28.7.96 WOLLONGONG PELAGIC SEABIRD TRIP
Yet another fanastic pelagic off New South Wales with 2 rarities, 1 of them a
major rarity.
Departed at 7.15 am and returned at 5.30pm. We went out 29 nautical miles East
South East of Wollongong. The sea was very strange with a 4 Metre swell but
only a 10 knot Westrly wind. The water temperature was 15.5oC inshore and
18.5oC over the edge of the shelf. Very few birds were seen until we turned
around. We stopped the boat twice and created a slick and that's when we saw
the majority of the birds.
The Westland Black Petrel is possibly only the second sight record off New
South Wales, the other being off Sydney in June. The bird was feeding 5 yards
from the boat and was almost caught but managed to escape through the holes in
the net. It is thought to be a different individual to the Sydney bird of the
8.6.96., there was less black on the tip of the bill and the bill also appeared
to have a greener hue than the Sydney one. Photos of both of these birds are
shown on Tony Palliser's home page at; www.zip.com.au/~palliser
The White-chinned Petrel was the 8th (from memory) record for Wollongong, but
didn't hang around for long. However, it did give an excellent comparison when
the birds flew side by side and most people thought the Westland to be smaller,
a truly remarkable experience off Wollongong. However, some of us (PH and TP)
only managed a year tick and a month tick!!
We had total of 22 species.
Those on board (21); Phil Hansbro (leader), Tony Palliser, Dion Hobcroft (+2
sorry), Alex Watson, Pete Lansley, Paul McDonald, Bill McLean, Paul Taylor,
Alan Benson, Tony Ashby, Paul Wallbridge, Stuart Housden, Sam Bosanquet, Eddie
Smith (+1), Alan Ford, David Pffanner, Ian McMahon, Mike Jermin. Thanks to all
for their support.
THE BIRDS
Fairy Penguin (1)
Wandering Albatross (6+ (5+ of the subspecies gibsoni 4 adults 1 immature))
Black-browed Albatross (25+, at least 2 of which were of the subspecies
impavida)
Yellow-nosed Albatross (10+)
Shy Albatross (7+)
Southern Giant Petrel (1+)
Cape Petrel (4+)
Solander's Petrel (150+)
White-headed Petrel (1)
Great-winged Petrel (7+)
WHITE-CHINNED PETREL (1)
WESTLAND BLACK PETREL (1)
Fairy Prion (1)
Hutton's Shearwater (25+)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (1)
Australasian Gannet (20+)
Australian Pelican (6)
Southern Skua (1)
Kelp Gull (3+)
Silver Gull (200+)
Crested Tern (10+)
White-fronted Tern (7+)
Please get back in touch if you would like to book any places on the next
Wollongong boat which goes on the 25.8.96.
If you would like any other information do not hesitate to contact me.
Cheers
Phil Hansbro
Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
(h) 06-249 8234 (w) 06-249 3091
Fax; 06-249 4891
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