• 24th June 2000 WOLLONGONG PELAGIC TRIP REPORT, NSW, AUSTRALIA

    Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn

    Conditions:


    Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 6.30 pm.
    Sea Conditions: Sea slight, to 1 metre. Swell to 1.5 metre, SE
    Weather: Glorious sunshine all day. Max. 18°C
    Wind: Light around 10 South South West
    Water temperature 16.8 to 18.7 degrees C.
    Primary chumming location 34'31 - 151'22.

    Summary:

    A wonderful late June day at sea, glorious weather and comfortable conditions. Not much joy for rarity hunters but our newcomers and overseas visitors were treated to excellent views of many of our typical winter birds. A total of 12 albatross were banded and released.

    Highlight:

    A flock of 500+ prions the majority of which were ANTARCTIC PRION.

    Birds recorded according to latest Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:Species code: Species name: NumbersNote: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)

    937 Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli 1
    080 Cape Petrel Daption capense australe 2 (2)
    971 Solander's Petrel Pterodroma solandri 8 (3)
    083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 120+ (50+)
    084 ANTARCTIC PRION P. desolata 600+ (500+)
    942 SLENDER-BILLED PRION P. belcheri 1
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 5 (1)
    070 Sooty Shearwater P. griseus 1
    071 Slender-billed Shearwater P. tenuirostris 1
    846 ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS Diomedea antipodensis 1
    847 Gibson's Albatross D. gibsoni 15 (7)
    088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 40 (12)
    859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 11 (5)
    091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 3 (1)
    864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 100+ (50+)
    063 Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 2 (2)
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 11 (3)
    980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 4 (3)
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (3)
    125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 220+ (45)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 30+ (5)

    In the harbour:

    106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 321 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.

    Mammals:

    Common Dolphin 50+
    Sperm Whale 3
  • Slideshow