The 2008 eight-day Broome-Ashmore-Lacepedes-Broome expedition ran from 20 to
27 October. Logistics and permits were organised by George & Lindsey Swann
of Kimberley Birdwatching. Personnel were Sue Baker, Richard Baxter, Carl
Billingham, Darryel Binns, Merilyn Browne, Rohan Clarke, Dick Jenkin, Colin
Judkins, Simon Mustoe, Jenny Norton, Frank O'Connor, Don Saunders, Andrew
Silcocks, Mark Swann, George Swann & Mike Carter.
Day 1, 22 October, took us NW from Broome and we spent that
night and all next day and night travelling at sea. On Day 2, having reached
the shelf break, we veered NNE and during the morning cruised along the
continental slope around the 500 m bathymetric. Birds were few and far
between so at noon, we veered more northerly into deeper water wide of Scott
Reef (depth up to 1500 m). We continued our NNE course for the morning of
Day 3 obliquely parallel to the shelf slope then late morning headed ENE
towards Ashmore Reef and entered the lagoon at noon. Our berth for the next
three nights was at the inner mooring just off West Island. Some members of
the party went ashore on West Island six times, each afternoon and early
morning of our stay. Our hosts, Flying Fish Charters, had three dinghies.
These were used to effect landings on West Island and explore the lagoon.
Unfortunately for this visit we were present during neap tides restricting
navigation within the lagoon (water depth being inadequate). An attempt to
reach Middle Island on Day 4 was abandoned when we started to run aground
but an early morning sortie on Day 5 was successful so we circumnavigated
the island albeit not so adjacent as in previous years. We were, however,
able to observe a large flock of roosting waders at an adjacent sandbar. A
naval vessel and the Australian Customs Vessel 'Ashmore Guardian' with it's
complement of DEH wardens were moored at the channel entrance but probably
due to the unfavourable tidal regime we were not invited to join them ashore
on Middle or East Island. We released our mooring at Ashmore at 08.50 on Day
6 (27 Oct.) and headed SSW into the night. By dawn on Day 7, we were on
course due south for the Lacepedes, anchoring offshore at 19.00 that day.
Unfortunately, turbulent seas prevented the intended landing next morning,
Day 8, our first unsuccessful attempt in 11 trips. So after watching hordes
of seabirds leaving the Islands to feed at sea from dawn, most notably
Roseate Terns, at 07.45 we sailed for Broome berthing there at 17.30 (now
daylight-saving time). Observation effort was generally continuous and
enthusiastic.
Thus the equivalent of five full days were spent at sea aboard
the 21 m, air-conditioned charter vessel 'Flying Fish V'. Apart from days 7
& 8 (26 & 27 Oct.), sea conditions were generally benign with mainly rippled
or flat seas, glassy at times, on a low swell. On those last two days, wave
heights were occasionally 1.5 m driven by a 15-knot W wind. Cloudless skies
subjected us to relentless sunshine and heat although breezes provided some
relief particularly at sea. Mercifully, only one day was particularly humid.
At least 77 species of bird were recorded, including 34 seabirds. This is
some ten less than last year mainly due to being unable to land on the
Lacepedes. As usual we saw several rarities and other species of great
significance.
Landbird highlights on West Island, Ashmore, included the following. Unless
noted otherwise, all were photographed.
Island Monarch: 1 adult each day 22-25. The third Australian record, all at
this site.
Arctic Warbler: 2 on 22-23, 1 on 24.
Lemon-bellied/Yellow White-eye: A vivid 'yellow' White-eye daily 22-25. Much
brighter than the local Broome birds and considered by some to be brighter
than any Australian birds. Lemon-bellied White-eye Zosterops chloris is a
small island specialist traditionally from western Wallacea but more
recently has expanded eastwards. It closely resembles our own Yellow
White-eye Z. luteus with which it forms a superspecies. Determining the
identity of this bird will be difficult.
White-winged Triller: 2-3 birds daily. These may be the Wallacean form,
White-shouldered Triller split by most authorities but not by Christidis &
Boles. As with the previous species, determining precisely which taxon was
involved may be impossible.
Yellow Chat: 1 female or immature male every day. An astonishing record
considering this Australian endemic almost made it to Indonesia.
Brown Songlark: 1 male every day. Another surprising record of an Australian
endemic not known to have occurred beyond our shores. Usually rare north of
15 degrees S, Darryel Binns advises that there was an influx into the
Top-end this year.
Brush Cuckoo: 1 adult and 1 near-adult each day.
Oriental Cuckoo: 2-3 daily.
Australian Koel: 1 female on 23.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike: 3 daily, one being a strange very dark bird.
Eastern Yellow Wagtail: 1-3 daily.
Barn Swallow: 1 or 2 most days.
Tree Martin: 2 daily.
The usual local tropical seabirds, Masked, Red-footed & Brown Boobies, Great
& Lesser Frigatebirds, Common & Black Noddies, Bridled, Sooty, Crested,
Lesser Crested, Roseate, Gull-billed and Little Terns were seen. On West
Island, Ashmore, there were 8 Red-tailed Tropicbird nests & 2 pairs of
White-tailed Tropicbirds were prospecting. None were seen at sea.
Migrant Seabirds of note included: 24 Tahiti Petrels, 29 Bulwer's Petrels,
10 Streaked Shearwaters, 31 Hutton's Shearwaters, 20 Wilson's Storm-Petrels,
50 Matsudaira's Storm-Petrels, 3 Arctic & 3 Long-tailed Jaegers. Seven
Swinhoe's Storm-Petrels were seen.
Twenty-six species of shorebird included two Red-necked
Phalaropes at sea near Ashmore on 22nd and a Redshank on a sandbar near
Middle Island, Ashmore on 24th.
Cetaceans were again numerous and diverse. These included Humpback (12) &
Melon-headed Whales and eight species of Dolphin: Australian Snubfin,
Rough-toothed, Indo-Pacific Humpback, Bottle-nosed, Pan-Tropical Spotted,
Spinner, Risso's & Fraser's. Fraser's Dolphin has now been seen on each of
the last three trips revealing the importance of this area as a site for
this rare (or at least rarely reported) species. On this occasion we saw two
pods totalling 130 animals. Most species were photographed.
Reptiles included Green, Loggerhead, Australian Flatback Turtles
and various sea-snakes.
Other observations included numerous fish and other critters, particularly
by those that went snorkelling, adding interest to another superb trip.
Whilst at sea a continuous log of position and observations was
recorded on computer. That report, complete with photographs and land-based
observations is provided by Simon Mustoe at
HTTP://WWW.ECOLOGY-SOLUTIONS.COM.AU/TRIP_REPORTS.HTML
Next year there may be two cruises, one in late October followed by another
stretching into early November. The October one may be oriented more towards
observations at sea particularly of cetaceans. Persons should register their
interest ASAP with Kimberley Birdwatching or myself.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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