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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

youtu.be/Kd61yh-YwkY?... - a beautiful short piece about the experimental alcoves I have been working on for the last few years. It seems Kermadec petrels love them as much as I do!

youtu.be

Learn about the Kermadec petrel

YouTube video by NSW Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Little Penguin in one of the first active nests of the New South Wales 2026 season. First time breeding in a deep crevice at a new secluded cove on the south coast. We are all hoping the H5N1 cases remain isolated too but, worse case, this burrowing species mat be spared #SuperSeabirdSunday

Blue-grey penguin looks straight onto viewer in low illumination as it sits prone in a confined space incubating its egg

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Somewhat lost and forlorn, this Little Shearwater passes time in a near empty colony while the rest of their kind are off on their honeymoons. There is always next year. Phillip Island off Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Combining a stunning Phillip Island sunset this week, in remarkably still conditions, with Kermadec petrels prospecting over their colony. Peaceful and memorable. #SuperSeabirdSunday

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

This was a 1st for me. A pair of light morph Kermadec petrels. They only makeup 8% of birds on the Phillip Is. Norfolk colony-most are dark morph (see previous post). The calling male has only been back on land 3 months- having delivered a 34 month fledging track for my PhD. #SuperSeabirdSunday

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Phillip Island, off Norfolk, has five petrel species with the summer-hatched gadfly petrels nearing fledging. 20,000 paired Black-winged petrel and threatened Kermadec and White-necked petrels with less than 100 known nests each on island. #SuperSeabirdSunday

Grey and white gadfly petrel with downy whisps indicating close to leaving the island for the first time

All black gadfly petrel with downy whisp on head indicating close to leaving the island for the first time

Grey and white gadfly petrel with downy covering much of lower body indicating it is several weeks before it will leave the island for the first time

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Currently playing out on the slopes of Lord Howe Is. Made famous by Attenborough’s filming of ‘birds falling from the sky’. Providence petrels in courtship clashes. #SuperSeabirdSunday.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

Black-winged Petrel on egg is my Easter #SuperSeabirdSunday offering. This fellow, normally a burrowing species, has taken a liking to our camo covered surface alcoves on Phillip Island off Norfolk.

Grey, white and black plumages small petrel sits with a slight bulge between its legs- indicating an egg is situated in the brood patch. The rear timber walls of the space form two sides of a nesting area covered in leaves and dirt. The view is partially obscured on the lower right as it’s see through a gap in a covering that makes up a camouflaged mesh cover- normally used by surface-nesting petrels

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

A rare ‘ginger’ wedge-tailed shearwater nestling for #SuperSeabirdSunday. Discovered during the 66th productivity survey for shearwaters on Buranguba (Montague Island) off NSW. Seas blown up by 70 knot winds the next day will see us twiddling our thumbs for a few more days before homeward bound.

Advanced-age nestling shearwater with golden down covering emerging darker adult plumage rests on a flattened strap-like Lomandra sedge.

Foreground person holds a downy shearwater chick while being observed by a second person holding a clipboard. The vegetation surrounding consists of clumped strap-like sedge with emerging orange flags delimiting search-area transects

A steel fence and rail emerges from sea-foam filling the breaking of a wave on a sea dock situated on the rocky foreshore with a windswept landscape in the background

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Wind blown Kermadec petrel chick for #SuperSeabirdSunday -same location as last years’ with returned 2021 fledgling-606- doing it 2-years in a row. That’s a great start for her breeding career as I’ve got another monitored bird that’s still going strong at 33 years.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

So how do they get all that salt off their feathers? If you’re a seabird, you enjoy a shower. 2,000 Sooty Terns take to the air from their colony during a brief, intense rainstorm over Phillip Island, Norfolk.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Pan-tropical Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are making the most of a warming climate as they establish in higher latitude sites in Eastern Australia. Penny Beaver’s MSc paper uncovers the flexibility of the species by examining two islands in subtropical and temperate sites. dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3...

Pale brown, long-billed wedge-tailed shearwater fledgling rests in a grass patch

Woman holds a downy seabird at a rocky foreshore site with sea in the background

Rugged coastline of a green island with lighthouse infrastructure in the distance

Low rise windswept island with fingers of mainland rock walls reaching out through a clam blue sea. Small islet in background

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Black-winged petrels chase everything else in their chaotic airspace over colonies. Like true gadflies (insects), this juvenile Kermadec petrel - itself casing its original fledging site to alight for the first time in 2-3 years - is tail-buzzed right across the my study area. #SuperSeabirdSunday

Two silhouettes of flying birds against a background of woodland and ocean in a sunset light

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Only, Wium, if you try pulling them from their burrows! This fellow visited and stayed under the bunks for a couple of days. Perfect guest -except for the sharing and scratching!

