May 31st 2009, SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
*Note*; This trip was rescheduled from the Saturday May 22nd , due to
the dangerous weather conditions on that weekend.
Report prepared by: Lindsay Smith.
Departed: 07:15 returned at 15:30.
Sea conditions: E 1.5 to 2.0m.
Swell: ESE 2-3m with a large ground swell 3-4 metres inshore, largely to
being due to the low tide.
Weather: overcast with a few passing showers through out the day.
Temperature range: 14 to17.0°C.
Barometric pressure: 1014 HPa and steady .
Wind: ESE 15-20 knots at first, decreasing to 10- 15 knots by mid morning.
Sea surface temperature: 23.0 inshore to 23.8°C. at the shelf break.
*Summary:*
Conditions had improved after the almost cyclonic weather of last week.
A high pressure system had replaces the low and the seas had abated
significantly. In the past few days the high pressure was directing E to
SE wind on shore. The water temperature was still very warm for this
time of the year. Very few birds inshore, a few immature Black-browed
and a single Yellow nosed Albatross, juvenile and adult Australasian
Gannets past over our wake and were soon joined by Crested Terns and
Fairy Prions as we cleared the Wollongong Reef. A single Fluttering
Shearwater and the first of the Shy and Buller’s Albatrosses joined the
group. As we reached the end of the Abysmal Plain in 80 fathoms we were
soon joined by Solander’s Petrels in beautiful fresh plumage. Wilson’s
Storm petrels appeared as we stopped to allow a distant Giant Petrel and
an all dark Wandering Albatross to approach the boat. Although
uncomfortable for some, we set up a drift-and-berley session just beyond
the 200-fathom line and the difficult conditions were soon forgotten as
we were soon joined by the first Cape Petrel and Northern Giant Petrel
for the day. Three more Buller’s albatrosses joined the growing throng
of birds. The Buller’s Albatrosses flying along next to the boat at eye
level, only two-three metres from observers.
As we headed back for the safety of the harbour, the scrum of birds
following in our wake began to grow as more birds joined in. By the time
we passed the Wollongong Reef, we had an impressive flock of birds
around the boat. These included eight species of albatrosses and two
species of Giant Petrel.
It was a great start to the winter season.
Highlights:
BULLER’S ALBATROSS (Five birds in view at one time)
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)
086 Wandering Albatross /Diomemdea exulans/ 3 (2) all inshore
846 Antipodean Albatross /Diomedea antipodensis/ 3 (2)
847 Gibson’s Albatross /Diomedea gibsoni/ 5 (3)
859 Campbell Albatross /Thalassarche impavida /3 (2) Three ages identified
088 Black-browed Albatross/ Thalassarche melanophrys/ 15 (7
931 BULLER'S ALBATROSS/ Thalassarche bulleri/ 5 (5) (unusually high number)
091 Shy Albatross/ Thalassarche. cauta/ 7 (5) (one Juvenile captured and
banded)
971 Solander's Petrel/ Pterodroma. solandri/ 10 (5)
068 Fluttering Shearwater/ Puffinus gavia/ 1 (1)
083 Fairy Prion /Pachyptila turtur/ 30 (9)
089 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross /Thalassarche carteri/ 5 (3)
929 Southern Giant Petrel /Macronectes giganteus/ 2 (2)
937 Northern Giant Petrel /Macronectes halli /4 (3)
080 Cape Petrel /Daption capensis/ 5 (5)
063 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel /Oceanites oceanicus/ 15 (7)
104 Australasian Gannet/ Morus serrator/ 18 (5)
106 Australian Pelican/ Pelicanus conspicillatus/ 5 (3)
125 Silver Gull / Larus novaehollandiae/ 50+ (30)
115 Crested Tern /Sterna bergii/ 20+ (10)
114 White-fronted Tern /Sterna striata /5 (5)
In the harbour:
100 Little Pied Cormorant 3
099 Pied Cormorant 1
096 Great Cormorant 2
106 Australian Pelican/ Pelicanus conspicillatus/ 7 (5)
131 Sooty Oystercatcher 2 (2)
Mammals
None
Reptiles
None
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