12th September 1998 SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT
Departed at 7.00 am and returned at approx. 4.00 pm. 1.5 to 2.0m sea on a
2.5 to 3 m NE swell, decreasing later. Winds NE 15 to 25 knots.
Water temperature 17 to 23 degrees C.
Fairly rough conditions with fairly low numbers of birds. Some early
spring arrivals added interest. An adult female Antipodean Albatross gave
everyone good views for comparison with a juvenile of unknown species.
THE BIRDS
(Note: numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time)
At sea
Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) 1 (1) adult female
Gibsons Albatross (D. gibsoni) 3 (2)
Diomedea sp. 3 (1) 2 very white birds and one juvenile
Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) 7 (4); all first year.
Campbell Albatross (T. impavida)3 (2); all first year.
Cape Petrel (australe) 13 (5)
Providence (Solander's) Petrel 50+ (25+)
Great-winged petrel (gouldi) 50+ (25+)
Fairy Prion 1 (1)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 300 (200)
Fluttering Shearwater 25 (20)
Short-tailed Shearwater 2; the first of the season
Flesh-footed Shearwater 3; the first of the season
Australasian Gannet 15 (8)
Brown Skua 2 (1)
Arctic Skua 1; dark morph
Crested Tern 25+ (16)
In the harbour
Silver Gull 20+
Pied Cormorant 1
Little Black Cormorant 1
16 species of seabird - outside the Heads (+/- 2 depending on
taxonomic view!)
MAMMALS
Humpback Whale 1
Sydney Pelagics depart on the 2nd Saturday of each month, Wollongong
Pelagics depart on the 4th Sunday of each month and Eden Pelagics the 5th
Sunday of each quarter. If you would like to join one of these trips please
contact either Tony Palliser or Pete Milburn to make a booking.
Tony Palliser Ph; 02-99001678 (w), 02-94277563 (h)
http://www.zip.com.au/~palliser
Pete Milburn Ph; 0416-249501, 02-62551313 or Wk 02-62494326
Dr.Peter Milburn
Biomolecular Resource Facility
The Australian National University
GPO Box 334 Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA
Phone No. <61> <2> 6249 4326
Fax No. <61> <2> 6249 4326
E-mail Address
Dr.Peter Milburn
Biomolecular Resource Facility
The Australian National University
GPO Box 334 Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA
Phone No. <61> <2> 6249 4326
Fax No. <61> <2> 6249 4326
E-mail Address
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