Paul's 2023 Photographic World List (4 Viewers)

[Paul Chapman]

We almost went up Ship Creek tonight but changed our mind because of the lack of paddles and instead Monro Beach was where we scored the Fiordland Crested Penguins and on the way back the Morepork...

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 23 (Dec 4th) was limited by a thwarted seawatch due to fog, some lengthy failed searches for Yellowhead & a long drive. But Fernbird & Black Stilt were additions.

A few pics. South Island Oystercatcher, Song Thrush, Pipipi, Tomtit (two pics), Rifleman (two pics), Black Stilt (ringed immature - two pics), Double-banded Plover (two pics), Mallard, Mallard x Pacific Black Duck hybrid, New Zealand Pigeon & New Zealand Fernbird.

Unlikely to be many additions before our seabird adventure begins on Dec 6th.... 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 24 (Dec 5th) saw no additions and quite a bit of travelling. The bulk of today's birding was spent with six Black Stilts. Probably my second ever rarest wader after Spoon-billed Sandpiper?

The boat does not sail until 9.00pm tomorrow night so not sure if the trip list will move tomorrow either but Thursday should be the Snares Islands so it should be an exciting day.

Hoping for some WiFi to purchase but it may be radio silence for a fortnight?!?

A few pics. Black-billed Gull, Double-banded Plover (two pics), Grey Teal, Skylark, Redpoll, Feral Pigeon (a thin day but a trip photo list needs one pic 😀), Little Pied Cormorant (adult & juvenile), Mallard x Pacific Black Duck hybrid, adult Black Stilt (seven pics) & immature Black Stilt (two pics).

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have just done a review of our trip to date. I will give us 9 out of 10.

Six species heard but not seen:-
Brown Quail
Bush Thick-knee
Black-backed Bittern
Red-browed Treecreeper
Pilotbird
Yellowhead

Twenty-five species on our Australia itinerary that were either dipped at sites or were common enough in areas that we could/should have scored:-
Spotless Crake
Buff-banded Rail
Speckled Warbler
Powerful Owl
Spotted Quail-thrush
White-bellied Cuckooshrike
White-throated Nightjar
Pheasant Coucal
Glossy-black Cockatoo
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Double-barred Finch
Wandering Whistling Duck
Pale-vented Bush-hen
Forest Kingfisher
White-throated Honeyeater
Pale-yellow Robin
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren
Zebra Finch
Ground Parrot
Orange Chat
Redthroat
Purple-crowned Lorikeet
Black-eared Cuckoo
Australian Fairy Tern
Wompoo Fruit Dove

So far in New Zealand, I have four misses down:-
Long-tailed Koel
New Zealand Pipit (which should fall on the islands)
Okarito Brown Kiwi (rained off on our target & back up nights)
South Island Wren (rain prevented an attempt)

A trip list of 397 at this stage is as a result a 9 out of ten for me. 😀

I suspect that follow up Australia & New Zealand trips will follow but Snares, Macquarie, Antipodes, Campbell & Chatham Islands await!

All the best

Paul

 

[Scridifer]

Bon voyage Paul, hope the trip is all you expect! Looking forward to updates as and when eagerly.

Chris

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 25 (Dec 6th) a day of eating & travel only departing Bluff Harbour at dusk accompanied by a few Sooty Shearwaters. My only pics of the day were Spotted Shags & Little Penguin in the Harbour. We steam overnight to the Snares Islands and we should be there shortly after dawn. Early alarm set...

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 26 (Dec 7th). We woke to seabirds as we headed to the Snares Island. A couple of hours there exploring by zodiac and then off towards the Auckland Islands. We are almost there as dawn breaks this morning.

Sixteen trip additions and sixteen lifers. 😀

A few back of camera pics. Cape Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Common Diving Petrel, Broad-billed Prion, Brown Skua, Buller's Albatross, Antarctic Tern, Snares Islands Fernbird, Snares Islands Tomtit, Southern Fulmar, Snares Crested Penguins, Campbell's Black-browed Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, White-chinned Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, Black-bellied Storm-Petrel, Gibson's Wandering Albatross & Salvin's Albatross. A crash course in seabird identification so ĥopefully those are correct!

Also Leopard & Elephant Seal pics.

A good day. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[foresttwitcher]

Sounds like a bit more than "A good day"!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Sounds like a bit more than "A good day"!

Indeed. 😀

 

[Scridifer]

An incredible day - and hopefully a few more to come!

Chris

 

[Paul Chapman]

Today was principally spent in a brutal 8+ km walk around Enderby Island in the Auckland Islands occasionally dodging charging bull sea lions. One very close encounter when thankfully standing my ground and staring him down worked.... The gap at that stage was less than two feet!

