Paul's 2023 Photographic World List (2 Viewers)

[Paul Chapman]

Our final day on the mainland was spent primarily at Western Treatment Plant where we recorded 75 species:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155189490

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155190737

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155200701

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155205926

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155218717

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155219173

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155222321

1699​	Latham's Snipe
1700​	Varied Sittella
1701​	Scarlet Robin
1702​	Brolga
1703​	White-winged Black Tern
1704​	Pied Cormorant
1705​	Australasian Bittern
1706​	Striated Fieldwren
1707​	Collared Sparrowhawk

A few pics - Latham's Snipe, Scarlet Robin, Varied Sittella, White-throated Treecreeper, Australasian Bittern, Australasian Swamphen, Australian Reed Warbler, Australian Shelduck, Baillon's Crake, Black Swan, Brolga, Great Crested Grebe, Hoary-headed Grebe, Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo, Little Black Cormorant, Pied Cormorant, Pied Stilt, Brown Treecreeper, Fan-tailed Cuckoo & White-fronted Chat.

We would be heading to Tasmania the following morning for three days as the final leg of our Australian trip.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Our first day on Tasmania (27th November) saw us chalk up 56 species including most of the endemics:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155282029

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155288751

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155293791

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155293727

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155294546

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155297623

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155297618

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155297612

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155297988

https://ebird.org/checklist/S206024832

1708​	Green Rosella
1709​	Yellow Wattlebird
1710​	Yellow-throated Honeyeater
1711​	Black-headed Honeyeater
1712​	Forty-spotted Pardalote
1713​	Forest Raven
1714​	Flame Robin
1715​	Dusky Robin
1716​	Tasmanian Nativehen
1717​	Tasmanian Scrubwren
1718​	Scrubtit
1719​	Swift Parrot

A few pics - Black-headed Honeyeater, Blue-winged Parrot, Brown Thornbill, Flame Robin, Forest Raven, Forty-dotted Pardalote, Green Rosella, Grey Currawong, Grey Fantail, New Holland Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, Dusky Robin, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrikethrush, Yellow Wattlebird, Tasmanian Nativehen, Scrubtut, Pied Oystercatcher, Swift Parrot & Tasmanian Scrubwren.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Our penultimate day in Tasmania (28th November) had some remaining targets and it was a successful day after searching pretty hard through recent sightings for those targets on eBird... Two of us were due to fly to New Zealand on 30th November:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155330152

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155331230

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155338537

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155338507

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155340288

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155344470

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155350030

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155350034

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155350019

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155349990

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155350879

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155361371

1720​	Brush Bronzewing
1721​	Olive Whistler
1722​	Strong-billed Honeyeater
1723​	Satin Flycatcher
1724​	Crescent Honeyeater
1725​	Tasmanian Thornbill
1726​	Black Currawong
1727​	Pink Robin
1728​	Yellow-rumped Thornbill
1729​	Tasmanian Boobook

A pretty efficient clean up but two main targets remained for our last day in Australia - Grey Goshawk & Beautiful Firetail.

A few pics - Sooty Oystercatcher, Olive Whistler, Black-headed Honeyeater, Brush Bronzewing, Dusky Robin, Forest Raven, Green Rosella, Satin Flycatcher, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Striated Pardalote, Strong-billed Honeyeater (juvenile & adult), Black-faced Cormorant, Brown Falcon, Tasmanian Nativehen, Hooded Plover, Black Currawong, Crecent Honeyeater, Tasmanian Thornbill & Tasmanian Boobook.

All the best

Paul

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Nice to see you upgraded your Hooded Plover views!!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Our final Australian day started with my two fellow travellers having a longer lie in after a late finish searching for Tasmanian Boobook (successfully) but I was up and out at dawn...

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155387256

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155388033

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155391471

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155395415

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155398004

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155401842

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155402614

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155405723

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155404630

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155405702

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155407313

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155410959

1730​	Grey Goshawk
1731​	Beautiful Firetail

Our travel plans on 30th November were thrown into disarray with a cancelled flight a few hours before it was due to take off. We were faced with a rearrangement that would take us via North Island on a later flight & to South Island after dark. We had been warned that Tasmanian flights had been chaotic all year. There were no photos from 30th November & only one Checklist being from the few hours on North Island waiting to transfer to the late flight to South Island.

Potential delights awaited for me on 1st December. My friend had spent time extensively birding in New Zealand before so again, I planned a solo dawn start despite the later finish:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155461585

In fairness, he slept on the floor the night before at our B&B as we arrived to find a double bed despite our twin room booking. The owner had left a code for us to find a key as we arrived shortly before midnight. Over breakfast the next morning, she was disappointed that she did not have her first gay couple staying with her & seemed to be rather disbelieving that we were not from her continued line of questioning.

