24th August 2008, SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Departed: 07:30 returned at 15:30.
Sea conditions: SW 1.0 to 2.0m.
Swell: SE to 3.0 to 4.0m.
Weather: Clear and sunny all day.
Temperature range: 7.1 to 17.0°C.
Barometric pressure: 1028 HPa rising.
Wind: south westerly less than 5 knots at first
increasing to 10 to 15 knots by mid morning.
Sea surface temperature: 15.4 to 17.0°C.
Primary chumming location: 34° 37'S : 151° 11'E.
Summary:
A large anticyclone was moving out of the Great
Australian Bight into western Victoria. A
low-pressure system had developed off the north
east coast of NSW previous day, creating gale
force winds, but now was moving eastwards into
the Tasman Sea. The weather was very chilly but
otherwise pleasant. The sea had not settled down
after the wild weather but at least it was safe
to leave the harbour, in contrast to the previous
day.
Black-browed and Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross
greeted us as we cleared the breakwater and soon
a SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL appeared over the top of
a large swell. Crested and White-fronted Terns
were fishing close inshore and a Brown Skua was
looking for an opportunity to create havoc.
Small numbers of Fluttering Shearwaters and
Australasian Gannets were present also. Several
Australian Pelicans and the first WEDGE-TAILED
SHEARWATER for the spring season were also
foraging over the inshore reefs.
Progressing southeastward into the large swell we
added in quick succession; Campbell, SHY,
White-capped, Gibson's and WANDERING ALBATROSS to
our tally for the day. There were a lot of
albatross about so it was not too much of a
surprise when 2 adult BULLER'S ALBATROSS appeared
over the wake soon after we crossed the 70-fathom
line. This continued the recent spate of records
of this normally infrequently observed species.
A first-year GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS at the
75-fathom line was the first for the winter
however. Close views of a juvenile NORTHERN
GIANT-PETREL added to the excitement as we
continued towards deeper a water. A New Zealand
Fur-Seal was basking on the surface and Fairy
Prions began to appear around us. Another adult
BULLER'S ALBATROSS joined us at 90 fathoms and
this bird stayed with us for quite a long time.
Although uncomfortable for some, we set up a
drift-and-berley session just beyond the
100-fathom line and the difficult conditions were
soon forgotten as new species arrived thick and
fast. A WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL of the New
Zealand race maoriana appeared at the bow, only
the second sighting of this subspecies for the
Wollongong Pelagic trips, but in perplexing
fashion it completely ignored the berley trail.
In contrast the Fairy Prions were circling the
vessel affording excellent views. The first
pterodroma petrel of the day zoomed in from the
south and was easily identified as a Great-winged
Petrel. Shortly thereafter a Solander's Petrel
appeared providing an opportunity to compare the
species side-by-side. An adult female NORTHERN
ROYAL ALBATROSS flew in and joined the Gibson's,
Black-browed, Campbell, Shy, White-capped and
Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross immediately at our
stern. The first NEW ZEALAND CAPE PETREL for the
2008 season arrived and began to forage with the
Fairy Prions. Several ANTARCTIC PRIONS were a
great thrill since this species had not been seen
in these waters since 2002! The first Grey-faced
Petrel of the spring swung into view providing
many on board with their first opportunity to
observe Great-winged and Grey-faced Petrels
together. All agreed that the differences are
obvious and it remains difficult to understand
why they are usually considered to be the same
species! Single NORTHERN and SOUTHERN
GIANT-PETRELS completed the cast of this
wonderful seabird spectacle.
Time dictated that we set a course for the
harbour so reluctantly we began cruising west.
On the way we recruited the first, rather worn
looking, SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER of the spring at
the 80-fathom line. The SOSSA banding team
captured a female TRISTAN ALBATROSS amongst
several other species and a first year SALVIN'S
ALBATROSS followed us back to port to complete an
amazing day of albatross viewing.
Unusually, there were no Kelp Gulls to be seen
but instead a juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle
appeared while we were still miles offshore. It
picked out the Short-tailed shearwater as a
potential afternoon snack and chased it into the
distance in a southeasterly direction. Several
minutes later an adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle
appeared overhead. Perhaps the Kelp Gulls were
keeping a low profile for good reason!
Highlights:
Amongst an amazing 12 species of albatross
recorded with up to seven species in view at any
one time, highlights were TRISTAN, NORTHERN
ROYAL, BULLER'S, SALVIN'S and GREY-HEADED
ALBATROSS. The second record of the New Zealand
race of WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL, maoriana, for
the Wollongong Pelagic Boat Trips and the first
records of ANTARCTIC PRION for 6 years were also
notable events,
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)
929 SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL Macronectes giganteus 3 (1)
937 NORTHERN GIANT-PETREL M. halli 1
080 New Zealand Cape Petrel Daption capense australe 1
083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 38 (20)
084 ANTARCTIC PRION P. desolata 3 (3)
075 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma (macroptera) macroptera 3 (2)
075 Grey-faced Petrel P. (macroptera) gouldi 1
971 Solander's Petrel P. solandri 1
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 19 (8)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 4 (3)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 1
086 WANDERING ALBATROSS Diomedea exulans 2 (2)
845 TRISTAN ALBATROSS D. dabbenena 1
847 Gibson's Albatross D. gibsoni 21 (12)
973 NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS D. sanfordi 1
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 58 (30)
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 24 (9)
931 BULLER'S ALBATROSS T. bulleri 3 (2)
091 SHY ALBATROSS T. cauta 15 (8)
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 7 (2)
862 SALVIN'S ALBATROSS T. salvini 1
089 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 24 (5)
090 GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS T. chrysostoma 1
065 WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL Pelagodroma marina maoriana 1
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 34 (24)
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 5 (2)
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 6 (3)
125 Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae 57 (34)
114 White-fronted Tern Sterna striata 21 (8)
115 Crested Tern S. bergii 36 (12)
In the harbour:
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 26 (26)
23 species of procellariiformes in a total of 29
species of seabird identified outside the
breakwater.
Other birds
226 White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 2 (1)
Mammals
New Zealand Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri 1
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 2 (2)
Reptiles
None
Fish
None
For previous trip reports and selected images from this trip visit
http://www.sossa-international.org/
Future Trips
All Pelagic Trips from NSW are operated at no
profit to the organizers, 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 detailed below:
To make a booking on the SOSSA Wollongong Pelagic
Trips that departs 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)
Note: SOSSA = Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
--
Dr P.J. Milburn
Technical Specialist
ANU ACRF Biomolecular Resource Facility
John Curtin School of Medical Research
Australian National University
GPO Box 334
Canberra ACT 0200
'Phone +61 2 6125 4326
FAX +61 2 6125 9533
==============================www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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