The largest seabird colony between Cook Strait and Fiordland has been discovered near Westport.
A recent survey by the West Coast Blue Penguin Trust of an inshore island at Cape Foulwind led to the surprise find.
As well as finding 300 shearwaters, trust members also discovered around 4500 fairy prions which no longer nest on the mainland.
The predator-free island is just 120 metres offshore.
