SYDNEY NSW PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - September 13th 1997
Trip Summary:
A memorable day although no real rarities recorded. The weather was
ideal with light winds and calm seas, and there were some notable
highlights and a lowlight. Highlight of the day was non-avian in that a
conservative number of 22 Humpback Whales were seen with two adults
surfacing alongside the drifting boat and giving most on board the
thrill of a lifetime, if not a heart attack.Good numbers of Wandering
Albatross were seen but an extraordinary incident involving an adult
gibsoni was sobering to all on board. We were drifting close to two
commercial fishing boats when a quite sick Wanderer was seen sitting on
the water mouth agape and wings not properly folded. After several
minutes, a healthy Wandering Albatross approached the sick bird and
appeared to go through a vigorous beak 'clacking' display with it. After
perhaps two minutes of this, the healthy bird flew off and the sick one
fell flat on the water dead. The display did not appear to be aggressive
and, to this observer at least, could almost appear to be a sort of
'last rites'. The body was collected and delivered to Taronga Zoo for an
autopsy.
Photographs were taken of a confusing mollymawk which came close to the
boat and fed.The bird had totally dark underwings except for a faintly
lighter band down the centre of the wing.However, the head shape and
bill coloration (grey-brown with lighter brown striations and a black
tip) seemed to rule out Black-browed Albatross. Speculation is that the
bird was a juvenile Grey-headed Albatross with the grey on its head and
neck reduced by wear to the point where the head appeared
white.Hopefully, examination of the photographs will solve the puzzle.
Conditions:
Fine and cool
Water temperature 17.5C
Departed at 0710 and returned at 0315
Swell 1-2m,sea <1m, winds light with fresh afternoon NE breeze
Reached 27.0 Nautical Miles SE of Sydney Heads
Those on Board:
Debbie Andrew, Steve Anyon-Smith, Rod Gardner, Maki Hirozo, Erik
Johnsson, Hashimoto Katsumi, Lindsay Kelly, Hosaka Kimiko, John Leonard,
Roger McGovern, Bill McLean, Patsy Nagel, Nakajima Nobuyoshi, Peter
Philp, Jacquie Pryor, Erik Rasnussen, Pirghe Rasmussen, John Reidy,
Sezaki Setsuko, Tab Shimba, Hashimoto Toshie, Jon Wester, Hal Wooten.
Bird List (numbers in brackets are high count at any one time)
Wandering Albatross 17 (8)
Black-browed Albatross 12 (3)
Yellow-nosed Albatross 2 (1)
Shy Albatross 4 (1)
Southern Giant Petrel 2 (1)
Giant Petrel (sp) 1 (1)
Providence Petrel 22 (2)
Great-winged Petrel 20 (2)
Fairy Prion 1 (1)
White-headed Petrel 9 (3)
Cape Petrel 11 (6)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 200 (40)
Short-tailed Shearwater 1 (1)
Flesh-footed Shearwater 1 (1)
Fluttering Shearwater 240 (15)
Huttons Shearwater 8 (2)
Austalasian Gannet 8 (5)
Silver Gull 50 (20)
Crested Tern 20 (4)
Little-pied Cormorant 3 (2) in harbour
Great Cormorant 2 (1) in harbour
Australian Pelican 1 (1) in harbour
Chestnut Teal 1 (1) in harbour
Mammal List:
Southern Fur Seal 2
Humpback Whale 22+
Common Dolphin 25+
For details of future pelagics, contact or
or look at Tony's web-site.
Cheers
Roger McGovern
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