28th March 2009 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Departed: 07:15 returned at 15:40.
Sea conditions: calm at first then to 1.0 m NE by mid morning.
Swell: east 1.5 m.
Weather: bright sunshine with scattered cloud early.
Temperature range: 18.1 to 23.0°C.
Barometric pressure: 1028HPa steady.
Wind: light and variable in the morning increasing to NE 10 to 12 kts
Sea surface temperature: 18.7 to 24.4°C.
Primary chumming location: S 34° 25' - E 151° 21'.
Summary:
High-pressure systems were located over western
Victoria and the Tasman Sea, resulting in a warm
fine day with a northeasterly breeze. On a
gentle easterly swell these were perfect
conditions for pelagic bird watching. With warm
blue water flowing in from the east over the
continental shelf we had high hopes for an
exciting day.
Inshore Bottle-nosed and Short-beaked Common
Dolphins easily outnumbered birds close inshore
but we did manage to record a Little Penguin. As
we cleared the reefs were encountered
Wedge-tailed, Flesh-footed and Fluttering
Shearwaters.
At the 75-fathom line the sea surface temperature
jumped up by 3.7°C and seabirds appeared from all
quarters. The first Solander's Petrels had
returned to their breeding zone and were a
magnificent sight as they soared above the
shearwater hordes. Splendid Pomarine Jaegers in
breeding plumage competed for attention but the
appearance of a RED-FOOTED BOOBY astern, the
first recorded on a Wollongong pelagic trip,
easily stole the stage. The glorious cries of
"stop the boat" were rewarded when the booby made
several more passes at fairly close range. The
whirring of camera shutters had barely resumed
when a GREY TERNLET was spotted alongside.
As often happens, when we resumed our journey
eastward a calm normality returned. We were
joined by a second year Campbell Albatross and an
adult White-capped Albatross along with several
Grey-faced Petrels. We hauled up at the
250-fathom line and began a drift-and-berley
session. We were rewarded with the arrival of a
couple of White-capped Albatross and several
Wilson's Storm-Petrels.
Just as we were getting under way for the return
leg a small flying object approached us from
astern and, to our surprise, turned out to be a
Gould's Wattled Bat. The outstanding avian
observation of our trip back to port was the
sighting of a STREAKED SHEARWATER at the
80-fathom line.
Highlights:
Among large numbers of summer seabirds we
identified a RED-FOOTED BOOBY, a GREY TERNLET and
6 species of shearwaters including STREAKED
SHEARWATER.
Birds recorded according to the latest
Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:
Species code: Species name: Numbers:
(Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)
005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 1
075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma (macroptera) gouldi 7 (3)
971 Solander's Petrel P. solandri 8 (2)
853 STREAKED SHEARWATER Calonectris leucomelas 1
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 5 (2)
913 Hutton's Shearwater P. huttoni 1
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 375+ (150+)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 4 (1)
072 Flesh-footed Shearwater P. carneipes 50+ (20+)
859 Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida 1
091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 1
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 3 (2)
063 Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 2 (2)
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 18 (10)
103 RED-FOOTED BOOBY Sula sula 1 intermediate morph
945 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus 7 (3)
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 2 (2)
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 36 (15)
982 GREY TERNLET Procelsterna cerulea 1
In the harbour:
005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 1
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 8 (8)
125 Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae 38 (38)
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 1
12 species of procellariiformes in a total of 20
species of seabird identified outside the
breakwater.
Other birds
none
Mammals
Inshore Bottle-nosed Dolphin Tursiops aduncus 8 (8)
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 50+ (50+)
Gould's Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii 1
Reptiles
None
Fish
None
For previous trip reports and selected images from this trip visit
http://www.sossa-international.org/
Future Trips
All Pelagic Trips from NSW are operated at no
profit to the organizers, being operated as group
boat charters for the benefit of all who wish to
join us. If you would like to join one of these
trips please contact us as detailed below:
To make a booking on the SOSSA Wollongong Pelagic
Trips that departs on the 4th Saturday of each
month contact:
SOSSA: Phone 02 4271 6004.
Email:
Carl Loves Phone: 0427 423 500
Pete Milburn: Mobile 0428 249 506, 02 6255 1313 (AH) or 02 6125 4173 (BH)
Note: SOSSA = Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
--
Dr P.J Milburn
Technology Specialist
Australian Cancer Research Foundation Biomolecular Resource Facility
John Curtin School of Medical Research
Australian National University
GPO Box 334
Canberra ACT 0200
'Phone +61 2 6125 4326
FAX +61 2 6125 9533
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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