--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
----- Original message -----
From: "Roger McGovern" <>
To:
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 10:09:21 +1000
Subject: Sydney Pelagic Trip - October 9, 2004
SYDNEY NSW PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - OCTOBER 9, 2004
Trip summary:
Once again, October brought an outstanding birding day on the water,
especially for this observer who saw his first seabird lifer in more
than two years. The day was sunny and cool with moderate south to
south-easterly winds. Sea conditions were not comfortable with a good
swell of 3metres running together with a 1.5metre sea. Several people
fell victim to sea-sickness but, for those who stayed upright, it was a
memorable day.
A combination of the sea conditions and a couple of stops to observe
migrating Humpbacked Whales meant that we did not reach our first
berleying point at Brown's Mountain (22.5NM east of Sydney Heads) until
about 10.45am. After setting a good slick and attracting good numbers of
the expected species for this time of year, our first major event was
the arrival of a magnificent adult (Stage 5) SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS
which landed close to the boat and fed ravenously for nearly two hours,
actually re-appearing at our second berleying location. After a further
20 minutes or so, a small pterodroma planed in and landed in the slick
before anyone obtained good flight views. General coloration and head
pattern suggest Soft-plumaged or maybe Herald Petrel but when the bird
lifted off and flew around the boat, all on board had great views of a
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL. Again, this bird stayed with us for more than half
an hour giving many opportunites for close examination. We had had
several Wilson's Storm-Petrels and a White-faced Storm-Petrel in the
slick for some time when the call went up for a GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL
and, again, the bird lingered for some time giving everyone good views.
A move to a new berleying location some 3NM north-east of Brown's
Mountain brought no more rarities but, on the way back to Sydney, an
early arrival LONG-TAILED JAEGER overtook the boat flying towards the
west.
It was not an outstanding day for cetaceans with two pairs of Humpbacked
Whales seen about 7NM east of the heads and a small pod of Short-beaked
Common Dolphins in the same area on the way home.
Species List:
Cape Petrel 1 (1)
Great-winged Petrel 10 (2)
Providence Petrel 40 (5)
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL 1 (1)
procellaria sp. 1 (1) probably Black Petrel
seen briefly by one observer
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 100 (30)
Short-tailed Shearwater 25 (8)
Fluttering Shearwater 20 (6)
Wandering Albatross 2 (1)
SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS 1 (1)
Black-browed Albatross 20 (4) including two Campbells
Albatross
Yellow-nosed Albatross 5 (2)
Shy Albatross 14 (3) all cauta
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 7 (6)
White-faced Storm-Petrel 2 (1)
GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL 1 (1)
Australasian Gannet 10 (3)
LONG-TAILED JAEGER 1 (1)
Silver Gull 150 (120)
Crested Tern 4 (2)
Next Sydney trip will be on Saturday 13 November 2004. Call Hal on 02
9280 3043 or 0411 311 236 to make a booking.
Cheers
Roger McGovern
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