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Population estimate of the Australasian Gannet colony on Farewell Spit, November 2024 (PDF, 3,406K)

Summary

On 5 -7 November 2024 an aerial survey was made of the gannet colony on Farewell Spit. Aerial photos were taken using a drone piloted by Mike Bell (contracted by DOC).

Images taken on 7 November in very calm conditions which had the highest number of additional and loafing birds were used for the final count. Gannets showed no reaction to the drone.

Caspian terns breeding at the far end of the colony reacted by dive bombing the drone when less than 20 m high. A total of 3,538 breeding pairs of gannets were recorded across seven sub colonies.

This work was carried out as part of research monitoring for signs of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in New Zealand.