Unsurprisingly, the eight trip additions today were all lifers and indeed, the twenty five trip additions in the first two days of this boat trip have all been lifers.

A few back of camera pics. Light-mantled Albatross, Antarctic Prion, Fairy Prion, White-headed Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, New Zealand Pipit, Auckland Islands Teal, Auckland Islands Shag, New Zealand Falcon, Double-banded Plover (local race), Subantarctic Snipe, Tomtit (local race), Red-crowned Parakeet, Brown Skua, Southern Royal Albatross (two pics) & Yellow-eyed Penguin (three pics). Good to see Southern Royal Albatross bill clattering and Yellow-eyed Penguins allopreening. 😀

Also a bull sea lion pic. They were busily defending stretches of the coast for future breeding territories and when one charges you, it is really frightening.

A day that will live long in the memory... 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Today was spent covering most of the distance from the Auckland Islands to Macquarie Island. Nervous about the weather but if things go to plan, tomorrow should be spectacular....

I recorded twenty species of seabird today and that included seven species of Albatross & three species of Pterodroma. My trip list and my life list went up by three and during the afternoon, my Tasmanian list increased as we crossed from New Zealand into Australian waters. 😀

A few back of camera pics. Campbell's (Black-browed) Albatross, White-capped Albatross (two pics), Grey-headed Albatross (two pics - different birds), Black-bellied Storm Petrel, Antarctic Prion, Light-mantled Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, Cape Petrel, White-headed Petrel (two pics), Soft-plumaged Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Gibson's Wandering Albatross, White-chinned Petrel, Grey-backed Storm Petrel & Northern Giant Petrel.

Now to sleep despite the excitement. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Today was spent around Macquarie Island & added six to my trip list & my life list. My trip list is now 431 species.

A few back of camera pics from today but nothing can do justice to the wildlife experience of Macquarie.

Southern Giant Petrel (two pics), Brown Skua (two pics), Antarctic Prion, Campbell's Black-browed Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Soft-plumaged Petrel (two pics), Eastern Southern Rockhopper Penguin, Macquarie Shag, Royal Penguin (five pics) & King Penguin (four pics).

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

A few non-birds & wider shots...

No words. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

My last two Orca sightings have been 40 years, 5 months & 12,000 miles apart.

Tiree, Outer Hebrides July 1983 - Pentax K1000 & Kowa 400mm lens - & Macquarie Island, Australia December 2023 - Canon R5 & 100-500mm zoom.

All the best

Paul

 

[foresttwitcher]

A few non-birds & wider shots...

No words. 😀

All the best

Paul

The second post today I've replied to with the same word - Excellent.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 30 (Dec 11th) was our second day at Macquarie Island. Two trip additions were Blue Petrel and Wilson's Storm Petrel. I had missed both previous Blue Petrels so a massive relief to connect. When one seabird is seen somewhere around the ship, you need some luck to be in the right place at the right time and then have the challenge to get on it before it disappears. I had also missed Kerguelen Petrel and Subantarctic Shearwater. Today's targets! More penguins, albatrosses, pterodromas and Orcas yesterday.

Today, we sail from Macquarie Island back into New Zealand waters in the middle of the day and on to the Campbell Islands tomorrow.

A few back of camera pics. White-headed Petrel (two pics), Soft-plumaged Petrel, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Brown Skua, Southern Giant Petrel (two pics), King Penguins (close up & part of the colony), Royal Penguin, Kelp Gulls, Black-browed Albatross, White-capped Albatross, Macquarie Shag, Blue Petrel, Gentoo Penguin, Gibson's Antipoddean Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Elephant Seals & Orca.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 31 (Dec 12th) spent all day at sea & no additions to trip or life list. A rather odd trip for engagement and communication. It is not really designed for serious birders & some easy obvious improvements could be made...

A few back of camera pics of real quality birds nevertheless.

Cape Petrel, Campbell's Black-browed Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, White-headed Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, Grey-headed Albatross, White-chinned Petrel, Black-bellied Storm-petrel & Gibson's Wandering Albatross.

Tomorrow it is the Campbell Islands with some real opportunities...

All the best

Paul

 

[Ratal]

Puts tea mug down in astonishment

I have no words.

Scrolls back up to double-triple check and re-check the bird list

I still have no words.

*** But I have to ask - what camera and lens are you rocking for the birding pics? These are all absolute belters.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Puts tea mug down in astonishment

I have no words.

Scrolls back up to double-triple check and re-check the bird list

I still have no words.

*** But I have to ask - what camera and lens are you rocking for the birding pics? These are all absolute belters.

R5 & 100-500mm lens. 👍

Many thanks

Paul