A few pics from 29th November - Crescent Honeyeater, Grey Goshawk, Swift Parrots (three pics), Scarlet Robin, Dusky Woodswallow, Pallid Cuckoo, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Beautiful Firetail, Australasian Gannet, Helmeted Guineafowl, Pink Robin & Wallabies.

We had recorded 354 species in 18 days across four states.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Nice to see you upgraded your Hooded Plover views!!

Considerably closer than our first! 😊

 

[Paul Chapman]

On 1st December, I birded New Zealand for the first time. I recorded 56 species with 16 of those Category C species but 14 or so endemics:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155478669

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155479943

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155481426

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155484064

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155485831

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155486071

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155487216

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155493237

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155502300

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155503622

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155509480

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155512960

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155512972

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155516106

1732​	South Island Oystercatcher
1733​	Variable Oystercatcher
1734​	Spotted Shag
1735​	White-fronted Tern
1736​	Paradise Shelduck
1737​	New Zealand Scaup
1738​	Double-banded Plover
1739​	Black-billed Gull
1740​	Black-fronted Tern
1741​	Grey Gerygone
1742​	New Zealand Fantail
1743​	Wrybill
1744​	New Zealand Bellbird
1745​	Tomtit
1746​	Blue Duck
1747​	New Zealand Falcon

A few pics - Spotted Shag, White-fronted Tern, Australasian Shoveler (pair), New Zealand Scaup (pair), Paradise Shelduck, Silver Gull with Black-billed Gull, Black-billed Gull, Black-fronted Tern (two pics), Double-banded Plover, Grey Gerygone, New Zealand Fantail, Pied x Black Stilt hybrid, South Island Oystercatcher with Variable Oystercatcher, Variable Oystercatcher, Wrybill, New Zealand Bellbird, Tomtit, Blue Duck & New Zealand Falcon.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

I had five days on South Island and a one way route from Christchurch to Queenstown before departing from Bluff on the Birding Down Under cruise. As a result, our second day saw our attempts to connect with the endemics continue. This was made more difficult by the onset of two days of torrential rain which washed out our attempts at Okarito Brown Kiwi but we had other successes...

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155540228

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155542557

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155544201

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155549495

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155552701

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155552730

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155560107

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155560773

1748​	New Zealand Kaka
1749​	Yellow-crowned Parakeet
1750​	Pipipi
1751​	South Island Robin
1752​	Kea
1753​	New Zealand Pigeon
1754​	Weka
1755​	Tui

A few pics - New Zealand Kaka, New Zealand Bellbird, Pipipi, South Island Robin, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Kea, New Zealand Pigeon, Weka & Tui.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day three was dominated by waiting for news on whether our attempt for Okarito Brown Kiwi would take place. Eventually, it was confirmed that it would not so we otherwise amused ourselves... Some distant seabirds from land were a taster of delights to come and our second penguin species of the trip was welcome.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155635969

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155635961

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155635942

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155645466

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155645483

1756​	Rifleman
1757​	White-capped Albatross
1758​	Fiordland Penguin
1759​	Morepork

A few pics - New Zealand Fantail, Pipipi, Rifleman (three pics), Tomtit (two pics), New Zealand Pigeon, Tui, Arctic Skua, Fiordland Penguin (two pics), Morepok & White-capped Albatross.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day four saw us continue to head south & we headed to the breeding area for Black Stilt:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155671732

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155675010

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155683798

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155683825

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155683773

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155702969

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155702929

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155713771

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155713751

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155714632

1760​	New Zealand Fernbird
1761​	Black Stilt

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

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

We started day five endeavouring to improve on our Black Stilt views & save for keeping our eyes open (unsuccessfully) for New Zealand Pipit, the day was spent heading south to our rendezvous for the Birding Down Under cruise...

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155747659

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155755546

https://ebird.org/checklist/S206292881

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155761541

A few pics - Black Stilt (four pics), Black-billed Gull, Double-banded Plover, Grey Teal pair with duckling, Mallard x Pacific Black Duck hybrid, Feral Pigeon, Little Pied Cormorants with Great Cormorant, Redpoll & Skylark.

In the five days on South Island, I had recorded 76 species of which 17 were Category C species and of which 20+ were endemics. The next day, we would be sailing from Bluff for a fortnight around the Subantarctic islands. Penguins, seabirds and adventure awaited...

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

We set sail for the Birding Down Under Cruise on the afternoon of 6th December from Bluff. It had been a day dominated by the logistics of such an exercise...

Editing the photos from that trip will be a challenge. The last big exercise to get this finished.

As we left harbour, Little Penguin was my first penguin species of the cruise...

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155827094

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155827491

A couple of pics - Little Penguin & Spotted Shag.

