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

    Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith.
    Departed: 07.10 hrs
    Return 15.50 hrs

    Sea conditions: 1.0 -1.5m sea on a low 0.5 -1.5m swell from the east.
    Rising to 1.5m-2.0m in the afternoon.

    Swell: North east to 1.5metres 1.5 - 2.0 metres offshore.
    Weather: Overcast morning clearing to scattered cloud.

    Temperature range: 13-17 0 °C.

    Barometric pressure: 1020Hp

    Wind: North east 5 - 10 knots rising to 35knts from the South later in the afternoon

    Sea surface temperature: 17°-17.6°.

    Primary chumming location: 240 Fathoms

    Summary:
    A low pressure trough had moved along the coast overnight with strong southerly winds. The winds had abated to 5-10 knots before increasing to 25-30 knots in the afternoon. We headed out under the influence of a 1016hp high pressure system over the coast

    There were very few birds inshore. We headed out to the Wollongong reef where the bulk carriers lay at anchor. A few Crested Terns and the occasional Fluttering shearwater, one or two Black-browed albatrosses (Juveniles) followed in our wake. Conditions for birds, was much quieter than yesterday despite the trough moving through overnight. The early light was poor and conditions were ideal for boating, though birds were generally scarce.

    From the Trap reef we headed out over the abysmal plain towards the continental shelf break. Again, birds were few despite a distant Giant Petrel putting in a brief appearance and a Brown Skua paying us a brief visit. The Skua caused the following shearwaters to settle on the water and stay there, whilst the Silver gulls rose high into the air. As we approached the shelf break, an Osprey was observed heading north along the shelf break (This is the first record of Osprey from the Sandra K since the trips began in 1984!).

    With few birds present we continued out to 260 Fathoms before turning back for shore. The wind picked up at 13.30hrs and so did the birds. Shy, Yellow-nosed, Black browed and Wandering Albatross were added to the list, as was Solander’s, Grey-faced and Cape Petrels. Small flocks (40-50 birds) of Short-tailed shearwaters were observed heading south as was a couple of Sooty shearwaters. At last the list for the day was beginning to look respectable. A few common Dolphins, Fur-seals and distant Hump-backed whales were observed on the run back to shore.

    Thank you to all that attended the day. We hope it was a pleasant and memorable day for all.

    Lindsay

    Highlight
    Osprey Pandion haliateus on continental shelf break.

    Birds recorded according to the Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:

    Species code: Species name: Numbers:
    (Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)

    05 Little Penguin Eudytula minor 2 (2)
    929 Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli (1)
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus 50+ (30)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 40+ (10+)
    913 Hutton’s Shearwater Puffinus huttoni 4 (2)
    069 Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris 100’s
    070 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 2 (2)
    075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma m.gouldi 2 (1)
    080 Cape Petrel Daption c.australe 2 (2)
    086 Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans 4 (3)
    847 Gibson’s Albatross Diomedea gibsoni 2 (2)
    088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris 4+ Adults and Juveniles
    859 Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida 2 (2)
    089 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri 6 (3)
    091 Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta 1 (1)
    861 White-capped Albatross Thalassarche steadi 2 (2)
    971 Solander’s Petrel pterodroma solanderi 4 (2)
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 6 (2)
    106 Australian Pelican Pelecannus conspicillatus (6) in harbour
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergi 20+
    114 White-fronted Tern Sterna striata 6 (4)
    125 Silver Gull Larus noveahollandia 100’s
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)
    8698 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 2 (1)


    Mammals
    Common Dolphin
    Bottle-nosed Dolphin
    Australian and New Zealand Fur-Seals
    Hump-backed Whale
    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 regular SOSSA Wollongong Pelagic Trips. Which departs on the 4th Saturday of each month. Contact: SOSSA: Phone 02 4272 4626 Email: sossa@tpg.com.au For further information in regards to other trips.
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