birding-aus

SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013

To: Nikolas Haass <>
Subject: SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013
From: Chris Melrose <>
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 17:47:13 +1100
Hi guys
Well we can start doing our own research, can't we? By keeping careful notes 
and photographic evidence we will start to get a clearer picture of what is 
appearing to us and when. We can become citizen scientists on our pelagic 
trips, providing there is/are experienced pelagic observers on board to guide 
us. What do you think? 
Cheers
Chris

Christine Melrose
0407705140


> On 11 Nov 2013, at 16:54, Nikolas Haass <> wrote:
> 
> Hi Roger,
> 
> I agree, I would not call it a 'given' either and certainly greater 
> scientific evidence would be needed. However, it is interesting and somewhat 
> suggestive (but not a proof) that these pristine-plumaged and dark-headed 
> juveniles show up from August - at a time point when steadi leave their nests 
> and start to wander around. Apparently, that late in the year, juvenile 
> cautaalready look paler-headed and their plumage is not as pristine anymore. 
> But again, greater scientific evidence would be very welcome!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Nikolas
> 
> ----------------
> Nikolas Haass
> 
> Brisbane, QLD
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Roger McGovern <>
> To: 'Nikolas Haass' <>; 'Sonja Ross' <>; 
> 'Mick Roderick' <> 
> Cc: 'birding-aus' <>; 'Hal Epstein' 
> <> 
> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 3:26 PM
> Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> Just a couple of comments on Mick’s and Nikolas’s postings.
>  
> Mick points out correctly that White-capped and Shy Albatross are split in 
> Birdlife Australia’s Working List of Australian Birds but they are not split 
> in the BARC checklist which follows IOC taxonomy. As I understand it (and I 
> am not involved so may be wrong) BARC adopted IOC taxonomy for the reasons 
> cited in the past by Tony Palliser but Birdlife Australia has chosen 
> subsequently to use the Birdlife international taxonomy  which renders the 
> two checklists incompatible. Perhaps Tony Palliser and/or somebody from 
> Birdlife Australia could throw some light on how this will play out since 
> they should surely be consistent.
>  
> All the points raised by Nikolas and Mick regarding identifying adult and 
> juvenile White-capped Albatross versus Shy Albatross were again hashed over 
> by David James and myself on the boat on Saturday. Even the ‘given’ that 
> pristine dark-headed juvenile  birds must be steadi is, I believe, something 
> that is only supposition due to the disparity in the breeding seasons of the 
> two taxa and surely needs some greater scientific evidence to become a proven 
> identification feature in the field?
>  
> Cheers
> Roger 
>  
> From:Nikolas Haass  
> Sent: Monday, 11 November 2013 1:52 PM
> To: Sonja Ross; Mick Roderick
> Cc: birding-aus; Roger McGovern; Hal Epstein
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013
>  
> Hi guys,
> 
> 
> One interesting personal observation is that during our August/September 
> Eaglehawk Neck pelagics (2011, 2012 & 2013) the vast majority of adult Shy 
> Albatross had bright yellow bases of the culminicorn, suggesting that they 
> all - not surprisingly - were cauta, which breeds 'just around the corner'. 
> Interestingly, during our Wollongong and Sydney pelagics in the same season 
> (i.e. just one or two weeks before or after the above-mentioned TAS 
> pelagics), the majority of adult(ish) Shy-type Albatross did not show this 
> field mark. This - together with the tracking data mentioned by Mick 
> (http://www.seabirdtracking.org/dataset.php) - could indicate that most of 
> the NSW birds in August/September are steadi. 
> An alternative - less likely? - explanation is that only the sexually active 
> (hormone levels) Shy Albatross return to TAS and hence are the brightest. So, 
> we only get 'dull adult' cauta in NSW?
> In favour of the first hypothesis is that from August we also get the 
> pristine dark-headed juvenile steadi in NSW (as mentioned by Mick, too).
>  
> And yes, it would be great if the Sydney pelagic could continue! Fingers 
> crossed!
>  
> Cheers,
>  
> Nikolas
>  
> ----------------
> Nikolas Haass
> 
> Brisbane, QLD
>  
> 
> ________________________________
> ===============================
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