• Saturday 12th July, 2014, Sydney, Pelagic Trip Report, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Sydney Pelagic, 12th July 2014

    Observation list (compiled by Nikolas Haass):

    (Note that the numbers in parentheses represent the maximum number of that species in view at one time)

    Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris: 50 (20)
    Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida: 4 (3) [3 adult, 1 3rd year]
    Shy/White-capped Albatross Thalassarche cauta: 6 [4 adult birds with bright orange bill tips but lack of orange at base of culminicorn (this combination is likely indicative for adult T. c. steadi); 1 juvenile showing some wear and bleach, indicating an earlier fledging date (and hence likely a juvenile T. c. cauta; however), 1 juvenile in pristine fresh plumage indicating recent fledging (and hence possibly a T. c. steadi; however because of its pale head a juvenile T. c. cauta cannot be ruled out)]
    Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri: 20 (8) [1 sub-adult, all others adult]
    Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri: 6 (3) [all adult]
    Northern Giant-Petrel Macronectes halli: 1 (1) [juvenile]
    Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur: 30 (8)
    Providence Petrel Pterodroma solandri: 5 (2)
    Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia: 3 (1)
    Australasian Gannet Morus serrator: 6 (2)
    Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae: 100 (100)
    Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii: 5 (2)
    White-fronted Tern Sterna striata: 3 (3) [all adult]
    Brown Skua Stercorarius antarcticus: 5 (5)

    Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae: 2 (2)
    Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops aduncus: 5 (4) [in the harbour]


    Bullers Albatross

    Quiet trip with total lack of 'classic' winter species (such as Wandering-type Albatross, Cape Petrel etc). Totals of 50 Black-browed Albatross, 4 Campbell Albatross (3 adult, 1 first year), 6 Shy/White-capped Albatross, 20 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, 6 adult Buller's Albatross (including a nice show of a trio), 1 juv. Northern Giant-Petrel, 30 Fairy Prion, 5 Providence Petrel, 3 Fluttering Shearwater, 6 Australasian Gannet, 100 Silver Gull, 5 Crested Tern, 3 adult White-fronted Tern, 5 Brown Skua (all at the same time!), 2 Humpback Whale, 5 Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin. For more detail see my eBird Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/australia/vie...ubID=S19102907


    Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross


    Juvenile Shy/White-capped Albatross