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Good to know- it’d be great to have a Hut logbook for all the incidentals- might make a great note in a journal, sometime.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

I’m fascinated by Black-winged petrels. On Phillip Is, off Norfolk, they over-fly all day with concentrations near sunset. 1,000s of birds into the distance, calling and chasing. In 1967, the 1st nests were discovered. 60 years of unimpeded population growth. Over 20,000 pairs. Just inspiring.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

This parent and hatchling Red-tailed tropicbird for my #SuperSeabirdSunday offering. With as many as 10 nesting within metres of the Park’s Hut on Phillip Island, off Norfolk last week- it was always advisable to have the phone handy

Large white bird with dark eye markings and curved red bill sits on the ground in dappled shade with the downy head and breast of its chick emerging from under its left wing. Ted-tailed tropicbird.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

White-bellied Storm-petrel- seen occasionally in the air above Phillip Is Norfolk but its breeding location remains unknown-Friday nights recovery within a petrel colony was a first. Known breeding 900 km Sth or 1400 km Est. What an exquisite fellow! #SuperSeabirdSunday

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Some of NSW coastal islands have their seabirds poorly documented, despite their close proximity. This must be the smallest vessel I’ve used to access an island in 30 years of survey. Learning more of White-faced Storm-petrel.

Low lying land mass with a narrow stip of water between it and mainland

End of civil twilight dimly lit camping scene with a person silhouette on a higher ground.

Two smaller vessels being equipped with waterproofed equipment on a rock platform

Small, grey-black and white seabird with a large foot thrust in front for balance, on a small leafed shrub, at night.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

Last weeks’ breeding noddy-terns of Phillip Island, Norfolk: Sooty; Common; Grey; Black. Approach/handled under permits. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds

Black and white Sooty Tern -in defensive posture- stand within dry herbage at nesting colony

Common Noddy tern in defensive mode having just walked off an egg at its nest. On a boulder strewn path.

Two grey noddies in alerted stance with one vocalising on a grey boulder near former nest site

Black Noddy tern being held in hand with green vegetation in background.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

A good news #Seabirds story for your feed. Got to love Phillip Island off Norfolk- South Pacific. It keeps turning up surprises!

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

After documenting an expanding Flesh-footed Shearwater population on Phillip off Norfolk last month, it was delightful to walk through the 10,000 burrow-strong Clear Place colony on Lord Howe last week. #SuperSeabirdSunday

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Surveying Lord Howe geckos between the two mountains here, showcased this year’s production of Providence Petrel fledglings- some still needing a good preen. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

A good news story after almost 10 years of working towards a local population recovery: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11... #Seabirds

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

A late offering for #SuperSeabirdSunday a male Kermadec Petrel has his partner drop back into the nest site. First meet-up after 5 months apart at sea.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Providence Petrel defending its burrow to all comers at the world’s 2nd only breeding island, Red Knoll, Phillip Island Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Placid Little Shearwater on the forest floor of Phillip Island, Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Something to get you thinking… worldseabirdunion.org/world-seabir... #Seabirds

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Yellow-legged gulls, looking statuesque (with other statues) on a Roman era bridge over the Tiber, Rome. #SuperSeabirdSunday will be whatever I come across in Europe for the next two months. Got to love #Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

No chocolate eggs but a pair of freshly hatched Little Penguin chicks from late last season. #SuperSeabirdSunday🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Australasian Seabird Groups Pacific Travel Grant enabled NGO presenters to share stories of seabird conservation successes and challenges at the 1st ever gathering in Auckland New Zealand as part of 2025 Oceania Seabirds. Inspiring & sobering so much yet to be started. #Pacificseabirds#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

A conference in Auckland New Zealand this week brings together Pacific seabird people from research, management and government to speak, listen and have hands-on experiences with regional experts to inspire and encourage connections and commitment for their conservation. #Pacificseabirds #Seabirds🪶

Welcome slide image for a conference on seabirds in Auckland New Zealand

Downtown Auckland New Zealand with image taken from the perspective of high in a city apartment, but still with a Red-billed gull (circled) flying down at street level

A Samoan speaker delivering an address from a lecture podium

A Cook Islander speaker delivering an address from a lecture podium

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

A peculiar male petrel (and Storm-petrel) habit is the courtship growl- I’ve often heard it from burrows but didn’t realise it involved inflation of the throat. Some species can have a very low register for their body size. Here a White-necked Petrel gives it his all. #SuperSeabirdSunday🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

A sleepy view of a pair of Black-winged petrels on a lazy afternoon, Phillip Island Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

The Brown (previously Common) Noddy protecting its egg and keeping an eye on us as we step over its nest- built on the steep track, traversed between the landing site to the research hut on Phillip Island, Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Assisting in the 66th productivity survey of shearwaters on Montague Island, coastal NSW. Using hose pipes for detection, downy young are extracted for banding and species ID. For 25 yrs Wedge-tails have been in the ascendency as tropical conditions strengthen southwards. Climate changing.#Seabirds🪶

