birding-aus
Would anyone like to join us on a charter to Ashmore Reef, WA in
October/November this year departing from Broome?
Following a most enjoyable trip in 1996 we are planning to go again
this time for an 8 day trip commencing 31-Oct-99. This is a non-profit
trip with all costs divided equally between everyone (including myself).
So far we have 7 confirmed bookings but need 3 more.
Total cost for the trip will be $2000 (including all food and
accommodation, but not the landing fee cost TBA) for the 8 days ex
Broome, WA. If you are interested please email myself directly.
I have included below a trip report from our 96 voyage which will give
you an idea as to what may be seen.
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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>ASHMORE REEF PELAGIC TRIP REPORT
>October 1996
>
>
>This report details the results of a six day pelagic to Ashmore Reef NW
>Australia from October 10th to October 15th 1996. I have detailed the
>events of each day in summary format to consolidate the sightings. Precise
>locations / Grid references and hourly counts are available for anyone that
>needs them. Because some of the birds seen involve major rarities for
>Australia, submissions to the RAOU rarities committee are necessary and we
>therefore ask that this material not be used in any publication without
>consultation at this point in time.
>
>Those on board: Mike Carter, Barbara Harvey, Neil Macumber, Peter Milburn,
>Frank O'Connor, Tony Palliser, John Reidy, Louise Teirney, Alex Watson and
>Bill Watson,
>
>
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 1
>
>Departed Broome aboard the 'Jodi Anne II' at 9.00am and headed in a North
>Westerly Direction towards the Lacepede Islands en route to the deep waters
>between Scott and Ashmore Reef. Conditions on the first day were fine and
>hot with a sea breeze from the SW up to about 20 Knots, seas slight.
>Highlights included our first major rarity "Leach's Storm Petrel" and
>unbelievable views of Hump-backed Whale and distant views of Spinner
>Dolphin. Of particular note was that the Wilson's Storm Petrels were
>located in fairly shallow water, depths between 25 and 50M.
>
>Wilson's Storm Petrel (10+)
>Leach's Storm Petrel (1) *** location 17.10 / 121.48
>Brown Booby (200+)
>Eastern Reef Egret (2 birds on the Jetty as we were leaving)
>Silver Gull (100+ close in shore)
>Lesser Crested Tern (5)
>Crested Tern (7)
>Common Tern (140-150+)
>Little Tern (5)
>Bridled Tern (10+)
>Whiskered Tern (3)
>White-winged Black Tern (4)
>Noddy Sp (1 bird close in shore)
>
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 2
>
>After sailing all night we awoke well out to sea, the position at 0700hrs
>being 15.15 / 121.35. We continued sailing all day towards Scott Reef
>arriving at approximately 1500hrs. We were rather surprised to see so
>many Indonesian fishing vessels in the area. Throughout the day conditions
>were reasonably calm and pleasant. Very few birds could be seen on the
>reef itself, however the surrounding seas had lots of surprises in store,
>including our first sightings of Bulwer's Petrel, Matsudaira's Storm
>Petrel and a possible Jouanin's Petrel. The night was spent safely
>anchored in the sheltered waters of the reef.
>
>Tahiti Petrel (4 - 5)
>Pterodroma petrels, (2) all dark possibly heraldica
>Bulwer's Petrel (3) and possibly 4 more birds ***
>Jouanin's Petrel ( 1 bird thought to be this species ??? ) ***
>Matsudaira's Storm Petrel (1) and possibly more ***
>Brown Booby (10+)
>Lesser Frigatebird (1 adult male)
>Long-tailed Skua (2)
>Lesser Crested Tern (5)
>Crested Tern (7)
>Roseate Tern (5)
>Common Tern (140-150+)
>Little Tern (5)
>Bridled Tern (4)
>Sooty Tern (10-20)
>White-winged Black Tern (8)
>Common Noddy (1) and possibly more birds
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 3
>
>Awoke at the reef, time for breakfast and a quick swim before once again
>heading out to sea. Today the seas were very calm with the wind
>continuing to drop throughout the day. Sailing this time through very
>deep waters towards Ashmore Reef, the highlights were many, with much
>better views obtained of Matsudaira's Storm Petrel and Bulwer's Petrel,
>in fact the commonest bird of the day was Bulwer's Petrel with an
>amazing 50-70 birds counted. And yet another sighting of a bird thought
>to be a Jouanin's Petrel. Also our first sightings of Red-tailed
>Tropicbird.
