red tailed and very vocal. Be nice if he brought a mate back. Breeds Tropical Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Eastern Pacific.

Red-tailed Tropic Bird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricaudra)

Wingspan 1050mm Body weight of 700g

Can be seen here most of the year best over the summer months. Breeds here in the rocky cliffs around the Island. Easy to find along the Kim’s Lookout ridge. A great bird to photograph.

Fairy Prion

Fairy Prion (Pachyptila turtur)

Wingspan 560mm body weight of 90g

We see this bird here most winters but this year was the only time I have managed to get a picture of one. Breeds on islands off Tasmania and Victoria.

Pomarine Jaeger

Pomarine Jaeger ( Stercorarius pomarinus)

Wingspan 1100mm body weight of 500g

When these have flashed through I have only managed to get one good picture. We don’t see many here.

South Polar Skua

South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki)

Wingspan 1600mm body weight of 2kg

We see these guys over winter, when you first spot them you think you have spotted an eagle. Breeds on southern ocean islands. They will harass other sea birds until they throw up and steel their food.

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