29 Nov 2016

Taiko, Extremely Rare Seabird, Sighted Again!

Time has marched on as this expedition explores the Subantarctic Islands south and east of the New Zealand mainland. We have been to three more island groups and a a fourth one, the Chathams, is on the horizon.  

Our time at Campbell Island was very productive and rewarding. A small group headed off on an all-day hike while the remainder enjoyed a zodiac cruise in the upper harbour in the morning and an afternoon enjoying ashore. Everybody had good sightings of the endemic snipe and enjoyed some magnificent Southern Royal albatross activity. There were still a handful of chicks from last season and a lot of courtship and mating, marking the start of a new breeding season.

Our trip from Campbell Islands to the Antipodes Islands was marked by winds and seas, fortunately the weather improved for our time around the Island group and we were able to launch the zodiacs for some zodiac cruising. Again everybody got to see the endemic Erect Crested Penguin, and for a number of folk this was their very last Penguin species to check off their bucket-list-of-penguins. It is one of the most difficult penguin species to check off due to its small range.  We also had great views of the two endemic Parakeets, the Reischeks and the Antipodean.  

It was overnight to the Bounty Islands where winds prevented us from launching the zodiacs although our experienced Captain navigated the ship in close to these inhospitable rocks allowing for great views and photos of the endemic cormorant and the Salvins albatross which breed here in large numbers.

We are about 40 miles south of the Chatham Islands, home of many endemic bird species including two of the rarest petrels in the world, the Taiko Pterodroma magenta and the Chatham Island Petrel Pterodroma axillaris. Both these species are high on every Birder’s wishlist and at 0545 this morning NZDT we had a Taiko come in circle the ship before carrying on south.  The flurry of activity from expeditioners turned to jubilation and tears of joy from those who saw it.  There is still a good chance we will get another sighting and also see the Chatham Island Petrel as we are at the Chatham Islands for a couple days.

Postscript: The Chatham Island taiko Pterodroma magentae is a petrel endemic to the Chatham Islands, with a population estimated to number less than 150 birds. The taiko is among New Zealand’s most endangered species, considered to be on the brink of extinction.  The taiko was believed to be extinct for almost a century, until its rediscovery by David Crockett in 1978. Nearly ten years later, in 1987, the first taiko burrow was discovered in southern Chatham Island.  Today there are 15 known breeding pairs. (D.O.C. website)

Photo of Bounty Islands (from file): M.Kelly

Photo of Antipodes Islands (from file): A.Breniere