• 24th July 2011 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith.

    Departed: 07:15 returned at 16:30.
    Sea conditions: 2.0 m becoming coppy later in the day
    Swell: 2-.0 m
    Weather: Scattered cloud during the morning. Clearing, and becoming windier later in the day.
    Temperature range: 5 to 19°C.
    Sea surface temperature: 18°-21°.
    Primary chumming location: None

    Summary:
    A series of cold fronts and gale force winds from the west south west had lashed the coast in the past few days (the wettest July for 60 years), only easing late on Friday night. This caused the cancellation of the Saturday trip. Seas and conditions had eased back and we were able to go to sea on Sunday. As we departed the harbour the wind had eased to 5knots from the S and the seas had abated to 2m inshore.

    A few Crested Terns and Australasian Gannets were patrolling the inshore waters as were a number of albatrosses including, Black-browed, and Shy types. We had brief views of a couple of White-fronted Terns as we cruised past the Wollongong Trap Reef.

    Yellow-nosed albatrosses began appearing in small numbers, being out numbered by Black-browed Albatrosses and Australian Gannets. A Brown Skua sent the following flock of Silver Gulls high into the air and the first of the many prions of the day crossed our wake.

    As we cruised over the edge of the continental shelf at the 100-fathom line, a short stop to catch a Northern Giant Petrel proved very worth while, with a large number of prions being attracted to the boat. Here to we were joined by a Wandering Albatross, a few Shy Albatrosses T.Cauta and a lone Juvenile Northern Giant Petrel following our drift.

    The banding team were successful in capturing and tagging two Wandering Albatrosses, a number of Yellow-nosed, Black-browed Albatrosses, Southern and Northern Giant Petrels. Two previously banded birds were recaptured.

    Highlights:

    Good numbers of Albatrosses including Wandering, Shy, Yellow-nosed, Black browed, Campbells Buller’s and Grey-headed albatrosses Lots of interesting Prions and a Common Diving Petrel.

    Once again a Great Day on the ocean.

    Many thanks to all who shared the day,
    Thank you for having supported our research.

    Cheers Lindsay

    Birds recorded according to the Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:


    Species code: Species name: Numbers:
    (Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)
    085. Common Diving Petrel Pelecanoided urinatrix 1 (1)
    937. Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus 1 Juvenile
    080 Cape Petrel Daption capense 2 (2)
    971 Solander’s Petrel Pterodroma solandri 3 (1)
    083 Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur 1 (1)
    084 Antarctic Prion Pachyptila desolata <30
    068 Fluttering Shearwater P. gavia 20 (4)
    086.Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans 5 (3)
    088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris 40+ (15)
    859 Campbell Albatross T.impavida 5 (3)
    090 Grey-headed Albatross T. chrysostoma 1-2? (1)
    091 Shy Albatross T. cauta .>10 (6)
    931 Buller’s Albatross T. bulleri (1)
    089 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross T.carteri 15+
    8698 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 4+
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 10 (6)
    106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 5 (5)
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)
    125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 200+ (200+)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergii 20+ (9)
    114 White-fronted Tern sterna striata 4 (2)

    21 species sighted outside the harbour

    In the harbour:
    096 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
    100 Little Pied Cormorant, P. melanoleucos 1
    106 Australian Pelican Pelicanus conspicillatus 1


    Other birds:
    Welcome Swallow Hirundo
    131 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus 4
    Striated Heron 1 (1)

    Mammals:
    Common Dolphin 7
    Australian Fur Seal 2+

    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
  • Slideshow