Albany Pelagic 2nd November 2003 Trip Report

["Frank O'Connor" <>]

Albany Western Australia Pelagic Trip Report Sunday 2nd November 2003

Participants (8) :

Chris Lester (organiser Vic), Jan Mulholland (NSW), Ross Mulholland
(NSW), Frank O'Connor (WA), Stuart Pell (NSW), Snow Perry (Qld), Fred
Smith (Vic), Lorand Szucs (NSW)

Conditions :

Departed Emu Point Boat Harbour at 7.10am. Returned at 4.00pm. 
The winds were about 10 knots NE in the morning strengthening to about 15
to 20 knots in the afternoon.  The sea conditions were good,
although choppier on the return journey.

Description :

This is the first pelagic trip organised from Albany, and so it was
difficult to know what to expect.  It turned out to be a sensational
trip which exceeded everybody's expectations.  We booked the Chivers
Regal, a 40ft boat operated by Spinners Charters.

It was to be a 2.5 hour journey to the shelf.  Things were quiet as
it took nearly an hour just to clear the outer heads.  We saw the
first few
Flesh-footed
Shearwaters at this point and their
numbers slowly grew so that we had at least 30 in sight as we headed out
deeper.  We kept looking for
Great-winged
Petrels but we couldn't be sure in
the light as we were moving.  We saw a few
Yellow-nosed
Albatross and
Shy
Albatross on the way out.

Then I saw a large albatross with a white back.  I didn't see it
well, but I felt sure it was a
Wandering
Albatross which was new for me in
Western Australia.  This was just before we reached the shelf where
the depth goes from about 100 metres to over 1000 metres in just one or
two kilometres.  We stopped the boat for over two hours and we began
to burley.

There were many Flesh-footed Shearwaters with numbers increasing as we
stayed.  Several Shy Albatross landed on the water with a
Yellow-nosed Albatross.  And then the first
Wandering
Albatross arrived and landed on the
water about 50 metres from the boat.  It was a beautiful white
'Snowy Albatross'.  Two more younger
Wandering
Albatross arrived.  The
difference in size made it apparent that there were two sub species with
exulans
and
gibsoni.

I was trying to get photographs of the
Wandering
Albatross when the call went out for
a Sooty
Albatross.  I looked up to see
this stunning bird flying towards the stern of the boat about 50 metres
away.  It didn't stay long but our views were excellent to see the
pale line on the bill, a white eye-ring (most apparent just above the
eye) and an even sooty colour on the back.  A lifer, and already the
trip had exceeded my expectations.

We finally confirmed some
Great-winged
Petrels, and we saw a number of
White-headed
Petrels.  The latter mostly
stayed away from the boat but some flew close enough to give good
views  The first
White-faced
Storm-Petrel also made an
appearance.

The call went out for a
Grey
Petrel.  I picked it up off the
starboard side and followed it as it came into the boat.  The Pizzey
& Knight field guide does not do this bird justice as it illustrates
it as much browner.  It was an even silver grey above and was easy
to identify.  I even managed a photograph of another lifer for
me.

The Wandering Albatross built up to as many as five at one time, all with
different plumage.  A
Wilson's
Storm-Petrel and a couple of
Soft-plumaged
Petrels (including a dark morph)
were the only other highlights.

Before noon we decided to move deeper but we saw nothing different. 
Perhaps it would have been better to follow the shelf break.  At
13:30 we headed back.  We saw nothing unusual on the long journey
home.

Thanks to the Chris Lester for organising the trip and to the skipper
Evan and deck hand Phil.

Time/Latitude/Longitude/Depth/Distance from Emu Point of most
stoppages:

09:45 S35° 22' 11", E118° 07' 56", 100m to 1000m, 52.2km
(stopped until 11:40)

Bird List (Christidis & Boles order) Total Number (Maximum at Same
Time) :

Great-winged
Petrel 5 (2)
Soft-plumaged
Petrel 2 (1)
White-headed
Petrel 7 (2)
GREY
PETREL 1 (1)
Flesh-footed
Shearwater 1,000+ (400)
Wandering
Albatross (race exulans) 2
(2)
Wandering
Albatross (race gibsoni) 7
(3)
Shy
Albatross (race cauta) 7
(3)
Yellow-nosed
Albatross (race bassi) 12
(3)
SOOTY ALBATROSS
1 (1)
Wilson's
Storm-Petrel 1 (1)
White-faced
Storm-Petrel 3 (1)
Australasian
Gannet 7 (2)
Crested Tern
10 (4)

Mammal List :

None

Next Trip :

I plan to organise further pelagic trips from Albany in April or May
2004 and October 2004.  For details contact Frank O'Connor on 08
9386 5694 or email
m("iinet.net.au","foconnor");">
 


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