Sydney, NSW Pelagic Report 10th September 2000

[Tony Palliser <>]

Sydney, NSW Pelagic Trip Report 10th September 2000 

Conditions, 
Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 3.30 pm.
Sea Conditions: Swell to 1.5m. 
Weather: Mainly fine 
Wind: 15-20 Knots from SW-SE 
Water temperature 17.4 degrees C on the shelf 
Stopped at 34 15' x 151 35' 

Those on board, 
Steve Anyon-Smith, Andrew Craig, Arron Davies, Brian Fletcher, Rod Gardner, Dana Gottlier, Dion Hobcroft, Penny Hunter, Michael Hunter, Stephen Kaye, Murray Lord, Roger McGovern, David Mitford, Adrian O'Neil, Tony Palliser, Andrew Stafford and Candice Webb.  

Summary, 
September is consistently a good month and this year was certainly no exception.  Best bird beyond any doubt was an intermediate phase HERALD PETREL certainly a major rarity in NSW and one of only a few records nationally away from Raine Island, QLD.  Also of note were the vast numbers of Hutton's Shearwater.  But as with last September, the real highlight of the day were the Hump-backed Whales which provided an awesome display at close range. 

Birds, 
(Note: numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time) 

086 Wandering Albatross 10 (5) (most thought to be gibsoni) 
089 Yellow-nosed Albatross 3 (1) 
091 Shy Albatross 2 (1) (cauta/steadi)
088 Black-browed Albatross 10 (2) at least 1 melanophrys 
073 Great-winged Petrel 10-15 (macroptera) 
971 Providence Petrel 30-40 
921 HERALD PETREL 1 
077 White-headed Petrel 3 
984 Cape Petrel 2 
084 Antarctic Prion 2 
083 Fairy Prion 20+ 
--- Prion Sp 30+ 
068 Fluttering Shearwater 4 
913 Hutton's Shearwater 1200+ 
--- (+ many unidentified) 
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater 40+ 
065 White-faced Storm Petrel 5 
115 Crested Tern 10+ (7) 
125 Silver Gull 50+ mostly in the harbour 
980 Great Skua 3 
128 Arctic Jaeger 1 
104 Australasian Gannet 10-15 
106 Australian Pelican 4 in the harbour 

Mammals, 
Hump-backed Whale 6 
Common Dolphin 10+ 
Bottle-nosed Dolphin 20+ Some in the harbour 
  

Future Trips, 
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. 

Sydney Pelagics depart on the 2nd Saturday of each month, Wollongong 
Pelagics depart on the 4th Saturday of each month and Eden trips on the 5th 
Sunday (4 times per year). Please contact either Tony Palliser Lindsay Smith 
or Pete Milburn to make a booking for Sydney or Wollongong and Barbara 
Jones to make a booking for the Eden trips. 

Contacts 
Tony Palliser Ph; 02-94911678 or 0416-095875.  
Lindsay Smith Ph; 02-42716004   
Pete Milburn: Ph; 02-62551313 or 02-62494326  
Barbara Jones: Ph; 02-64957390.   
  

Tony Palliser 
http://users.bigpond.net.au/palliser 
 


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