Wollongong Pelagic Trip Report for 27th October 1996 aboard MV Sandra K
Highlights:
What a year! For I while there we thought we were in the wrong country,
the diversity and quantity of birds was overwhelming. The list of major
rarities would have to be a record. In all at least 7 species will require
submissions to either the RAOU or the NSW FOC rarities committee's.
Several birders on board were over heard saying "that this was the best
days birding they had ever experienced". Clearly the fortunate part about
this trip was that we managed to connect with the Mottled Petrel & Short-
tailed Shearwater migration which perhaps explains to some degree the
supply of rarities. Good to excellent views were obtained of almost all
the species recorded, unfortunately though the dark overcast conditions
were not favourable for the photographer's on board. The race of the
Wandering Albatross may involve adults of the proposed subspecies
gibsoni and antipodensis. We will be talking about this trip for years
to come.
Conditions:
Overcast with some light rain.
Water temperature 19.6C once beyond the shelf.
Departed at 7.00 am and returned at 4.00 pm.
1-2 metre sea on a 1 metre swell.
5-20 knot changeable winds predominently from the East
Reached 25 Nautical Miles E of Wollongong Harbour.
Those on Board:
Howard Armstrong, Theis Armstrong, Alan Brown, Neil Brown, Stephen Clark, Rod
Gardner, Roger McGovern, Peter Milburn, Mr & Mrs Osieck, Tony Palliser,
& Richard Yank. (Thanks to all for their support.)
BIRD LIST
Little Penguin (1)
Wandering Albatross (7)
Black-browed Albatross (2 sub adult)
Shy Albatross (2)
Cape Petrel (4 birds, both races)
Great-winged Petrel (15-20+)
Providence Petrel (15-20+)
MURPHY'S PETREL? (1) A Potential New Bird for Australia ***
COOK'S PETREL (2) ***
Gould's Petrel (2)
MOTTLED PETREL (55-60) ***
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL (1) ***
WESTLAND PETREL (1) ***
Flesh-footed Shearwater (5-10)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater (100+)
Sooty Shearwater (10-15+)
Short-tailed Shearwater (5000+)
Fluttering Shearwater (15+)
Hutton's Shearwater (30+)
MANX SHEARWATER (1 bird seen well by PM) ***
AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER (1) ***
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (27)
White-faced Storm Petrel (1)
Australain Pelican (1) plus (3) in the harbour
Australasian Gannet (14)
Pomarine Jaeger (7)
Arctic Jaeger (1)
Long-tailed Jaeger (1)
Kelp Gull (6)
Silver Gull (120+)
Common Tern (2)
White-fronted Tern (12)
Crested Tern (20+)
Little Black Cormarant (1) In the harbour
Little Pied Cormorant (2) In the harbour
MAMMAL LIST
Southern Hump-backed Whale (4)
Common Dolphin (50-100)
The next trips planned are from Wollongong on Sunday 24th November and
from Sydney on Saturday 9th November. Places are still available. To make a
booking or find out more contact either: (Milburn)
or (Tony Palliser )
Regards
Tony Palliser (Sydney, Australia)
Phone +61 2 9900 1678 or +61 2 94277563
Fax +61 2 9900 1669
Email or
http://www.zip.com.au/~palliser
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