Two
reports: 8th September and 22nd September
8th September 2007, SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 15:45.
Sea conditions: Gentle; SE/ESE seas at 1.0 to 1.5m.
Swell: SE to 1.0 to 2.5m.
Weather: Overcast with rain squalls at first, clearing to bright
sunshine.
Temperature range: 12.8 to 23.3°C.
Barometric pressure: 1019 HPa falling.
Wind: SE 5 to 8 knots at first increasing to ESE 15 knots by
mid morning but easing later.
Sea surface temperature: 17.5 to 20.4°C.
Primary chumming location: S 34° 28’ – E 151° 19’.
Summary:
A high-pressure system was located in the central Tasman Sea
with a trough of low pressure to the north and a depression
in the Great Australian Bight moving slowly eastwards. The
strong southerlies during the week had abated to modest easterlies
as the high moved offshore, engendering expectations of an
interesting pelagic journey.
An unusual collection
of birds were sighted immediately offshore; a drake Chestnut
Teal flew north, then a Great Cormorant and
bringing up the rear of the procession was a NORTHERN GIANT-PETREL.
A male Gibson’s and an adult Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross
were foraging close inshore. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters had returned
in force but were heavily outnumbered by Fluttering and, to
a lesser extent, Hutton’s Shearwaters. A small raft of
Little Penguins, an Australian Fur-Seal spotted by sharp eyes
from the upper deck and several Short-beaked Common Dolphins
added further variety.
At the outer reefs
we encountered White-fronted Terns, White-capped Albatross
and the first Cape Petrel of the day. However, the
dominant species was Fluttering Shearwater with rafts of birds
all around us. Beyond the outer reefs we ran over a finger
of warmer water that was to prove the hot spot of the trip
with birds appearing from all directions. From amidst the shearwater
hordes a WHITE-CHINNED PETREL appeared right over our transom
and several Brown Skuas appeared overhead. At least 2 first
year SHY ALBATROSS were dodging between numerous White-capped
Albatross and a SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL and several more Cape
Petrels appeared over our wake. As if this were not enough
to absorb in one moment, 2 WHITE-HEADED PETRELS closed on our
starboard beam and those with an eye for detail also logged
the first Solander’s Petrel of the day.
Proceedings calmed somewhat thereafter; until 2 Humpback Whales
surfaced close alongside at the edge of the continental shelf.
These magnificent animals surfaced repeatedly to within 10m
of our vessel and we all seemed to be in a state of mutual
fascination. The enforced halt in our cruise eastwards also
turned out to be most productive for seabirds; Cape and Grey-faced
Petrels, Giant-Petrels and Fairy Prions appeared as if from
nowhere.
We pulled up at
the 250-fathom line for a long drift-and-berley session and
attracted an impressive flock of 8 species of albatross.
A Wilson’s Storm-Petrel appeared and joined the burgeoning
flock of CAPE PETRELS. At least half a dozen juvenile WANDERING
ALBATROSS (2 with French bands and 1 with a British band) dominated
the proceedings.
The albatross flock
followed us for a long way on our trip back to port and several
more sightings of Fur-Seals, Humpback
Whale and Short-beaked Common Dolphins provided additional
entertainment. A solitary Kelp Gull followed us for the last
part of our cruise and the grand finale was a first year SALVIN’ S
ALBATROSS that cut across our wake just wide of the Flagstaff
Point lighthouse.
Highlights:
A wonderful cruise
on a gentle sea produced an impressive spectacle of marine
wildlife with a total of 23 species of
procellariiformes being recorded in a total of 31 seabirds
species. A WHITE-CHINNED PETREL and the WHITE-HEADED PETRELS
were greeted with great enthusiasm but those thinking about
the drive home missed the SALVIN’S ALBATROSS right at
the end of the day.
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)
005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor (4)
929 SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL Macronectes giganteus 3 (3)
937 NORTHERN GIANT-PETREL M. halli 2 (1)
080 Cape Petrel Daption capense australe 20+ (17)
075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma macroptera gouldi 3 (1)
077 WHITE-HEADED PETREL P. lessonii 2 (2)
971 Solander’s Petrel P. solandri 14 (6)
915 WHITE-CHINNED PETREL Procellaria aequinoctialis 1
083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 10 (3)
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 5000+ (2000+)
913 Hutton’s Shearwater P. huttoni 250+ (100+)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 145+ (85+)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 1
086 WANDERING ALBATROSS Diomedea exulans 12 (7)
846 ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS D. antipodensis 1
847 Gibson’s Albatross D. gibsoni 18 (7)
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 8 (3)
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 3 (2)
861 SHY ALBATROSS T. cauta 3 (2)
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 12 (5)
862 SALVIN’S ALBATROSS T. salvini 1
864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 15 (6)
063 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 1
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 9 (6)
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 1
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 5 (2)
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 150+ (120+)
114 White-fronted Tern Sterna striata 13 (4)
115 Crested Tern S. bergii 23 (15)
In the harbour:
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
099 Pied Cormorant P. varius 1
100 Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos 1
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 7 (7)
31 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.
