Whoops again, I forgot to post this trip report to B-A a couple of weeks ago,
Thanks for the reminder, Nikolas
Another Sydney Pelagic this Saturday, hopefully the weather will hold, contact
Hal to book a spot.
Sydney Pelagic Trip Report - Saturday 13 August 2011
This trip had 24 pax plus 4 crew. Conditions were fairly mild with a manageable
south-easterly swell up to 1.5 m, a southerly sea less than 1 m and a sea state
of 3-4. It was mostly overcast with light rain during much of the afternoon.
Sea temperatures over the shelf-break were 17-18 degrees C, the coldest yet
this year. The preceding week saw relatively calm conditions, but moderate
southerly winds on Friday. It did not seem quite like the conditions we needed
to get five species of prion.
Before leaving Sydney Heads we saw two Black-browed Albatrosses in the harbour.
Passing through the Heads at about 7:30, we burleyed almost continuously to the
shelf break and beyond, hoping to drag as many birds with us as possible. We
failed to attract albatrosses immediately at the Heads, but by 8:00 there were
about 30 following, along with Crested Terns and a Brown Skua. Humpback Whales
were seen in the distance but we did not divert. Just before 9:00 an adult
Buller’s Albatross joined the followers, about 13 NM ESE in 160 m of water. We
reached the shelf break at about 9:45 and set a slick for prions. Only fairies
attended. We then headed to Brown’s Mountain (34 02’, 151 40’) and set another
slick. A couple of Australian? Fur Seals and a dispersed pod of Oceanic
Bottle-nosed Dolphins were there. A lone Providence Petrel, some Cape Petrels
and a Grey-backed Storm-Petrel attended the slick. The Grey-backed was the
third for NSW and second for
Sydney pelagics this winter. To avoid rain we moved east (about 26 nm
offshore) and set two more slicks (34 03’ 151 41’ and 34 02’ 151 45’), but
prions were in short supply, with only about 10 Fairies around. Albatross
numbers continued to build and turn over. Wandering albatross of two forms,
mostly exulans and some gibsoni, were viewed together. A couple of grey-headed
juvenile albatrosses from the “shy” complex were interesting. Whilst it was
announced earlier that one or more of these might be Salvin’s Albatross, it now
appears that there were at least three fresh juvenile White-capped Albatross
(steadi) from NZ. On the way in we stopped at the shelf break and set a fifth
slick, but still could not find more than a handful of Fairy Prions. We did,
however, get great views of a seal that seems to be a New Zealand Fur Seal. At
4 nm outside the heads we paused to watch two Humpback Whales for a few
sequences.
BIRDS
Wandering Albatross (exulans) 3 (1)
Wandering Albatross (gibsoni) 3 (1)
Black-browed Albatross (melanophris) 100 (50)
Black-browed Albatross (impavida) 2 (1)
Buller’s Albatross 1
Shy Albatross (cauta) 5 (2)
Shy Albatross (steadi) 3
Yellow-nosed Albatross (bassi) 20 (10)
Cape Petrel 4
Fairy Prion 40 (20)
Providence Petrel 5 (1)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 1
Fluttering Shearwater 30 (10)
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel 1
Australasian Gannet 50 (10)
Brown Skua 8 (4)
Silver Gull 40 (3)
Crested Tern 20 (15)
MAMMALS
Humpback Whale 4 (2)
Oceanic Bottle-nosed Dolphin 50
Australian? Fur Seal 2
New Zealand? Fur Seal 1
Fish
Mako? Shark
Photos of the day’s birds have been posted by Raja Stephenson at:
http://www.adarman.com/Pelagics/2011-August-13-Sydney-Pelagic/18525451_4CF4hR#1430197923_vqJTnzJ
The next Sydney pelagic trip is scheduled for Saturday 10 September 2011,
departing Mosman Bay Ferry Wharf at 6.45 am and Rose Bay Ferry Wharf at 7.00
am.
To book call Hal at 0411 311 236 or visit http://www.halicat.com.au/
Happy seabirding
David James,
Sydney
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