Two reports: 22nd August & 29th August.

22 August 1999, Wollongong, NSW Pelagic Trip Report

Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 17:45 pm.
Sea Conditions: Sea southerly, sea to 1.5 metre on a 1.5 - 2.5 metre swell.
Weather: Cool southerly breeze, partially overcast with long sunny periods.
Air temperature 12 to 19 °C.
Wind: Southerly, variable, 5 to 15 knots.
Water temperature 16.1 to 18.8 degrees C°.
Primary chumming location 34° 32' S - 151°15' E: Water depth 200 FM

Summary:

A comfortable trip with large numbers of birds to sort through all day, especially when chumming in the area being worked by a trawler. The Wedge-tailed Shearwaters have returned in force heralding the changing season. This was a day of numerous albatross, a total of ten species being identified from the aggregation of 500+ birds. The totals of SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED albatross represent a significant underestimate of the total number of birds on this occasion. The Brown Skua was observed to have been banded previously and obligingly pushed its way to the front of the mob behind the boat enabling its capture with a pole net by the SOSSA banders. The bird was banded in September 1995 at sea east of Wollongong by the same SOSSA banders! Additionally, an Antipodean and a Gibson's Albatross were captured and banded. A wonderful highlight was the spectacular adult CHATHAM ALBATROSS.

Birds recorded:Species code: Species name: Numbers:(Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)

929 Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes gigantius 4 (2)
937 Northern Giant Petrel M. halli 1 (2) 1 sub-adult, 1 juvenile
080 Cape Petrel Daption capense australe 150+ (87)
073 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma m. macroptera 3 (2)
077 White-headed Petrel P. lessonii 5 (1)
971 Solander's Petrel P. solandri 20 (15)
081 BLUE PETREL Halobaena caerulea 4 (3)
083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 35+ (15+)
084 ANTARCTIC PRION P. desolata 6 (3)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus 40 (15)
068 Fluttering Shearwater P. gavia 28 (14)
070 Sooty Shearwater P. griseus 1
913 Hutton's Shearwater P. huttoni 9 (3)
086 WANDERING ALBATROSS Diomedea exulans 2 (2)
846 ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS D. antipodensis 2 (1), adult female (i.e. Stage
2 juvenile!) and adult male.
847 Gibson's Albatross D. gibsoni 28 (27)
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 35 (15)
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 134+ (130+)
091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 2 (1)
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 9 (4)
863 CHATHAM ALBATROSS T. eremita 1 ADULT !!!!!!!!
864 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 50 (38)
090 GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS T. chrysostoma 1 first year. Approx. 7 miles out
on return trip.
065 White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina 6
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 4 (1)
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 1
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 8 (4)
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 200 (150)
114 White-fronted Tern Sterna striata 3 (3)
115 Crested Tern S. bergii 185+ (175+)

In the harbour:

099 Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos 330 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.

Mammals:

None identified.

29th August 1999, Wollongong, NSW Pelagic Trip Report

Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 4.00 pm.
Sea Conditions: Slight swell to 1 1/2 metres.
Weather: fine and warm.
Wind: Winds E-NE
Water temperature 17.9 to 19.2 degrees C.

Summary:

A great day but a distinct lack of albatross and other southerly
species compared to last weeks trip The northeasterly winds and the warm weather no doubt pushing these birds further south. However, we still produced a more than reasonable day list. The real highlight and yet another addition to this years tally of birds from Wollongong a FULL summer plumaged ARCTIC TERN. This bird was particularly cooperative and followed the boat intermittently for an hour so. Allowing close observations and photographs (hopefully!).

Those on board:
Chris Brandis, Lindsay Smith, Andrew Stafford, Tony Palliser and the team from Barren Grounds.

Birds:
(Note: numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time)005 Little Penguin 4 (4)
086 Wandering Albatross 14
-----086 exulans 1
-----847 gibsoni 10+ (7)
-----846 antipodensis 3 (2)
864 Yellow-nosed Albatross 2 (1)
091 Shy Albatross 3
-----091 cauta 3 (2)
088 Black-browed Albatross 5
-----088 melanophrys 4 (3)
-----859 impavida 1
073 Great-winged Petrel 3
971 Providence Petrel 40+ (8)
929 Southern Giant Petrel 1
984 Cape Petrel 40+ (20?)
083 Fairy Prion 10-15 (6)
--- Prion Sp 1
065 White-faced Storm Petrel 10-15+ (6)
068 Fluttering Shearwater 10+
913 Hutton's Shearwater 15+
980 Great Skua 2 (1)
104 Australasian Gannet 10-15
125 Silver Gull 300+
981 Kelp Gull 6 (3)
114 White-fronted Tern 4 (4)
952 ARCTIC TERN 1 adult SUMMER PLUMAGE
115 Crested Tern 30+ (15+)
097 Little Black Cormorant 1
096 Great Cormorant 1 In the harbour
106 Australasian Pelican 8 (8)

Mammals:

Common Dolphin 30+