Whangarei Bird Recovery Centre's Robert Webb said the centre had about 30 little blue penguins over the past two and a half weeks.
He said the large numbers turning up on the east coast from Matapouri to Mangawhai were caused by a combination of factors, the main one was the recent stormy weather.
"If we didn't have the easterly winds we wouldn't have the penguins coming in."
He said some of the penguins were getting battered by the weather, and were coming ashore to seek shelter in the dunes.
Webb said the penguins were "absolutely worn out" by the time they get to the beach and "virtually collapse".
He said the penguins had lost their waterproofing which keeps them warm and buoyant.
"They can't re-oil themselves on the water when it's rough."
Webb said the young penguins born around Christmas were finding the easterly winds rough and coming back to shore.
He said it was also the moulting time of the year, which brought the penguins ashore.
Department of Conservation spokeswoman Abi Monteith said the department was also aware of quite a few penguins being found along the coast.
She said unfortunately some of the birds don't make it to the dunes, but Monteith had a message for people who find the blue penguins on the beach.
"If the bird is injured, call Robert Webb at Whangarei Bird Recovery Centre. If it is unwell, don't touch them, but wrap it in a towel and put it into the dunes so it can recover."