Hi guys
Well we can start doing our own research, can't we? By keeping careful notes
and photographic evidence we will start to get a clearer picture of what is
appearing to us and when. We can become citizen scientists on our pelagic
trips, providing there is/are experienced pelagic observers on board to guide
us. What do you think?
Cheers
Chris
Christine Melrose
0407705140
> On 11 Nov 2013, at 16:54, Nikolas Haass <> wrote:
>
> Hi Roger,
>
> I agree, I would not call it a 'given' either and certainly greater
> scientific evidence would be needed. However, it is interesting and somewhat
> suggestive (but not a proof) that these pristine-plumaged and dark-headed
> juveniles show up from August - at a time point when steadi leave their nests
> and start to wander around. Apparently, that late in the year, juvenile
> cautaalready look paler-headed and their plumage is not as pristine anymore.
> But again, greater scientific evidence would be very welcome!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nikolas
>
> ----------------
> Nikolas Haass
>
> Brisbane, QLD
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Roger McGovern <>
> To: 'Nikolas Haass' <>; 'Sonja Ross' <>;
> 'Mick Roderick' <>
> Cc: 'birding-aus' <>; 'Hal Epstein'
> <>
> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 3:26 PM
> Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013
>
>
>
> Just a couple of comments on Mick’s and Nikolas’s postings.
>
> Mick points out correctly that White-capped and Shy Albatross are split in
> Birdlife Australia’s Working List of Australian Birds but they are not split
> in the BARC checklist which follows IOC taxonomy. As I understand it (and I
> am not involved so may be wrong) BARC adopted IOC taxonomy for the reasons
> cited in the past by Tony Palliser but Birdlife Australia has chosen
> subsequently to use the Birdlife international taxonomy which renders the
> two checklists incompatible. Perhaps Tony Palliser and/or somebody from
> Birdlife Australia could throw some light on how this will play out since
> they should surely be consistent.
>
> All the points raised by Nikolas and Mick regarding identifying adult and
> juvenile White-capped Albatross versus Shy Albatross were again hashed over
> by David James and myself on the boat on Saturday. Even the ‘given’ that
> pristine dark-headed juvenile birds must be steadi is, I believe, something
> that is only supposition due to the disparity in the breeding seasons of the
> two taxa and surely needs some greater scientific evidence to become a proven
> identification feature in the field?
>
> Cheers
> Roger
>
> From:Nikolas Haass
> Sent: Monday, 11 November 2013 1:52 PM
> To: Sonja Ross; Mick Roderick
> Cc: birding-aus; Roger McGovern; Hal Epstein
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] SYDNEY PELAGIC TRIP REPORT - NOVEMBER 10, 2013
>
> Hi guys,
>
>
> One interesting personal observation is that during our August/September
> Eaglehawk Neck pelagics (2011, 2012 & 2013) the vast majority of adult Shy
> Albatross had bright yellow bases of the culminicorn, suggesting that they
> all - not surprisingly - were cauta, which breeds 'just around the corner'.
> Interestingly, during our Wollongong and Sydney pelagics in the same season
> (i.e. just one or two weeks before or after the above-mentioned TAS
> pelagics), the majority of adult(ish) Shy-type Albatross did not show this
> field mark. This - together with the tracking data mentioned by Mick
> (http://www.seabirdtracking.org/dataset.php) - could indicate that most of
> the NSW birds in August/September are steadi.
> An alternative - less likely? - explanation is that only the sexually active
> (hormone levels) Shy Albatross return to TAS and hence are the brightest. So,
> we only get 'dull adult' cauta in NSW?
> In favour of the first hypothesis is that from August we also get the
> pristine dark-headed juvenile steadi in NSW (as mentioned by Mick, too).
>
> And yes, it would be great if the Sydney pelagic could continue! Fingers
> crossed!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nikolas
>
> ----------------
> Nikolas Haass
>
> Brisbane, QLD
>
>
> ________________________________
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