Saturday's Sydney Pelagic

[Penny Drake-Brockman <>]

Roger - you forgot the flying fish !!!



SYDNEY NSW PELAGIC TRIP REPORT   -  11TH NOVEMBER 2000
 


TRIP SUMMARY:
 
A very pleasant November trip with most of the birds expected for this time of the year in evidence. The north-easterlies, which had been blowing for several days, gave some expectation that northern vagrants might show up, but the only 'tropical' species seen were two Sooty Terns which did not pause near the Halicat as they flew steadily north. The highlight of the day was extremely good views of two White-chinned Petrels (or, possibly, the same bird returning for a second fly-past) which came close to the boat but did not stay around to feed. In fact, in stark contrast to the Wollongong trip two weeks ago, it proved very difficult to attract any birds at all to the boat - they just didn't seem to be hungry.

The many overseas visitors on the Halicat were delighted to have good views of two Hump-backed Whales on the way out to the Shelf, a large Sunfish was closely studied by all, and a pod of about 30 Common Dolphins rode in our bow-wave as we neared Sydney Heads on the return trip.
 
CONDITIONS:
 
Partly cloudy with a 10-15 knot north-east breeze which abated to 5 knots in the afternoon.
Water temperature was 19.7deg.
Swell of 1-2 metres with a 1metre sea abating.
Reached 26NM east of Sydney Heads.
Departed at 07.10 and returned at 15.15.
 
BIRD LIST:
 
Great-winged Petrel                    9 (3)
Providence Petrel                        3 (1)
WHITE-CHINNED PETREL       2 (1)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater         40 (5)
Short-tailed Shearwater            300 (70)
Flesh-footed Shearwater            1 (1)
Fluttering Shearwater                 30 (10)
Huttons Shearwater                     3 (3)
Huttons/Fluttering type                50+
Wandering Albatross                   8 (3)
Black-browed Albatross             12 (3)
Yellow-nosed Albatross              1 (1)
Wilson's Storm-petrel                  8 (3)
Australasian Gannet                    6 (2)
Pomarine Jaeger                          5 (3)
Silver Gull                                     200 (100)
Crested Tern                                 5 (2)
Common Tern                              10 (10)
SOOTY TERN                                 2 (2)
 
MAMMALS/FISH
 
Sunfish                                 3
Hump-backed Whale                       2
Common Dolphin                         30
 


Cheers
 
Roger McGovern
 
Penny Drake-Brockman, Examination Recitals Co-ordinator, Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Tel: 02 9351 1254.