• Sunday 23rd October 2011 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Sunday 23rd October 2011 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
    Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith.
    Departed: 0710 hrs
    Return 1600 hrs

    Sea conditions: 1.0 -1.5m sea on a low 0.5 -1.5m swell from the east.

    Weather: Overcast morning clearing to scattered cloud.

    Temperature range: 16 - 27 0 °C.

    Barometric pressure: 1020Hp

    Wind: North east 5 - 10 knots increasing to 15-20 knots later in the afternoon

    Sea surface temperature: 18.6°- 20.6

    Primary chumming location 340 Fathoms

    Summary:
    We headed out under the influence of a high pressure system over the coast
    The winds were 5-7 knots in the morning before increasing to 15-20 knots in the afternoon.

    There were very few birds inshore other than large flocks of Fluttering Shearwaters. Conditions were similar to the previous day’s trip, with birds being scare and a few pods of Humpback Whales crossing our path.

    From the Trap Reef we headed out over the abysmal plain towards the continental shelf break here again birds were few despite an Arctic Jaeger paying us a brief visit whilst chasing the Silver Gulls high into the air. As we approached the shelf break, the first of two Solander’s petrels of the day put in a brief appearance before moving off.

    With few birds present we continued out to 340 Fathoms where we stopped and burlied for a brief period, attracting a few Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Wandering Albatrosses, a lone Grey-faced petrel and were soon joined by two Solander’s petrels. Small flocks of Short-tailed Shearwaters were observed heading south and a few Sooty Shearwaters accompanied them. A couple of small pods of Pygmy Killer-whales and Risso’s Dolphins were observed in 250 Fathoms on the run back to shore.

    The banding crew were successful in capturing a small number of Wedge-tailed shearwaters for the day.

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

    Highlights
    Risso’s Dolphins, Pygmy Killer-whales, numbers of Hump-backed Whales and a large Sun fish

    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 1 (1)
    063 Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus 3 (2)
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus 150+ (70+)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 1000+ (200+)
    913 Hutton’s Shearwater Puffinus huttoni 4 (2)
    069 Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris 100+ (small flocks 20-30 birds)
    070 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 2 (2)
    072 Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes 4 (3)
    075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma m.gouldi 1 (1)
    080 Cape Petrel Daption c.australe 1 (1)
    846 Antiopdean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis 1 (1) Male
    086 Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans 4 (3)
    089 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche sp 6 (4)
    059 Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida 1 (1) imm.
    861 White-capped Albatross Thalassarch steadi 1 (1)
    971 Solander’s Petrel pterodroma solanderi 3 (2)
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 10 (4)
    106 Australian Pelican Pelecannus conspicillatus 10+ (6)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergi 20+
    953 Common Tern Sterna hurundo 2 (2)
    125 Silver Gull Larus noveahollandia 100’s
    128 Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 2 (2)
    945 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus 2 (2)
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)

    Mammals
    Common Dolphin
    Pygmy Killer-whale c.20
    Risso’s Dolphins c 10
    Hump-backed Whale c 30
    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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