Sections
CalendarBoat: M.V. Ocean Quest, skippered by John Duggan
CONDITIONS
A week of steady onshore winds had preceded this trip. On the day, a very light south-easterly airflow that barely created a ripple on the sea surface dominated. Swell moderate but overall very comfortable conditions.
Water temperature approximately 24 degrees.
Drift start: -32.1122, 153.013302, drifting around 7 miles in the two and a half hour drift, ending at -32.221855, 152.949219.
South Polar Skua. Photo: Liam Murphy
ACTIVITY
Departed the wharf at 7:04am, returning by 12:42pm. We motored out steadily until we noticed a fishing trawler with many birds in-tow. We stopped to investigate and found many Flesh-footed and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, along with a few gannets and Crested Terns. We set off again in a slightly north of east bearing and even though the boat was travelling close to 20 knots, berley was managed to be tossed over and the Fleshies were able to keep up (noticeably, the Wedgies could not). About half way out a ‘pale-looking skua’ appeared and it didn’t take long to gel that we were looking at the first recorded South Polar Skua for the Hunter Region. Aside from this special observation, the day was extremely quiet, with just the one species (Grey-faced Petrel) added to the list by reaching the deepest water of the day. Nothing added on the return leg.
BIRDS 10 species were recorded outside the heads, being a very low day for diversity.
Counts are totals for birds seen outside the heads (with the maximum number visible from the boat at one time in brackets) – many are estimates. Taxonomy follows the BirdLife Australia Working List V2.0.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel: 18 (5). A couple of birds were seen on the way out and back in, along what looked like current lines. Remainder pelagic.
Wedge-tailed Shearwater: 90 (30). Mostly marauding birds and some behind a fishing trawler a few miles out.
Flesh-footed Shearwater: 70 (35). Good numbers of this species and they kept up with the boat when travelling at ~20 knots.
Solander’s Petrel: 12 (4). Two birds seen well short of deep water, remainder pelagic.
Grey-faced Petrel: 2 (1). Both at the shelf break.
Australasian Gannet: 16 (4). All but one or two inshore.
SOUTH POLAR SKUA: 1. Initially seen on the starboard (south) side of the boat almost exactly half way out (at -32.1257447, 152.7966345). Immediately the contrast between the pale cream head/body and the darker wings was evident and the identification of South Polar Skua was confirmed. The bird flew down the wake then turned back and flew over the boat and pretty much kept going, out of sight. A submission to NSW ORAC will be made.
Pomarine Jaeger: 3 (2). All inshore, one bird a dark morph.
Arctic Jaeger: 1. One of the first birds seen on the way out.
Crested Tern: 15 (4). All inshore.
MAMMALS: Indo-Pacific Common Dolphin: A pod of about 30 animals on the return leg.
FISH: One (Blue?) Marlin seen swimming on the surface on the outward leg. A few flying fish also seen.