Bright morning sunlight highlights six people standing around a study plot- delineated by metal picket posts and flags. The vegetation is waist deep sedge. The background shows a lighthouse on the far left, ocean in the mid-background and distant land

Person holding a tape-delineated plastic rod, held in dirty hand with a lighthouse in the background

Downy covered shearwater chick, with an exposed leg showing a metal band. The calm ocean visible on far right and rocky landscape on the left background

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

A Masked Booby indicates that my presence on the nearby track is as close as he’s happy with. His chick is in agreement. Phillip Island, Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

White-necked (naped) petrel pair in courtship The males growl in contrast to the females more common strident cry. Phillip Island, Norfolk (50 pairs). #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

The White-bellied Storm-petrel trip also gave up one of two deployed GLS loggers. 1st ever track. Aust. to Chile (10K km) and down towards the Antarctica coast. Unprecedented?! So hard to access remote colonies with over 80 island-days available (2009-2025) but only 8 landings possible.#Seabirds 🪶

Small storm-petrel in-hand at night. Exposed legs showing colour tape around metal band on one leg and Global Light Sensing logger attached to a band on the other leg

Image of South Pacific with Australian land mass on far left and a series of red dots indicating the movements of a tracked seabird

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

It’s taken 2 years but our hard work on Roach Is. off Lord Howe has been successful. Providing habitat for White-bellied Storm-petrels- safe from larger Little Shearwaters that take over natural burrows during chick provisioning. A slow burn project with many collaborators invested in success.

Cement-perlite nesting burrow with White-bellied Storm-petrel adult sitting in nest within

Cement-perlite burrow with slotted drain pipe tunnel protruding into a nest containing a recently hatch white-bellied Storm-petrel

Person in foreground carrying two buckets and a third bucket in a backpack on their back, up a steep slope. Sooty Terns fly about in the air above. The background is dominated by two large mountains, with cloud caps and a stretch of calm ocean between the two sites.

Two circular concrete caps sit atop cylindrical nesting chambers set in grass tussocks, with weighty rock semi/collapsing a tunnel entrance in the foreground. Background shows two peaks on a steep slope with ocean behind.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Ridiculously rare footage for #SuperSeabirdSunday from late Feb. trip to Phillip Is. off Norfolk. 2nd only pop. of White-necked Petrels with one in company of Juan Fernandez Petrel, 10,000km from home islands. #Seabirds Amazing🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

The Southern Shark Ecology Group has been tracking Tigers in the waters around Norfolk Island, with arrival and departure the same as Wedge-tailed Shearwaters. A huge 75% of their diet is seabirds! We are in the 1st stage of a collab to see if shark and shearwater migration areas match.#Seabirds🪶

Large shark held against a boat with tether ropes. Ocean around boat is calm. A person is leaning on side of vessel

Grassy trail on a slope at night with several large birds alighted in the medium foreground and distance

Large grey seabird being held with on leg extended. The leg has a bulky device affixed to the leg. The lighting shows it is nighttime.

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Kermadec Petrel ‘606’ has done a great job as a first-time parent on Phillip Island, Norfolk. However, nest placement means every blowy day is a bad-hair-day! #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Nice to get hands on a few of these Grey Noddies (Ternlets) on Phillip Island off Norfolk (under ethics permitting) for GLS recovery to help a student attempting to unravel some of the mystery of these little-studied birds.#Seabirds 🪶

Small Ternlet in hand with right leg showing a numbered metal band and left leg, tucked near wing but exposing a Global Light Sensing logger. Background of open sea and rocky ravine

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Red-tailed Tropicbirds struggle on land and, when it comes to incubation shift-changes, those stubby legs mean significant effort to get the egg settled in the brood-patch. 2 of 2. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

How does a large bird with short legs manage incubation duties? Red-tailed tropicbirds are clumsy but get the job done. 1 of 2 #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Kermadec Petrel ‘606’ was only away from the colony 20 months after fledging in March 2021. It loudly announced its return just 4 m. from the old nest. Now incubating, in all weathers, only 2 from here. Hopefully we’ll get to meet its partner in our next visit. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Caught between a rocky shoreline and predatory King Fish, surfacing bait fish make for a chaotic meal for Black Noddies. Phillip Island, off Norfolk. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

A Black-winged petrel stockpiling leaves towards its burrow entrance, for nesting material. Phillip Island off Norfolk- South Pacific. #SuperSeabirdSunday#Seabirds🪶

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Nicholas @petrel-nut.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

I’d go for #TubenosesTuesday Colleague doing PhD on terns on Phillip Is, Norfolk sent me a snap yesterday of one of my returning Kermadec fledglings with GLS attached, overflying the colony (in the company of a White-necked Petrel). I’m 1200 km away. Bird didn’t land🫤#Seabirds

A dark bird and light- coloured bird against a blue sky. Dark coloured bird can be seen with a small tracking device on right leg

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