Wollongong Pelagic Trip Report for 28th September 1996 aboard MV Sandra K
Highlights:
An extraordinary charter yielded anextraordinary day! An exceptional trip
reaching a distance of 29 NM East of Wollongong Harbour recording a total
of 32 species. The boat was stopped 29 NM from shore with numbers of
Wandering Albatross of several races feeding right at the stern with over
30 Cape Petrels grabbing at the scraps. A couple of Wilson's Storm-Petrel
came to the boat with a single White-faced Storm Petrel. The onset of the
summer season yielded higher numbers of shearwaters but 6 species of
Albatross including Northern Royal and Grey-Headed and a few lingering
prions emphasised the changing of the seasons. Yet another Westland Petrel
was recorded but the views were brief. (In a month or two we may start to
see Black Petrel for a change!!)
Conditions:
Water temperature 19.4C once beyond the shelf.
Departed at 7.00 am and returned at 4.00 pm.
1-2 metre sea on a 1 metre swell.
15-20 knot changeable winds from the south-east in the morning to north
easterly late in the afternoon.
Reached 29 Nautical Miles E of Wollongong Harbour.
BIRD LIST
Little Penguin (3)
Wandering Albatross (20-30+)
Northern Royal Albatross (1), white crown but a couple of dark tipped
retrices indicating a young bird
Black-browed Albatross (35)
Shy Albatross (10)
Yellow-nosed Albatross (5)
Grey-headed Albatross (1) juvenile with fresh plumage
Southern Giant-Petrel (1)
Cape Petrel (40+)
Great-winged Petrel (60+)
Providence Petrel (70+)
Fairy Prion (1)
Antarctic/Salvin's Prion (1)
Westland Petrel (1)
Fleshy-footed Shearwater (7)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater (700+)
Sooty Shearwater (1)
Short-tailed Shearwater (72)
Fluttering Shearwater (74)
Hutton's Shearwater (150+)
Wislon's Storm-Petrel (3)
White-faced Storm Petrel (1)
Australain Pelican (3) plus (7) in the harbour
Australasian Gannet (3)
Brown Skua (4)
Kelp Gull (7)
Silver Gull (50+)
Common Tern (1)
White-fronted Tern (19)
Crested Tern (20+)
Great Cormorant (1) In the harbour
Little Pied Cormorant (3) In the harbour
MAMMAL LIST
Southern Hump-backed Whale (2)
Inshore Common Dolphin (4)
Australian Fur-Seal 1
The next trips planned from Wollongong are on Sunday 27th October and
Sunday 24th November and from Sydney on Saturday 9th November. Places are
still available. To make a booking or find out more contact
either:
(Milburn)
(Tony Palliser )
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Dr.Peter Milburn
Biomolecular Resource Facility
The Australian Nation University
GPO Box 334 Canberra ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA
Phone No. <61> <6> 2494326
Fax No. <61> <6> 2494326
E-mail Address
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