Perth Pelagic 30th June 2002 Trip Report

[Frank O'Connor <>]

Perth Western Australia Pelagic Trip Report Sunday 30th June
2002

Participants (30) :
Frank O'Connor (organiser), John Bailey, Wes Bancroft, Mike Carter
(Vic), Vicky Cartledge, Ross Damian, Hazel Darnell, John Darnell, Sean
Dooley (Vic), Jane Emberson, Stewart Ford, Gael Grant, Iain Henderson,
Rolf Jensen, Inger Komi (Finland), Jarmo Komi (Finland),  Mel
Lintern, Wynton Maddeford, Susan Margaret, Clive Nealon, Easy Patterson,
Robert Powell, Chris Reidy, Dianne Reidy, Jonny Schoenjahn, David Secomb,
Roy Teale, Andrew Walter (Qld), Peter WIlkins, Alan Williams

Conditions :
Departed Hillarys Boat Harbour at 7.05am. Returned early at
2.50pm.  The forecast was for a fine morning with showers in the
afternoon ahead of an approaching front in the evening, with a 1 metre
sea rising to 2.5 metres, and a 2 metre swell rising to 3 metres. 
The winds were forecast to be light to moderate NE in the morning
swinging in the afternoon to strong NW.  The wind was calm as we
left Hillarys but quickly built up to about 20 knots by the time we
reached Rottnest which generated a lot of spray.  The sea and the
swell were not large but with the wind it made the conditions lumpy and
uncomfortable for much of the trip with the swell mostly coming from the
north rather than the usual head on.  The wind lightened off briefly
about lunch time and then quickly picked up again and we headed for
home.

Description :
An outstanding trip for seabirds with an excellent range of species
including one not seen on previous trips and two seen only a few times
before.  The cetaceans were also a highlight for the day but their
identities are unfortunately in doubt.  There were 12 pelagic
species plus Great Skua, Fairy Tern and Australasian
Gannet.  There were more prions and Southern
Giant-Petrels seen than on any previous trip, but there were lower
than expected numbers of storm-petrels and Great-winged
Petrels.  Despite extensive burleying it was very difficult to
bring birds in very close to the boat.  However most sightings were
good and there were a few good photographic opportunities.  It was a
slow start as expected until past Rottnest Island, and the final return
to Hillarys was very also quiet except for a few Great Skuas which
were common throughout the day.

The side swell made conditions very difficult as we passed Rottnest
Island.  A small flock of Fairy Terns flew past the front of
the boat, followed by a Shy Albatross.  Three Humpback
Whales were seen quite close and a Southern Giant-Petrel
proved to be the first of many close sightings for the day.  We
headed west for deeper water and saw the first Soft-plumaged
Petrel and Great-winged Petrel while comparatively
shallow.  Soft-plumaged Petrels continued to be seen for much
of the trip, but the Great-winged Petrels were less common than
usual.

We continued west at speed until we found some birds and then we set a
burley and fish oil trail to the south which we retraced several
times.  We saw an excellent range of species but nothing
unusual.  Two Pantropical Spotted Dolphins leapt clear of the
water off the port side, and shortly after a third larger plainer
(Bottlenose?) dolphin was also seen off the port bow.

We moved further west into deeper water where we stopped and set up a
good burley trail.  Again we saw a very good range of the more
common species.  We stayed for nearly an hour before we moved
on.

The shout went out for a prion and we stopped the boat.  The
bird reappeared and with the help of Mike Carter we identified it as a
Salvin's Prion which is a new species for the Hillarys
pelagics.  Then two more prions were seen off the port stern
which were identified as Slender-billed Prions.  Four more
flew past the starboard side giving reasonable views.  Three more
were seen a while later behind the stern and then forward past the
starboard side.  As we were about to leave, a White-faced
Storm-Petrel approached from the stern.  This is unusual for
winter.

A large flock of birds could be seen in the distance and headed over to
find a large flock of mostly Australasian Gannets and
Yellow-nosed Albatross.  The highlight were the
dolphins that stayed just off the bow.  The first few were
tentatively identified as Common Dolphins.  Some later very
clearly had white tips to their beaks.  There was some debate about
whether they were more Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (although they
had no spots), Common Dolphins or Striped Dolphins. 
Some dorsal fins appeared to be quite rounded rather than pointed. 
The final opinion is that there were probably two and maybe three species
seen.  Some photographs were taken which may shed some more light of
their identification.

The wind had dropped but it quickly began to pick up again and we headed
for home.  There was very little seen on the way home which
conditions uncomfortable due to a lot of spray.
Thanks to the skipper Trevor and deck hand Justin.  Thanks very much
much to John Darnell for preparing the suet mixed with oil and
pollard.

Time/Latitude/Longitude/Depth/Distance/Bearing from Hillarys of most
stoppages:
07:05 S31° 49' 34", E115° 44' 16", 5m, 0.0km, 0° (Hillarys
Wharf)
08:15 S31° 59' 25", E115° 28' 44", 25m, 30.9km, 233° off
Rottnest Island
08:30 S32° 00' 28", E115° 25' 19", 45m, 36.0km, 236° Shy
Albatross, HB Whales
08:55 S32° 00' 17", E115° 21' 35", 92m, 40.8km, 241°
petrels
09:25 S32° 00' 12", E115° 16' 03", 140m, 48.5km, 246° first
prion
09:50 S32° 00' 53", E115° 14' 21", 165m, 51.5km, 246°
dolphins
10:25 S32° 01' 42", E115° 10' 53", 320m, 57.1km, 247° (stopped
until 11:20)
11:50 S32° 02' 36", E115° 10' 53", 300m, 57.8km, 245° (stopped
until 12:40) prions
12:55 S32° 04' 59", E115° 12' 39", 175m, 57.3km, 240° gannets,
dolphins

Bird List (Christidis & Boles order) Total Number (Maximum at Same
Time) :
Cape Petrel 12 (5)
Kerguelen Petrel 2 (2)
Great-winged Petrel 11 (5)
Soft-plumaged Petrel 50+ (10)
Salvin's Prion 1 (1)
Slender-billed Prion 9 (6)
Black-browed Albatross 5 (3)
Shy Albatross 2 (race cauta) (1)
Yellow-nosed Albatross (race bassi) 150+ (40)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 5 (2)
White-faced Storm-Petrel 1 (1)
Australasian Gannet 200+ (150)
Pied Cormorant 1 (1)
Great Skua 10 (2)
Silver Gull 1 (1)
Caspian Tern 1 (1)
Crested Tern 18 (6)
Fairy Tern 10 (10)

Mammal List :
Humpback Whale 3 (3)
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) 2 (2)
Striped Dolphin ??? (Stenella coeruleoalba) 30 (30)
Common Dolphin ??? (Delphinus delphis) 10 (10)
Bottlenose Dolphin ??? (Tursiops truncatus) 1 (1)

Next Trip :
The next trip will be on Sunday 11th August 2002.  For details
contact Frank O'Connor on 08 9386 5694 or email

___________________________________________________________________

Frank O'Connor     Birding WA http://members.iinet.net.au/~foconnor

Phone : (08) 9386
5694               
Email : 


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