• 4th September, 2005 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Report prepared by: Chris Brandis.

    Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 16:15
    Sea conditions: calmish to 1m swell.
    Swell: SE less than 1.0m.
    Weather: Warm winter sunshine becoming overcast in the afternoon.

    Summary:

    A trip mainly to start banding of returning Wedge-tailed Shearwaters but most birds did not appear to be hungry and only a few were caught in the afternoon and a more trusting Sth Giant-Petrel.

    Highlights:

    No outstanding birds but a cute juvenile fur seal and close encounters of a pod of inquisitive Humpback Whales as well as a few other pods, some breaching.

    Birds recorded according to the latest Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:

    Species code: Species name: Numbers:

    005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 1
    929 Southern Giant-Petrel Macronectes giganteus 2
    937 Northern Giant-PetrelL M. halli 1
    080 Cape Petrel Daption capense 1
    971 Solander's Petrel P. solandri 10
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinuspacificus 50
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 200
    068 Huttons Shearwater Puffinus huttoni 150
    847 Gibson's Albatross Diomedea gibsoni 6
    088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 10
    859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 2 (1)
    861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 6
    091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 1
    864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 12
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 50
    980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 3
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 6
    125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 200+
    114 White-fronted tern Sterna striata 5
    115 Crested Tern S. bergii 70


    Other birds:

    226 White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucocaster 1 adult

    Mammals:

    Humpback Whales, at least 3 pods
    Common Dolphin
    Bottle-nose Dolphin, with the whales
    AustralianFur Seal
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