• 22nd January 2000, Wollongong, NSW Pelagic Trip Report

    Report prepared by P. Milburn

    Conditions:


    Departed at 07:30 am and returned at approx. 3.30 pm.
    Sea Conditions: Calm initailly with a slight SE swell. Later SE 2 m on a 2 to 3 m swell.
    Weather: Warm and humid; 100% cloud cover initially, sunny later. Air temperature 18 to 23°C.
    Wind: Slight early, rising to 15 to 20 Kts SE later
    Water temperature: 18.0 to 22.6 degrees C.
    Primary chumming location: 34°29' - 151°18', 20 NM east of Wollongong

    Summary:

    An interesting summer trip. The weather turned out to be far less clement than the overnight forecast had led us to hope and conditions were difficult for our overseas guests. Unseasonal sightings of Gibson's Albatross (distantly) and a second year Shy Albatross (very close) were exciting. Sooty Tern numbers continue to be unusually high for these waters. A distant view of Gould's Petrel frustrated most on board but we were ultimately rewarded by brilliant views of a WHITE-NECKED PETREL which came in close to investigate our berley trail. SOSSA captured, banded and released 8 Great-winged Petrels.

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

    005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 2 (1)
    073 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera gouldi 250+ (200+)
    774 White-necked Petrel P. cervicalis 1 (1)
    078 Gould's Petrel P. leucoptera 1 (1)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus. gavia 24 (4)
    069 Wedge-tailed shearwater P. pacificus 850+ (350+)
    071 Slender-billed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 380+ (100+)
    072 Flesh-footed Shearwater P. carneipes 14 (6)
    847 Gibson's Albatross D. gibsoni 1 (1)
    091 Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta 1 (1)
    065 White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina 1
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 1 (1)
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 5 ( 4)
    125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 45+ (35)
    128 Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 6 (6)
    945 Pomarine Jaeger S. pomarinus 25 (10)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 8 (3)
    120 Sooty Tern S.fuscata 7 (5)

    18 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.

    In the harbour:

    096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2
    106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 3

    Mammals:

    None recorded.
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