Hi all.
I have just returned from a one week trip to the island. The land birds
were quite easy to get with the Lord Howe Woodhens being seen on most
days. There were also some Pacific Golden Plover in breeding plumage as
well as Bar-tailed Godwits, Double-banded Plovers, Whimbrels and Ruddy
Turnstones on the airport. Black-winged Petrels returned to Ned's Beach
in the evenings. Sooty Terns were at Blinky's Beach with a number of
young in the dunes, some dead.
The highlight birding wise was a pelagic trip aboard the Noctiluca, Jack
Schick's boat. As a bonus we also had Ian Hutton on board. The weather
had been rough all week and no boats were going outside the reef, so I
was delighted to be able to go out on the afternoon of Friday 6 April.
Because conditions were still a bit rough with strong southerlies we
headed north in the lee of the island.
The main target species was the White-bellied Storm Petrel which we
spotted within half an hour from shore. With the aid of a shark as
berley quite a slick formed and we were soon seeing many of them around
the boat giving very close views. Other highlights were a Little
Shearwater, Great-winged Petrel (possibly Grey-faced) and numerous Grey
Ternlets on the cliffs.
Birds seen:
Wandering Tattler, on the rocks
Red-tailed Tropicbird,
Common Noddy
Black Noddy
White Tern
Grey Ternlet
Providence Petrel
Great-winged type Petrel
Fleshy-footed Shearwater
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Little Shearwater
White-bellied Storm Petrel
Masked Booby
I recommend contacting Jack Schick if you want to get out to sea for
pelagic species, otherwise it is a great place for a holiday.
Happy birding.
--
John Reidy
Sydney
Phone 02 9871 4836
Fax 02 9871 2616
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