David Mitford and I enjoyed a good afternoon (13:00 to17:00) yesterday (Saturday 6th August 2005) sea
watching from Magic Pt at Maroubra (approx. 10km south of Sydney CBD).
Conditions were fairly calm on Saturday (following a good southerly breeze the
previous day), producing an average number of species for the winter including
3 species of Albatross with the highlight being 2 Wandering Albatross.
Yellow-nosed Albatross was the common of the 3 species where they tend to be
more numerous around the afternoon closer to the coast (judging by our past
experience). A couple of Giant Petrels, several Brown Skua and other seabirds
were also seen that afternoon.
Other interesting birds seen around the Maroubra headland included
brief but awesome views of a LEWINS RAIL walking out in the open between reeds
(beside the drain near the southern end of Maroubra
Beach. No tape playback was used
but a few minutes of patience. This bird was first noticed when it made its
usual “jit..jit..jit..jit..” calls just before dusk), a covey of
about 6 Brown Quail (most appeared to be young birds and small almost King
Quail size), an Eastern Reef Egret (grey phase), a sub-adult White-bellied
Sea-eagle (passing by 2km out at sea), the usual very cooperative pair of
Australian Kestrels (very photogenic), a pair of Sooty Oystercatchers and a few
uncooperative Southern Emu-wrens in the heath land.
We also saw at least 3 Common Dolphins and a very brief view of an
unidentified cetacean (possibly a black fish – False Killer Whale
perhaps!) a few km out at sea.
A list of seabirds species and the minimum
numbers seen for the afternoon from Magic Pt is as follows:
Fairy Penguin (2-3 heard calling below Magic Pt)
Black-browed Albatross (15)
Yellow-nosed Albatross (18)
Wandering Albatross (2)
Giant Petrel species (2)
Fluttering Shearwater (5)
Australasian Gannet (65)
Little Black Cormorant (10)
Great Cormorant (2)
Brown Skua (8)
Silver Gulls
Crested Tern (11)
Mammals seen included:
Common Dolphin (3)
Unidentified cetacean
A great afternoon indeed!
Edwin Vella
