Sydney, NSW Pelagic Trip Report 9th December 2000
Conditions,
Departed at 7.15 am and returned at approx. 3.30 pm.
Sea Conditions: Mainly Calm.
Weather: Fine
Wind: winds 15 to 20 Knots from SE
Water temperature 21.4 degrees C on the shelf
Stopped at TBA
Summary,
A good December selection of birds. Highlight without doubt was a single Black-bellied Storm Petrel and for the overseas visitors, a few lingering albatross species caused a few sighs of relief. Also of note was the fine views of Spotted Dolphin a species only rarely encountered on Sydney pelagics.
Birds,
(Note: numbers in brackets = highest count at any one time)
000 Wandering Albatross 1 (presumably gibsoni - stage 4)
000 Shy Albatross 2 (presumably cauta cauta, 1 ad 1 juv)
000 Black-browed Albatross 1
005 Little Penguin 3 (in the harbour)
073 Great-winged Petrel 15+ (5+)
068 Fluttering Shearwater 3
000 Flesh-footed Shearwater 35+
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater 42
070 Sooty Shearwater 26
071 Short-tailed Shearwater 200+
115 Crested Tern 3+ in the harbour
125 Silver Gull 50+ mostly in the harbour
129 Pomarine Jaeger 7
128 Arctic Jaeger 11
000 Wilson's Storm Petrel 1
000 Black-bellied Storm Petrel 1
000 White-faced Storm Petrel 2
106 Australian Pelican 4
000 Australasian Gannet 1
Mammals,
SPOTTED DOLPHIN 10+
Tony Palliser