• 13th October 2001, Sydney, Pelagic Trip Report, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    SYDNEY NSW Pelagic Trip Report - 13th October 2001


    TRIP SUMMARY:

    A very pleasant October trip even the number of species seen was well down on previous trips for this time of year. Winds were light and predominantly from the North. High light of the day bird wise would have been the Little Shearwater seen very briefly as we were returning just outside the heads. This bird looked particularly odd as it hard a very dark hood and was particularly small in size. Other highlights included some very co-operative Providence Petrel and a pod of Pygmy Killer Whales were also confiding. As many as 8 Hump-backed whales were seen.


    CONDITIONS:

    Mostly fine with winds predominantly from the north
    Water temperature was 19.7deg.
    Swell less than a Metre.
    Reached 26NM east of Sydney Heads.
    Departed at 07.10 and returned at 15.15.

    BIRD LIST:

    005...Little Penguin 2-3 (1)
    971...Providence Petrel 20+
    069...Wedge-tailed Shearwater 300-400
    071...Short-tailed Shearwater 40-45
    070...Sooty Shearwater 1
    072...Flesh-footed Shearwater 40-60
    068...Fluttering Shearwater 20-30
    913...Huttons Shearwater 4-5
    xxx...Huttons/Fluttering type 20+
    067...LITTLE SHEARWATER 1 (dark faced individual - perhaps haurakiensis)
    063...Wilson's Storm Petrel 14
    104...Australasian Gannet 3
    945...Pomarine Jaeger 1
    980...Great Skua 1
    125...Silver Gull 50-100
    115...Crested Tern 9-10
    953...Common Tern 1

    099...Pied Cormorant 1
    106...Australian Pelican 6

    MAMMALS/FISH

    Hump-backed Whale 8
    Pygmy Killer Whale 15+