Last Thursday (17th) Alan Stuart and I joined the local Marine Parks Authority for another seabird survey off Port Stephens, NSW.
It was an interesting day, with a fairly low diversity of species seen on the shelf. For 90% of our time there we were watching 3 species, with brief visits by others. Only 2 species of Albatross seen, despite the good variety enjoyed off Sydney just 5 days earlier and the reasonable numbers of Fairy Prions. The highlight was a single WHITE-HEADED PETREL that graced us briefly before
continuing north.
Birds observed - Total (max. number around boat at one time):
Wilson's Storm-Petrel - 6 (4)
White-faced Storm-Petrel - 2 (2)
Black-browed Albatross (all but 1 melanophrys) - 4 (1)
Yellow-nosed Albatross - 50 (8)
Hutton's Shearwater - 1
Fairy Prion - 80 (15)
Solander's Petrel - 20 (5)
WHITE-HEADED PETREL - 1
Australasian Gannet 130 (70)
Crested Tern 10 (8)
Silver Gull 30 (20)
Cheers,
Mick Roderick