All the best

Paul

 

[KenM]

Very impressed with the Robins Paul and the Rifleman was not far behind! 👍

 

[Paul Chapman]

Very impressed with the Robins Paul and the Rifleman was not far behind! 👍

Thanks Ken.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Our first full day on the cruise was extraordinary... Six species of albatross headed the selection amongst over twenty species of seabird with endemic races of Tomtit and New Zealand Fernbird from the Snares Islands as well as outstanding views of Snares Island Penguins:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155854438

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155870461

https://ebird.org/checklist/S206384659

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155873087

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155876993

1762​	Brown Skua
1763​	Southern Royal Albatross
1764​	Salvin's Albatross
1765​	Northern Giant-Petrel
1766​	Cape Petrel
1767​	Mottled Petrel
1768​	Fairy Prion
1769​	Broad-billed Prion
1770​	Common Diving-Petrel
1771​	Antarctic Tern
1772​	Snares Penguin
1773​	Buller's Albatross
1774​	Southern Fulmar
1775​	Black-bellied Storm-Petrel
1776​	White-chinned Petrel
1777​	Antipodean Albatross
1778​	Antarctic Prion

A few pics - Broad-billed Prion, Fairy Prion, Antarctic Prion, Brown Skua, Antarctic Tern, Common Diving Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Pintado (Cape) Petrel, Southern Royal Albatross, White-capped Albatross, Salvin's Albatross, Antipodean (Gibson's) Albatross, Black-browed (Campbell's) Albatross, Buller's Albatross, New Zealand (Snares) Fernbird, (Snares) Tomtit, Southern Fulmar, White-chinned Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel & Black-bellied Storm-petrel.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

A few more albatross pics - Southern Royal, Salvin's, White-capped, Antipodean (Gibson's) & Black-browed (Campbell's), Pintado Petrel & some Snares Island Penguins (seven pics).

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day three of the Cruise was dominated by a very challenging walk around Enderby Island (Auckland Islands). No path, deep gullies, heavy vegetation & aggressive sea lions... But some nice rewards including thirty minutes with a pair of Yellow-eyed Penguins engaged in come complex interactions and mutual preening:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155902025

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155902644

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155927015

https://ebird.org/checklist/S206460119

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155931982

1779​	Light-mantled Albatross
1780​	Yellow-eyed Penguin
1781​	Auckland Islands Shag
1782​	Auckland Islands Teal
1783​	Subantarctic Snipe
1784​	Red-crowned Parakeet
1785​	New Zealand Pipit
1786​	White-headed Petrel

A few pics - Antarctic Prion, Northern Giant Petrel, Auckland Islands Shag (three pics), Auckland Islands Teal, Brown Skua, Double-banded Plover, New Zealand Falcon, New Zealand Pipit, Red-crowned Parakeet, Southern Royal Albatross (two pics), Subantarctic Snipe, Tomtit, Yellow-eyed Penguins (three pics), Light-mantled (Sooty) Albatross & White-headed Petrel.

All the best

Paul

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Subantarctic Snipe

That one must have been a challenge to spot!

Awesome photos as usual

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day four was a travelling day between the Auckland Islands and Macquarie Island but during a day on deck, I had twenty species of seabird including seven Albatross species, three Pterodromas and two Storm-petrels. At around 1.00pm, we crossed back into Tasmanian waters & my Australian list started to increase again. We would cross back into New Zealand waters again 72 hours' later on 12th December:-

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155964284

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155975443

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155982099

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155986340

https://ebird.org/checklist/S155990244

1787​	Grey-headed Albatross
1788​	Grey-backed Storm-Petrel
1789​	Soft-plumaged Petrel

A few pics - Antipodean (Gibson's) Albatross (two pics), Black-bellied Storm-petrel, White-capped Albatross (two pics), White-chinned Petrel, White-headed Petrel (two pics), Antarctic Prion, Black-browed (Campbell's) Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross (four pics), Southern Royal Albatross, Grey-backed Storm-petrel, Mottled Petrel, Light-mantled (Sooty) Albatross, Soft-plumaged Petrel & Northern Giant Petrel.

Some interesting challenges there between Antipodean (Gibson's) Wandering Albatross and Southern Royal Albatross as well as the Grey-headed Albatrosses of two different ages.

The next day would dawn at Macquarie Island and to be honest, despite everything to date, I was unprepared for the remarkable wildlife spectacle that awaited....... A few pictures were taken. 😊

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

That one must have been a challenge to spot!

Awesome photos as usual

Many thanks. In reality, I struggled on the Snipes. Others saw Snares Snipe & we were unaware of the sighting as we bobbed around on our zodiac. I heard Chatham Snipe but could not see it. Similar zodiac scenario but we were distracted by a Chatham Islands Black Robin (of which I fluffed my pic). Subantarctic Snipe was very welcome on Enderby Island (Auckland Islands) but was a miss on Campbell Islands... The two islands where we could walk around where it was present but for which I was very unfit in comparison to the challenges of the terrain and distance.

I doubt that I will ever get back but if I did improving on that return would be a top priority!

All the best

Paul