Sydney / NSW Pelagics

[Alan McBride <>]

For Sydney birders or those visiting and intending on a pelagic:

See the advert below (a posting to CALBIRD listserve) for an LA Audubon pelagic trip and note the price of US $ 198 (AUD$250+) which just goes to show the excellent value of Halicat trips from Sydney and of course those from Newcastle, Wollongong and Eden too... Of course it’s interesting to note they too look for numbers of birders to go out although in California there is a pelagic most Saturday and Sunday from somewhere along the coast.

Numbers from Tony Palliser’s web page for April show:

NSW Pelagic Statistics For The Month of April
The information for this page represents the results of over 10 years of pelagic bird watching trips from either Sydney or Wollongong, NSW Australia, being a compilation of 13 April trips including 1998. (Definite = 90-100% , Probable = 50-90% , Possible = 10-50% )

DEFINITE

Providence Petrel        100%
Great-winged Petrel        92.3%
Wedge-tailed Shearwater        100%
Flesh-footed Shearwater        100%
Short-tailed Shearwater        92.3%
Australasian Gannet        100%
Silver Gull        100%
Kelp Gull (Wollongong)        100%
Crested Tern        100%
Australian Pelican        100%

PROBABLE

Wandering Albatross        46.2%
Black-browed Albatross        69.2%
Fluttering Shearwater        76.9%
Hutton's Shearwater        46.2%
Wilson's Storm-Petrel        84.6%
Arctic Jaeger        76.9%
Pomarine Jaeger        84.6%
Long-tailed Jaeger        61.5%

POSSIBLE

Little Penguin        23.1%
Yellow-nosed Albatross        46.2%
Shy Albatross        30.8%
Kermadec Petrel        30.8%
Herald Petrel        23.1%
Fairy Prion        38.5%
Sooty Shearwater        38.5%
White-faced Storm Petrel        23.1%
Great Skua        38.5%
Common Tern        23.1%

UNLIKELY / VAGRANT

Common Diving Petrel        1 Record
White-headed Petrel        2 Records
Cook's Petrel        2 Records
Black-winged Petrel        2 Records
Gould's Petrel        2 Records
Great Shearwater        1 Record
Streaked Shearwater        1 Record
Red-tailed Tropicbird        1 Record
White-tailed Tropicbird        1 Record
South Polar Skua        1 Record
Arctic Tern        2 Records
White-fronted Tern        1 Record
Sooty Tern        1 Record


See: http://users.bigpond.net.au/palliser/pelagic/apr-stat.html

For other stats and photo’s.... And booking contact information for the Sydney trips on Halicat.

Cheers

Alan

*******************************************
Alan  McBride
Birding Guide +
http://web.mac.com/amcbride1

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> > ------ Forwarded  Message
> > From: <>
> > Reply-To:  <>
> > Date: 30 Mar 2006 12:18:01 -0000
> > To:  <>
> > Subject: [CALBIRDS] Digest Number  1480
> >
> > Topics in this  digest:
> >
> >       1. Re: pelagic advert:  4/22: Santa Barbara deep  water
> >            From:  "Jonathan S. Feenstra"  <>
> > ________________________________________________________________________
> > ________________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Message:  1         
> >    Date:  Wed, 29 Mar 2006 07:24:34 -0800
> >    From: "Jonathan S.  Feenstra" <>
> > Subject: Re: pelagic advert:  4/22: Santa Barbara deep water
> >
> > Birders,
> >
> > The Condor Express, a 75 ft catamaran that leaves out  of Santa Barbara is particularly suited to this trip as its speed and  stability will allow us to get quickly and comfortably to the areas of interest and permit us to pursue some of the quick-moving seabirds.  
> >
> >   Please see below for the formal trip description and  registration information.
> >
> >   Hope to see you  aboard,
> >
> >   Jon Feenstra
> >   Pasadena,  CA
> >
> >
> >
> >   Saturday, April 22 - Deep water trip toward  Rodriguez Dome and the San Juan Seamount
> >
> >   This trip will  depart from the Santa Barbara Harbor on the Condor Express at 7 a.m. and  returns approximately by 8 p.m. This is a One Day Murphy Petrel Search!   We will cruise along the deep water shelf by the San Juan Seamount.  Birds expected are: Laysan and Black-footed albatross; Northern Fulmar, Sooty,  Pink-footed shearwaters; Parasitic and Pomarine jaegers; Leach's Storm-Petrel;  Cassin's Auklet; Xantus's Murrelet. Rare possibilities are Cook's Petrel and  Red-billed Tropicbird. 
> >
> >   $198 - or you can save $5 with an  early sign-up 60 days prior to departure.
> >
> >   Leaders: Kimball  Garret, Todd McGrath, Jon Feenstra and David Pereksta.   
> >
> >   A complete galley serves breakfast, lunch and  dinner. 
> >  
> >   To register, send a  self-addressed stamped envelope to LAAS at
> >
> >   Los Angeles  Audubon Society - Reservations
> >
> >   PO Box  931057
> >
> >   Los Angeles, CA   90093-1057
> >
> >   please include: the date of the trip  you're registering for (e.g. April 22, 2006), a check to LAAS,  the names  of the people who will be participating, and their contact  information.
> >
> >   For answers to questions about field trips,  please contact Millie Newton at Audubon House at 323-876-0202 on Wednesdays  from noon to 4:00 PM. The office staff is also available Tuesday through  Saturday for most reservation  services.
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________________
> > ________________________________________________________________________
------ End of Forwarded Message