Wollongong Pelagic Trip Report 25th OCTOBER 1998
Departed at 7.45 am and returned at 4.00 pm.
1.0M swell, Winds predominantly Northerly
Reaching 23 Nautical Miles E of Wollongong.
Water temperature 18.3 Degrees C. Depth 280 Fa
Those on Board,
Betty Hall, Nick Horn, David Koffel, John Leonard, Bill McLean, Michael
Mathieson, Pete Milburn, Tony Palliser, Spencer Platt, Margot Platt,
Kolbjorn Schjolberg, Geof Skevington, Sopit Suwan, Louise Tierney and
Edwin Vella.
A particularly calm and pleasant day, although somewhat frustrating in
that we had a lot of difficulty getting birds to remain behind the boat
and the rarities that were seen were generally too distant or too quick
to clench beyond reasonable doubt. The day started with the usual belt
of mixed shearwater species mostly Short-tailed and Fluttering. Most of
the Fluttering Shearwaters were in heavy moult & appeared to be so full
of food that they had difficulty taking off. After locating three
trawlers on the shelf the number of species recorded rapidly increased.
Highlights were distant views of what may have been White-chinned Petrel,
Kermadec Petrel and or Kerguelen Petrel all of which unfortunately remain
unconfirmed. Also of interest was the massive Bogong Moth migration
along with many Caper White and other Butterlies.
Primary chumming locations: 34.05'- 151.45', 33.55' - 151.28.
BIRDS
(numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time)
Little Penguin 25+ (8+)
Wandering Albatross (1 probably gibsoni?) 2 (2) and
(1 probable exulans)
Black-browed Albatross (3) (PM suggested at least 1 impavida)
White-chinned Petrel ? unconfirmed
Cape Petrel 1
Providence (Solander's) Petrel 20-25 (10)
Great-winged Petrel 6+ (3)
Kermadec Petrel ? Unconfirmed
Kerguelen Petrel ? Unconfirmed
Fluttering Shearwater 350+ (200+)
Hutton's Shearwater 4-5 (1)
Short-tailed Shearwater 500-700 (400+)
Sooty Shearwater 6 (2)
Flesh-footed Shearwater 1-2 Brief views only
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 500+ (150+)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 2 (2)
Silver Gull 20+ inshore
Kelp Gull 3 (2) in the harbour
Common Tern 10-20 (5)
White-fronted Tern 2 (1)
Crested Tern 50+
Arctic Skua 6
Pomarine Skua 1
Long-tailed Skua 1
Australasian Gannet 34 (22)
Australasian Pelican 6 in the harbour
Great Cormorant 2 in the harbour
Little Pied Cormorant 4 in the harbour
18 species of seabird - away from the heads.
MAMMALS
Common Dolphin : one small pod
Sydney Pelagics depart on the 2nd Saturday of each month, Wollongong
Pelagics depart on the 4th Sunday of each month and Eden Pelagics the 5th
Sunday of each quarter. If you would like to join one of these trips please
contact either Tony Palliser or Pete Milburn to make a booking.
Regards
Tony Palliser
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Ph wk..... 02-99001678 fx..... 02-99001669
Ph mb..... 0416 095875
Ph hm..... 02-94277563
email: wk:
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