23rd May 1999 WOLLONGONG PELAGIC TRIP REPORT, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 4.30 pm. Sea calm to 1.0m
later with a NE swell increasing from
1.5 to 3.0 m. Winds NE to E 10 to 15 Kts. Weather variable, low
visibility and rain squalls early, clearing to bright sunshine later in the
day. Air temperature range: 16 to 22 °C.
Water temperature 18.5 to 20.4 degrees C.
The archetypal May Wollongong Trip, very few birds inshore and low numbers
wide of the shelf. As hoped the NE conditions gave us the hoped for WHITE
TERN (last Wollongong record was 10 years ago) which was confiding and
stayed with us for about 10 minutes. A very pleasant suprise was an adult
Buller's Albatross which came to visit us at our yummy free fish give away.
The bird landed behind the boat a few times and was in our vicinity for
about 1 hour. A pod of Sperm Whales with their veil-like spouts provided a
pleasant backdrop.
THE BIRDS
(Note: numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time)
Little Penguin 2 (2), > 18 NM offshore.
Gibson's Albatross (D. gibsoni) 2 (1).
Campbell Albatross (T. impavida)3 (3); first year.
Indian Ocean Yellow-Nosed Albatross 1 adult.
BULLER'S ALBATROSS 1 adult.
Providence (Solander's) Petrel 17 (12), all birds in stunning fresh
plumage.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 1; a late departure!
Fluttering Shearwater 7 (1); a single bird stayed over the fish slick for
some 15 min.
Wilson's Storm-petrel 3 (1)
Australasian Gannet 13 (3)
Pomarine Jeager 1
Silver Gull ~425 (75)
Kelp Gull 4 (2) all 1st year.
Crested Tern 52 (52)
WHITE TERN 1 immature; 20NM offshore
Great Cormorant 2 (2)
16 species of seabird identified - away from the breakwater
MAMMALS
Sperm Whale 10+
Bottle-nosed Dolphin 4
All Pelagic Trips from NSW are operated at no profit to the organisers
being operated as group boat charters for the benefit of all who wish to
join us.
Sydney Pelagics depart on the 2nd Saturday of each month and Wollongong
Pelagics depart on the 4th Sunday of each month. 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: Mobile 0416-249 506, 02-6255 1313 Home or 02-62494326 Work.
Eden Pelagics are run on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Bookings to
<> or by phone to Barbara Jones on (02) 6495 7390.
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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