The last few days have been excellent for Phil and his group. Of the last couple of days he writes…
Little egret and curlew sandpiper showing well amongst the shorebirds at Foxton. Heading across the Cook Strait sawNorthern Royal albatross, plus the usual suspects like fairy prion and Westland petrel. In Tory channel spotted a pod of killer whales! Morning the next day in the Marlborough Sounds was excellent with orange-fronted parakeet seen by all and King shag also, with a group of dusky dolphins with tiny near newly born calves. Heading south saw the long staying black kite, then great egret, glossy ibis and girl bunting before getting both hoary-headed and crested grebes. Excellent few days and incredible views of Hutton’s shearwaters off Kaikoura one of the many highlights of an Albatross Encounter pelagic.