26th January, 2002 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 16:30.
Sea conditions: NE to 0.5m at first and to 1.0m NE during the day.
Swell: E 2 to 3m.
Weather: Mostly sunny but overcast at first.
Temperature range: 23.5 to 27.5°C.
Barometric pressure: 1010 HPa falling.
Wind: E 5kts at first, rising to NE 10 at times during the day.
Sea surface temperature: 23.5 to 24.3°C.
Primary chumming location: S 34° 28' - E 151° 18'.
Summary:
A pleasant summer day although a little hot at times as the breeze dropped.
For those who keep an annual bird list January is always a great trip,
while for others it is always something of a mystery package. As the day
unfolded it turned at to be a great day on the ocean. The predicted 25
knot NE did not eventuate and, in fact, the low wind conditions forced us
to make regular moves to keep the birds on the wing.
The calm seas provided early views of Little Penguin just outside the
breakwater. Small numbers of shearwaters were pursuing fish in shallow
water, aided and abetted by creatures such as the Black Marlin observed in
only 20 fathoms of water. After several months of virtual absence
Fluttering Shearwaters were once more in evidence inshore. Arctic Jaegers
were present in only very small numbers and only in pelagic waters and
Pomarine Jaeger numbers had declined compared to recent trips.
As we cruised east, Flesh-footed and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters followed the
boat, being shadowed by several Pomarine Jaegers. Fluttering, Short-tailed,
and Sooty Shearwaters were apparent occasionally to provide identification
practice. The presence of a Great-winged Petrel at 75 fathoms proved to be
a false omen with overall numbers for the day being low.
At the 100-fathom line we encountered a large group of Common Dolphins but
no real change in the birds present around the boat. Stopping to chum at
the 200 fathom line brought immediate results in the form of a TAHITI
PETREL and, shortly after, what appeared to be an adult male BROWN BOOBY.
The threat of a strong northeasterly wind later in the day made us
reluctant to venture too far east into deeper water so we headed northeast
instead. The weather change did not eventuate and, instead, the low wind
conditions appeared to be detrimental to our chances of observing large
numbers of birds!
On the return leg of the voyage we encountered a large group of cetaceans
at the 100-fathom line, all of those identified in this aggregation were
Pygmy Killer Whales. A little closer inshore a group of Risso's Dolphins
were observed at a distance. To round of the day a pod of Bottle-nosed
Dolphins was observed just behind the surf near the entrance to the
harbour.
Interestingly, the SOSSA banding team recaptured a Wedge-tailed Shearwater
that had been banded as a chick on Big Island (Port Kembla) on 14 April
1981, nearly 21 years ago. This is one of the oldest known Wedge-tailed
Shearwaters in Australia.
Highlights:
TAHITI PETREL and BROWN BOOBY with plenty of interest being provided by
numbers of Cetaceans
Birds recorded according to the latest Environment Australia Reporting
Schedule:
Species code: Species name: Numbers:
(Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)
005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 4 (3)
073 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera gouldi 15 (8)
920 TAHITI PETREL Pseudobulweria rostrata 1
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 9 (2)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 180+ (100+)
070 Sooty Shearwater P. griseus 4 (1)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 7 (2)
072 Flesh-footed Shearwater P. carneipes 34 (20)
063 Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 3 (1)
102 BROWN BOOBY Sula leucogaster 1
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 2 (1)
128 Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 2 (1)
945 Pomarine Jaeger S. pomarinus 22 (6)
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 1
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 3 (2)
In the harbour:
100 Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos 2 (2)
096 Great Cormorant P. carbo 2
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 1
16 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.
Mammals
Pygmy Killer Whale Feresa attenuataca 45+
Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 100+
Bottle-nosed Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 10+
Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 15+
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 us. If you would like to join one of these trips please contact us
as below:
To make a booking on the SOSSA Wollongong
Pelagics which depart on the 4th Saturday of each month contact
SOSSA: Phone 02 4271 6004.
Email:
Carl Loves Phone: 0427 423 500
Pete Milburn: Mobile 0428 249 506, 02 6255 1313 (AH) or 02 6125 4173 (BH)
To make a booking for Sydney Pelagics,
which depart on the 2nd Saturday of each month contact
Tony Palliser Ph; 02-99001678 (w), 02-94115272 (h)
http://www.zip.com.au/~palliser
To make a booking for Eden Pelagics which are run on the 5th
Sunday of each month it occurs.
Barbara Jones or Ph (02) 6495 7390
<>
Note: SOSSA = Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
Dr P.J. Milburn
Biomolecular Resource Facility
Australian National University
GPO Box 334
Canberra
ACT 0200
+61 2 6125 4173 'Phone
+61 2 6125 4326 FAX
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
