• Sunday 15th January 2017 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, KIAMA, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Date: 15th JANUARY 2017
    Location KIAMA NSW
    Air temp: 23 degrees Water temp: 24 degrees
    Air pressure: 1003 htp Cloud cover: 9/10, light cloud most of the day
    Wind speed and direction: 10-17Knots ESE
    Sea conditions 1.5-2.0m, confused and quite choppy on the way out.

    Comments
    Many thanks to the members of the Connecticut Audubon Group and Inala Nature Tours for making this trip possible. In what can only be described as a “Great Day” at sea and a great start to 2017, the weather Gods and the Seabird Gods were definitely on our side today. The birds in general were in very good numbers and most species sighted gave excellent views and many came very close to the boat. Gould’s Petrels and White-faced Storm-petrels were in unusually high numbers as were the White-capped (NZ Shy Albatrosses). The day started with Rob Hynson finding a dead Gould’s Petrel floating in the harbour against the wharf only metres from the boat. The specimen was collected and will be forwarded to the Australian Museum.

    A large Marlin (thought to be a Black Marlin) put on an impressive show, leaping clear of the water several times in succession in 70 fathoms.

    Our first chumming location was at Lat 34-43-499s Long 151-04-270e in 78 fathoms before heading out over the continental shelf to Lat: 34-45-429s Long: 151-07-499e in 125 fathoms for our second chumming location. A third brief stop was made on our way back in at the original chumming location inside the continental shelf break. Birds were plentiful at all chumming locations.

    No Cetaceans were observed for the day.

    Highlights
    White-chinned Petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis
    Black Petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni
    Gould’s Petrel Pterodroma leucoptera
    Buller’s Shearwater Puffinus bulleri
    Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata
    White-faced Storm-Petrel, Pelagodroma marina

    Sp No Species Number
    075 Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma gouldi - 10+ (6)
    915 White-chinned Petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis - 2
    917 Black Petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni - 2 (2)
    078 Gould’s Petrel, Pterodroma leucoptera - 7+ (3)
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus - 50+ (15)
    975 Buller’s Shearwater, Puffinus bullerii - 1
    072 Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus carneipes - 6+ (3)
    071 Short-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris - 30+ (20)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavial - 5 (2)
    913 Hutton’s Shearwater, Puffinus huttoni - 3 (1)
    088 Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche melanophrys - 5+ (2)
    861 White-capped Albatross, Thalassarche steadi - 30+ (18)
    063 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus - 25+ (6)
    065 White-faced Storm-Petrel, Pelagodroma marina - 20+ (10)
    104 Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator – 4 (2)
    100 Little Pied Cormorant, Phalacrocorax melanoleucos - 1
    097 Little black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris - 1
    096 Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo - 2
    106 Australian Pelican, Pelicanus conspicillatus - 2
    945 Pomarine Jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus - 2 (1)
    125 Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae - 30+ (20+)
    115 Greater Crested Tern Sterna bergi - 6+ (3)
    120 Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata - 2 (1)