Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith
Departed: 07:10 returned at 11:45.
Sea conditions: 2.0 - 3m easing later in the day
Swell: South Easterly 1.5m- 2metres inshore increasing to 3 m beyond the lee of the islands. During the day 1.5mts inshore.
Weather: Rain during the morning.
Temperature range: 14 to 17°C.
Barometric pressure: 1016 HPa. Rising
Wind: South -SW 25 to 30 Knots.
Sea surface temperature: 18°-19.2 C
Primary chumming location: None
Highlights: Salvin’s Albatross
Summary:
Conditions for the day were wet and uncomfortable with rough seas and strong southerly winds. There was no chance that we would be able to reach the continental shelf break and would not be able to stop and chum for birds. However due to the number of overseas visitors on the day we were reluctant to cancel the trip.
We decided that some time at sea may produce a variety of seabirds that they otherwise would not see.
Once we were clear of the islands the full brunt of the conditions were felt. We made our way slowly south east to the 60 fathom line before encountering the strong south flowing current and the seas built to 3.5 metres in a 25-30 knot southerly wind. With a number of people becoming very sea sick, we decided to head back to the safety of the harbour.
In all we did manage to see quite a reasonable number of species and a very large number of individuals. Unfortunately it was not a day conducive to note taking, more a need to hang on situation.
A very wet day at sea but a most rewarding one
A species observed list below.
No count of individuals was possible. Birds were going in to the strong SE front.
Birds recorded according to the latest Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:
Species code: Species name: Numbers:
063 Wilson’s Storm-petrel
080 Cape Petrel Daption australe
075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma m. gouldi
971 Solander’s Petrel Pterodroma solandri
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus. gavia
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus.pacificus
071 Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris
072 Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes
913 Hutton's Shearwater Puffinus. huttoni
847 Gibson’s Albatross Diomedea.gibsoni
846 Antipodean Albatross Diomedea .antipodensis
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris
859 Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida
091 Shy Albatross Thalassarche. Cauta.
862 Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche salvini
089 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae
115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii
953 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
128 Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
8698 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 1
In the harbour:
097. Little-black cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 1
096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
100 Little Pied Cormorant, P. melanoleucos
106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus
Other birds:
131 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
Mammals:
Common Dolphin
Australian Fur Seal
For previous trip reports and selected images from this trip visit
http://www.sossa-international.org
Future Trips:
All Pelagic Trips from NSW are operated at no profit to the organizers, being operated as group boat charters for the benefit of all who wish to join us. If you would like to join one of these trips please contact us as detailed below:
To make a booking on the SOSSA Wollongong Pelagic Trips These departs on the 4th Saturday of each month contact: SOSSA: Phone 02 4272 4626 Email: sossa@tpg.com.au