Date / Month: 24th JULY 2016
Recorded by: Lindsay Smith
Location: Kiama
Air temp: 8-15 Water temp: In Shore 19 Off Shore 20
Air pressure: 1016 Cloud cover: scattered 2/5
Wind speed and direction: west –sw 10-20 knots
Sea conditions: about 1m on 2.5m swell
Comments:
Conditions were very good for birds. The highlights of the day were Grey-backed Storm-petrels along with a possible Kerguelen Petrel.
Juvenile Wandering Albatross
The Kerguelen Petrel was not called due to confusion with the larger Great-winged, Grey-faced Petrels and Solander’ Petrels (Providence Petrels) which were also present in shelf waters. Unfortunately I was concentrating on catching albatrosses when the possible Kerguelen Petrel came past. I managed to get good but brief views though failed to identify it soon enough to call.
We had a great opportunity to directly compare the Grey-backed and White-faced Storm-petrels side by side and compare size, feeding behaviour and Flight. Wonderful views of these rare birds.
Grey-backed Storm-petrel
Sp No Species Number
079 Giant-Petrel, Macronectes sp
929 Southern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes giganteus 2 (1)
937 Northern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes halli 1
075 Great-winged Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera 1
Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma gouldi 5 (2)
971 Providence Petrel, Pterodroma solandri 7+ (3)
935 Kerguelen Petrel, Lugensa brevirostris ???
Prion, Pachyptila spp 30+
083 Fairy Prion, Pachyptila turtur 20+ (15)
068 Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavial 5 (2)
Wandering Albatross, Diomedea spp 4 (3)
846 Antipodean Albatross, Diomedea antipodensis 2 (1)
859 Campbell Albatross, Thalassarche impavida 2 (2)
Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche spp
088 Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche melanophrys 30+ (18)
931 Buller’s Albatross, Thalassarche bulleri 2 (1)
Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta spp 10+ (5)
091 Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta 6
861 White-capped Albatross, Thalassarche steadi 3
864 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross,Thalassarche bassi 30 (8)
064 Grey-backed Storm-Petrel, Nereis garrodia 2 (1)
065 White-faced Storm-Petrel, Pelagodroma marina 10 (4)
104 Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator 10
097 Little black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 2
096 Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo 3
106 Australian Pelican, Pelicanus conspicillatus 2
980 Brown Skua, Catharacta skua 2 (1)
981 Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus 1 (1)
125 Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae 20+
115 Crested Tern, Sterna bergii 10+