Over the past few weeks we have had sightings of three different types of seabirds in unusually large numbers around southern New Zealand.
The trend seems to have started when a White-Headed Petrel ended up in Queenstown. Yes, you did just read Queenstown. The bird somehow managed to fly undected many miles into the foothills of the Southern Alps.
Then several Subantarctic Little Shearwater, a species of which reaches the Far South of New Zealand reasonably regularly, appeared in decent numbers around Dunedin. Large flocks have also been seen around Stewart Island.
And 1 beach-wrecked Light-Mantled Sooty Albatross showed up on an Auckland beach. Only the head was found. And then a surprise sighting occured in Fovaex Strait of the smae species. Unfortunately no photos could be taken.