Other birds:
226 White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 1 adult
210 Chestnut Teal Anas castanea 1 male
Mammals:
Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus 3 (1)
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae 5 (2)
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 12 (5)
Reptiles:
None
Fish:
Short Sunfish Mola ramsayi 1
22nd September 2007, SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW,
AUSTRALIA.
Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.
Photography: Salvin's albatross (B. Whylie), Common tern (B. Whylie), Brown skua (B. Whylie), White-capped albatross (B. Whylie).
Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 12:30.
Sea conditions: SSE seas at 3.0 to 4.0m offshore.
Swell: SE to 1.0 to 2.5m.
Weather: Overcast at first, clearing to bright sunshine.
Temperature range: 14.8 to 21.3°C.
Barometric pressure: 1012 HPa rising.
Wind: SSE 25 to 28 knots at first decreasing to SSE 20 to 25
knots by mid morning.
Sea surface temperature: 17.7 to 18.9°C.
Primary chumming location: none due to rough conditions.
Summary:
A cold front that was moving across the region ahead of a
high-pressure system had produced a fresh southerly air stream. 
A chilly wind whistled
through the rigging even before we left the harbour, leaving
us in little doubt as to what was
in store for us. At first only a handful of Silver Gulls paid
us any attention as we ventured beyond the lee of the coast.
Eventually a SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL, a few kelp Gulls and several
Wedge–tailed Shearwaters also tagged along behind. Our
progress was slow in the heavy weather but eventually we cleared
the Five Islands and a first year Black-browed and an ANTIPODEAN
ALBATROSS took up station at our stern. Small groups of Fluttering
and occasional Hutton’s Shearwaters passed alongside.
A pod of Short-beaked Common Dolphins put on a fantastic performance
clearing the large swells by several metres, being silhouetted
momentarily against the leaden sky.
Little changed for quite some while until a group of terns
slowly closed upon us preferring to forage over the wake rather
than close upon our stern. At least 2 were ARCTIC TERNS and
several others were White-fronted Terns; White-capped Albatross
appeared along with mobs of Short-tailed Shearwaters. A Brown
Skua joined the procession behind us along with least 2 first
year SHY ALBATROSS. Diomedea albatross followed us but so far
behind that specific identification was impossible. 
For several hours
we made slow progress against the unpredictable swells. Eventually,
we had good views of several Gibson’s
Albatross and the first of several Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross
before setting course for the shelter of Wollongong Harbour.
The run back to port was sublime in comparison to the previous
few hours. Another mixed species group of terns followed us
for a while that included a Common Tern. Yet again
the grand finale of the day was a first year SALVIN’ S
ALBATROSS that repeatedly cut across our wake.
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)
929 SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL Macronectes giganteus 3 (2)
075 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma (m.) macroptera 35 (30)
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 17 (6)
913 Hutton’s Shearwater P. huttoni 5 (2)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 55+ (35+)
071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 1500+ (350+)
086 WANDERING ALBATROSS Diomedea exulans 3 (3)
846 ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS D. antipodensis 1
847 Gibson’s Albatross D. gibsoni 8 (5)
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 5 (2)
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 2 (1)
861 SHY ALBATROSS T. cauta 3 (1)
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 5 (3)
862 SALVIN’S ALBATROSS T. salvini 1
864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 3 (1)
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 6 (3)
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 5 (4)
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 3 (2)
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 9 (6)
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 450+ (350+)
114 White-fronted Tern Sterna striata 8 (6)
115 Crested Tern S. bergii 18 (9)
952 ARCTIC TERN S. paradisaea 4 (2)
953 Common Tern S. hirundo 1
In the harbour:
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2 (2)
099 Pied Cormorant P. varius 1
100 Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos 1
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 7 (7)
24 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.
Other birds:
None
Mammals:
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 12 (7)
Reptiles:
None
Fish:
None
