17 Apr 2014

Fiji Petrel Sighted!

Our Birding the Pacific expedition has started with a sensational sighting probably unprecedented on a commercial birdwatching expedition. We departed Suva yesterday and made our way towards Gau Island where the Fiji Petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi) was first collected in 1855. It was thought extinct until a bird was found onshore on Gau in 1984. Since that time a total of 20 birds have been found there and it is now thought that the birds probably nest there, although a nest has never been found. In any case the population appears to be extremely small and is generally assumed to number less than 50 individuals.

In 2009 several birds were observed and photographed at sea for the first time ever. Although the odds of actually sighting a bird at sea were against us, we decided to look for this mythical species when we arrived at a location approximately 5 nautical miles southwest of Gau yesterday. No birds of any description were present when we arrived but we launched the Zodiacs mid afternoon in a light swell and laid a chum slick in the gentle breeze. Very few birds appeared at our slick for over an hour and as the sun was reaching the horizon we figured our chances of sighting the Fiji Petrel were over for the day. As we prepared to return to the ship a Fiji Petrel suddenly appeared at close range and lingered over the slick for nearly a minute. We could hardly contain our excitement as we raised binoculars and cameras. Some managed to photograph this critically endangered bird in what was a moment to remember forever. As the sun was dipping below the horizon and the Zodiacs returned to the ship we had another sighting of a Fiji Petrel but were unable to tell if this was the same individual or a different bird. It certainly made this a day to remember!