• 25th June 2000 SOSSA Research Trip Report, Wollongong NSW AUSTRALIA

    Report prepared by: P.J. Milburn

    Vessel: MV SANDRA KConditions:
    Departed at 06:00 am and returned at approx. 7.30 pm.
    Sea Conditions: Sea slight, 0.5 metre to calm later. Swell to 1.5 metre falling to <0.5 metre, SE.
    Weather: Glorious sunshine all day. Max. 18°C
    Wind: Light around 10 South South West dropping to nill
    Water temperature 16.8 to 20.1 degrees C.
    Primary chumming location 34'30 - 151'20.

    Summary:

    Another wonderful late June day at sea, glorious weather and comfortable conditions! Flat calm conditions allowed us to observe numerous Littte Penguin, including 3 birds in unusually deep water at 120FM. The ideal conditions also provided a very good view of a COMMON DIVING-PETREL 8 NM outside the harbour on the way out. Brief views of an adult BULLER'S ALBATROSS heralded our arrival at the continental shelf break.

    Highlights:

    A second year Gibson's Albatross which had been banded the previous day viewing us with great suspicion for 3 hours as it eat the berley at a safe distance.Birds recorded according to latest Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:Species code: Species name: NumbersNote: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)005 Little penguin Eudyptula minor 9 (4)
    085 COMMON DIVING-PETREL Pelecanoides urinatrix 1
    080 Cape Petrel Daption capense australe 1
    971 Solander's Petrel Pterodroma solandri 15 (6)
    083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 270+ (150+)
    084 ANTARCTIC PRION P. desolata 265+ (250+)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 1
    847 Gibson's Albatross Diomedea gibsoni 2 (1)
    088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 19 (5)
    859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 1
    091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 1
    864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 150+ (60+)
    931 BULLER'S ALBATROSS T. bulleri 1
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 2 (1)
    980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 1
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)
    125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 400+ (150+)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 71 (65)

    In the harbour:


    Embarked and disembarked in darkness.18 species of seabird identified outside the breakwater.

    Mammals:

    New Zealand Fur Seal 1
  • Slideshow