>
>Tahiti Petrel (8)
>Bulwer's Petrel (50-70) ***
>Jouanin's Petrel ( 2 birds, thought to be this species ??? ) ***
>Matsudaira's Storm Petrel (8) and possibly more ***
>Red-tailed Tropicbird (3)
>Brown Booby (20+)
>Long-tailed Jaeger (2) Heading South
>Silver Gull (1)
>Brown Noddy (100+)
>Sooty Tern (5)
>Roseate Tern (10)
>Common Tern ( 4 possible? ) Distant views
>Black-naped Tern ( 3 possible? ) Distant views
>Sooty Tern (5)
>Reef Egret (1)
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 4
>
>Arrived in the vicinity of Ashmore Reef at first light. As our yacht
>was regarded as a charter vessel permission to land on Scott Reef was
>not granted, landing is permitted for the general public but not for
>charter vessels. Charter vessels are required to pre pay a $2000.00
>fee for a permit. (clearly a good subject for another mail note) Much
>of the morning was spent in the vicinity of Ashmore Reef where we managed
>to see a single adult Red-footed Booby before heading towards Cartier
>Island a tiny atoll to the SE of Ashmore. Not much in the way of birds
>though, but excellent for snorkeling. Worth noting though were sightings
>of approximately 40 Rough-toothed Dolphin and 20+ Bottle-nosed Dolphin
>and 2 Melon-headed Whale as well as mating pair of Flatback Tutles.
>
>Tahiti Petrel (1)
>Bulwer's Petrel (8) ***
>Brown Booby (150+)
>Red-footed Booby (1)
>Lesser Frigatebird (7)
>Lesser-crested Tern (10-20)
>Crested Tern (250-300) + approx 400 birds counted on Cartier Island
>Roseate Tern (1)
>Bridled Tern (10+)
>Sooty Tern (350+) + 15-20 birds on Cartier Island
>Common Noddy (750+)
>Black Noddy (5+)
>Barn Swallow (2)
>
>Other birds recorded on Cartier Island include: Turnstone (10), Greenshank
>(2), and Sacred Kingfisher (1)
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 5
>
>After sailing through the night we once again awoke to fine and very calm
>almost glassy conditions. A great day for storm petrels, our position at
>0600hrs being 14.00 / 122.58. Interestingly there was almost a total lack
>of Bulwer's Petrels and yet a considerable increase in the number of
>Matsudaira's Storm Petrel no doubt due to the decrease in depth for most of
>the day we were travelling in depths between 100 and 300M. Other
highlights
>included sightings of our first Streaked Shearwater and Masked Booby,
>further sightings of Leach's Storm Petrel and a sighting of a bird thought
>to be a Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, 2 Bryde's Whales, several Spinner,
>Bottle-nosed Dolphin's and numerous Rough-toothed Dolphin.
>
>Tahiti Petrel (9)
>Streaked Shearwater (3)
>Hutton's Shearwater (1)
>Bulwer's Petrel (2) ***
>Wilson's Storm Petrel (2)
>Leach's Storm Petrel (2) (4 sightings of 2-3 birds) ***
>Swinhoe's Storm Petrel (1 bird thought to be this species) ***
>Matsudaira's Storm Petrel (40-60) and possibly more ***
>Masked Booby (1)
>Brown Booby (100+)
>Long-tailed Jaeger (1) again heading South
>Lesser Frigatebird (4)
>Common Tern (1)
>Sooty Tern (40-50)
>Common Noddy (20-25)
>Whimbrel (10) Migrating low over the water towards the mainland
>Fork-tailed Swift (5)
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Day 6
>
>Awoke once again after sailing through the night, this time in shallow
>waters (35M) close to the Lacepede Islands with our position at 0600hrs
>16.33 / 121.53. The coastal waters produced vast numbers of terns and once
>again Wilson's Storm Petrel and yet another 3 Hump-backed Whale. The wind
>also increased once more to 20 knots again from the SW. Generally the
birds
>were somewhat less spectacular, although the large feeding flocks of terns
>and Hutton's Shearwater were worthy of note. Our journey ending on
schedule
>in Broome at 1830 hrs.
>
>Streaked Shearwater (1)
>Hutton's Shearwater (70-80+)
>Wilson's Storm Petrel (15-20)
>Brown Booby (500+)
>Lesser Frigatebird (4)
>Crested Tern (20+)
>Lesser Crested Tern (10-20)
>Common Tern (50-100)
>Roseate Tern (2000+)
>Little Tern (25-30)
>Sooty Tern (20-30)
>Bridled Tern (10-20)
>Common Noddy (200+)
>Black-naped Tern (3) at the Baleine Bank
>Bar-tailed Godwit (27) heading for Crab Creek
>
>Special thanks go to all those who took part and to the captain and crew of
>the 'Jodi Anne' who made this amazing trip so pleasurable. Highlights were
>many, the food was just great, as was the weather and the company of
>everyone on board. In closing it is worth pointing out that is clear that
>much is still to be learn't about the seas in this part of Australia.
>Anyone planning a similar trip should consider other possible additions to
>the Austrailan list such as Mascarene Petrel and Maderian Storm Petrel.
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