Bird sightings 2nd
January – 2nd February 2003
Chinstrap Penguin One seen
and photographed on 21/1 on the rock platform at the end of the Sandy Bay
Isthmus. In company with many royal penguins. At the time of the sighting the
bird was not moulting (RHC).
Southern Royal Albatross
Diomedea epomophora epomophora One off Goat Bay on 23/1 (RHC).
Northern Royal Albatross
Diomedea epomophora sanfordi One off Tottan Head on the 5/1
(RHC).
Shy Albatross Diomedia
cauta cauta/steadi Small numbers (ones and twos) seen regularly during the
past month (RHC).
Shy Albatross Diomedia
cauta salvini A single individual of the race salvini off Goat Bay on
the 9/1 (RHC).
Cape Petrel Daption
capense Very few records at this time of year. A single bird off Aurora Pt
on 11/1 (MS). One off Hurd Point 13/1(RHC). One beachwashed at Bauer Bay on 20/1
(MS). Singles off North Head 22/1, 27/1 and 1/2 (RHC).
White-chinned Petrel
Procellaria aquinoctialis Single individuals off Goat Bay on the 9/1 and
16/1 (RHC).
Mottled Petrel
Pterodroma inexpectata one beachwashed at Eagle Bay 13/1 (MS). Singles
off Morgue Bay on 8/1 and Tottan Head on 18/1 (RHC). One beachwashed at Bauer
Bay on 20/1 (MS). High count of 25 off Goat Bay on the 22/1 (RHC).
Blue Petrel Halobaena
caerulea the remains of 12 around a Skua nest behind Douglas Point on 9/1
(MS).
Slender-billed Prion
Pachyptila belcheri remains of one near a Skua nest behind Douglas
Point on 9/1 (MS). One seen well off Goat Bay on 1st/2 in company
with Antarctic Prions (RHC).
Soft-plumaged Petrel
Pterodroma mollis One beachwashed at Bauer Bay on 20/1 (MS).Occasional
birds seen out at sea (RHC).
Wilson’s Storm-petrel
Oceanites oceanicus 2 feeding around Killer Whale kill off Brothers Point
on the 5/1 (MS). Singles on 16/1 and 22/1 off North Head (RHC).
Short-tailed Shearwater
Puffinus tenuirostris One freshly beachwashed at Cormorant Pt on 9/1
(MS). One off Goat Bay on 22/1 and another on the 24/1 (RHC)
Diving Petrel spp.
Pelecanoides spp. Single individuals off Goat Bay on the 9/1 and
1st/2 and another off Garden Cove on 29/1 (RHC).
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica A single bird seen on the beach at Cormorant Point
on the 10-11/1 (MS)
White-throated Needletail
Hirundapus caudacutus Three birds seen at 1130 flying low over Tottan
Head (North Head) on the 10/1. By 1430 the flock had increased to five
individuals. Photographs of these birds have been placed in the Biology Log
Book. Since this date 1-3 birds were seen almost daily on the East coast between
Red River and North Head (RHC, MS and others). Last birds were seen in Garden
Cove on 24/1.
MS = Martin Schultz, RHC = Rohan
Clarke
