SYDNEY, NSW PELAGIC TRIP REPORT 30th October 1997
Trip Summary:
THE BLACK PETRELS HAVE RETURNED. A pleasant day with calm seas and fine
conditions. Large mixed flocks of shearwaters inshore and good numbers of
Great-winged Petrel and Providence Petrels over the shelf. Highlights for
most being a very obliging Black Petrel and of course the Wandering Albatross.
A number of Hump-backed Whales were sighted close in shore as we were
entering the harbour. Several very large dolphins were seen but remain
unidentified.
Conditions:
Fine and mild
Water temperature 20.9C once beyond the shelf.
Departed at 8.00 am and returned at 3.00 pm.
Variable North-East to South East winds to 10 Knots
Reached 28.0 Nautical Miles East of Sydney.
Those on Board:
Tony Palliser and the UK Wings group
BIRD LIST
Numbers in brackets = Highest Count at any one time.
Wandering Albatross
gibsoni 8-10 (6) (mostly stage 4)
Black-browed Albatross 1
Providence Petrel 10+ (c.5)
Great-winged Petrel 80+ (c.30)
Cape Petrel 1
Wilson's Storm Petrel 4-6 (3)
Fregetta Storm Petrel 1 (probably Black-bellied)
White-faced Storm Petrel 1
BLACK PETREL 1 (and possibly 2 birds)
Short-tailed Shearwater 300+ (300+)
Sooty Shearwater 5-10 (4)
Flesh-footed Shearwater 4-6 (2)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 500+ (400+)
Fluttering Shearwater 5-10 (5+)
Hutton's Shearwater 50+ (30+)
Australasian Gannet 10 (3)
Arctic Jaeger 1
Pomarine Jaeger 1
Silver Gull 100+ mostly in the harbour
Crested Tern 20+ mostly in the harbour
Little-pied Cormorant 4 In the harbour
Great Cormorant 2 In the harbour
Australian Pelican 5-6 In the harbour
MAMMAL LIST
Hump-backed Whale (2-3)
Common Dolphin (10-20)
Trips are always on the 2nd Saturday of each month from Sydney and
the 4th Sunday of each month from Wollongong.
To make a booking or find out more contact or
or take a look at the web site.
http://www.zip.com.au/~palliser
Regards
Tony Palliser (.....Sydney, Australia)
Phone.....+61 2 9900 1678 or Home +61 2 9427 7563
Fax.......+61 2 9900 1669
|