24th May, 2003 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Departed: 07:10 returned at approx. 15:10.
Sea conditions: calm at first, peaking at 1.5 to 2.0m SSE in the late
morning.
Swell: S 1.5 to 2.0 m.
Weather: Mostly overcast with occasional showers.
Temperature range: 17.8 to 18.2°C.
Barometric pressure: 1016 HPa rising.
Wind: Calm at first, SW 5 to 10 kts offshore, veering to SSE 15 20 kts later.
Sea surface temperature: 19.8 to 21.2°C.
Primary chumming location: S 34° 28' - E 151° 15'.
Summary:
On the whole a rather uneventful late autumn day on the ocean, with the
notable exception of the first recorded MASKED BOOBY for the Wollongong
Pelagic Trip.
For the week prior to this trip cool southerly winds had buffeted the coast
as a result of a deep low-pressure system located to the southeast of
Tasmania. Under the influence of a high-pressure system over Victoria, the
winds had abated overnight. The morning was mild and surprisingly calm but
storm clouds to both the north and south suggested that these conditions
would not last. The conditions deteriorated during the morning but eased
by lunchtime and were never worse than mildly uncomfortable.
Several encounters with the first Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross of the year
on our journey to the Continental Slope brought lasting smiles.
A Solander's Petrel resolutely patrolled the 100-fathom line and
investigated our vessel as we crossed the edge of the Continental Shelf.
This proved to be the only pterodroma petrel identified positively
throughout the day. Also at the edge of the shelf were several Brown Skua,
distinguished individually by different states of moult and an adult
Black-browed Albatross.
Seabirds were scarce in deeper water so we returned to a plume of warmer
water inside the edge of the Continental Shelf. Stopping to berley in 80
fathoms of water we attracted several albatross, including the first
Campbell Albatross of the year. While admiring these birds a sub-adult
MASKED BOOBY passed behind the boat at less than 20m range creating a
certain amount of surprise! This was the first time that this species has
been recorded in the Wollongong area.
The remainder of our cruise back to port was enlivened by a visit from a
large pod of Short-beaked Common Dolphin and a late season Common Tern.
Two shearwaters that were probably LITTLE SHEARWATER were seen in the
distance.
Highlights:
Brief but excellent views of a sub-adult MASKED BOOBY and three species of
albatross. The former being the first record for Wollongong (only the
second for NSW) and the latter being the first of 2003.
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)
971 Solander's Petrel Pterodroma solandri 1
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 8 (3)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 4 (3)
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 1
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 2 (2)
864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 8 (3)
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 28 (13)
105 MASKED BOOBY Sula dactylatra 1 sub-adult
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 8 (4)
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 3 (1)
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 6 (3)
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 160 (82)
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 14 (6)
953 Common Tern S. hirundo 1
In the harbour:
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
100 Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos 1
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 5
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 1
15 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.
Mammals
Australian Fur-Seal Arctocephalus pusillus 2 (1)
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 115+ (100+)
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 Pelagic Trips that 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
|
