• Saturday 28th July 2018 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, KIAMA, NSW, AUSTRALIA

     
    Published on 28-07-2018 09:51 PM
    Date: 28th July 2018 Recorded by: Lindsay Smith
    Air temp: 20c
    Air pressure: 1016 hp Cloud cover: 2/5
    Wind speed and direction: 5- 7 Knots from the west, increasing to 12 Knots from the north-west around midday.
    Sea conditions: 1-1.5 m from the east

    Comments
    With strong westerly winds over the past week abating, the sea conditions were very low. Whilst this made conditions for boating very comfortable, it was not ideal for birds, with very few being observed inshore. It was not until we had crossed the Continental Shelf that we began to see any number of birds. Our primary chumming location was in 230 fathoms. After chumming for short time, bird number began to increase with Yellow-nosed Albatrosses and Crested Terns being most numerous. The SOSSA banding team managed to capture and band 15 Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, one Wandering Albatross and one Black-browed Albatross. A highlight for the day was the sighting of three pods of Pygmy Killer Whales each containing 10-12 individuals lulling or swimming on the surface. Smaller pods of Common and Bottle-nosed Dolphins were observed at the continental shelf and on the return journey. Several small groups of Hump backed whales put on a display, breaching out of the water and a very large Australian Fur-Seal bull gave excellent views as it circled the boat.


    Pygmy Killer Whale

    Although no rarities were observed on the day, conditions at sea made for an enjoyable day on the water.

    Many thanks, to all who supported the trip.


    Juvenile Campbell Albatross

    Note; A Female Darter was observed sitting on the bow rail of one of the boats in the harbour.

    Sp No Species Number
    937 Northern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes halli – 2 (1)
    971 Providence Petrel, Pterodroma solandri 6 (2)
    083 Fairy Prion, Pachyptila turtur 30+
    068 Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavial 12
    913 Hutton’s Shearwater, Puffinus huttoni 4
    Fluttering/Hutton's 20+
    086 Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans 1
    847 Gibson’s Albatross, Diomedea gibsoni 3 (1)
    Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche spp
    088 Black-browed Albatross, Thalassarche melanophrys 10+
    859 Campbell Albatross, Thalassarche impavida 4 (2)
    931 Buller’s Albatross, Thalassarche bulleri 1
    Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta spp 7
    091 Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta 5
    864 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross,Thalassarche bassi 25+ (12)
    104 Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator 20+
    100 Little Pied Cormorant, Phalacrocorax melanoleucos 2
    097 Little black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 4
    096 Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo 3
    06 Australian Pelican, Pelicanus conspicillatus 2
    115 Crested Tern, Sterna bergii 30+
    114 White-fronted Tern, Sterna striata 5+ (2)