• 22nd February, 2003 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn.

    Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 17:00.
    Sea conditions: calm.
    Swell: E 2 to 3m at first, to 5m later.
    Weather: Overcast with sea mist, some sunny periods in late afternoon.
    Temperature range: 22.4 to 25.9°C.
    Barometric pressure: 1016 falling to 1006 HPa.
    Wind: calm at first, NNE 5 kts later.
    Sea surface temperature: 21.8 to 23.2°C.
    Primary chumming location: None due to adverse current conditions.

    Summary:

    A low-pressure system was developing off the coast resulting in a humid summer day with poor visibility and a large swell. Erratic oceanic currents constrained our navigational options and prevented us from drifting to attract birds.

    The usual summer collection of shearwaters and jeagers were apparent with Flesh-footed Shearwaters being present in unusually high numbers. Petrel numbers were disappointing but we were rewarded with great views of a WHITE-NECKED PETREL several kilometres from the coast on our return trip.

    Highlights:

    A WHITE-NECKED PETREL and a LONG-TAILED JEAGER were identified amidst large numbers of the usual summer seabird species.

    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 1
    073 Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera gouldi 3 (1)
    774 WHITE-NECKED PETREL P. cervicalis 1
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 2 (1)
    917 Hutton’s Shearwater P. huttoni 1
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater P. pacificus 600+ (150+)
    071 Short-tailed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 2 (1)
    072 Flesh-footed Shearwater P. carneipes 550+ (200+)
    097 Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 2
    128 Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 2 (1)
    933 LONG-TAILED JAEGER S. longicauda 1
    945 Pomarine Jaeger S. pomarinus 18 (4)
    125 Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae 2 (2)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 15 (6)

    In the harbour:

    096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
    097 Little Black Cormorant P. sulcirostris 5
    106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 5
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 3

    14 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.

    Mammals:

    Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 5
  • Slideshow