Sections
CalendarBoat: 45ft Randell, skippered by Brad Minors
CONDITIONS
Moderate westerlies had preceded today’s pelagic with winds dropping off overnight, leading to near-calm conditions as we motored out of the heads. Soon though, a gentle onshore breeze picked up and would have pushed the 10 knot mark for most of the journey out. However it did drop off just before we commenced our drift, with the remainder of the day being in quite calm conditions with little sea state to talk of. Water temperature not taken.
Kermadec Petrel. Photo: Allan Richardson
Drift Start: -33.2143269, 152.2692289 @1103
Drift End: -33.196880, 152.253490 @1314 (a 1.4nm drift to the north west)
ACTIVITY
Departed wharf at 7:03am returning at 4:47pm. Overall a good day at sea, with plenty to look at for the vast majority of the day. The inshore action picked up pretty quick, with Black-browed and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses coming into the boat, joined by an immature Campbell Albatross that followed us to the shelf. An early Solander’s Petrel 10 miles short of deep water caused some early excitement too. Activity at the shelf was steady, with evidence of a turnover of mollys, then came the arrival of a Gibson’s Albatross that unfortunately didn’t stick around. Small numbers of Solander’s Petrels had appeared and one was joined on the horizon by a dark bird flying quite languidly that we initially thought may have been an early Wedge-tailed Shearwater. As it got nearer we realised it was dark Kermadec Petrel, almost out-of-context down here in winter (this being the first record for Swansea/Port Stephens pelagics outside of October to April). A Northern Giant-petrel and a Fairy Prion were also found late in the drift. No storm-petrels were seen. The return leg was highlighted by two skuas, one being an obvious Brown, the other also likely a Brown, but rather more slightly built and performing acrobatic flying as it chased other birds and put everything into the air. A late Northern Giant was a bonus just a few miles out from the heads.
Antipodean (Gibson's) Albatross. Photo Mick Roderick
BIRDS
13 species recorded outside the heads was about an average count for a winter trip. 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 V2.1.
Fluttering Shearwater: 8 (6). Mostly inshore.
Fluttering-type Shearwater: 4. Two unidentified birds inshore and two at the shelf.
Antipodean Albatross: 1. Flew in from the north midway during the drift, circled the boat a couple of times and kept heading south. Considered likely a Gibson’s.
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 20 (8). Some birds may have stayed with the boat all day.
Black-browed Albatross: 18 (7). Very good numbers of this species compared to recent years.
Campbell Albatross: 1. An immature bird that came into the boat about half way out and followed us into deep water.
Black-browed type Albatross: 2. Young unidentifiable birds.
Northern Giant-petrel: 2 (1). Both juveniles. First bird arrived at the boat late in the drift. Didn't come into feed. Second bird appeared in the wake just a few miles from the heads and fed on scraps.
Fairy Prion: 1. A single bird photographed in the slick, as well as during our return leg (confirmed by the state of the primary feathers). This bird caused quite a lot of discussion as to its identity due to the perceived large bill, dark collar contrasting with white flanks and limited black in tail, though was eventually identified as a Fairy.
Solander’s (Providence) Petrel: 7 (2). First bird was picked up in the wake about 10 miles short of deep water, others at the shelf. Some birds with pale belly patches.
Kermadec Petrel: 1. Dark phase bird that appeared on the horizon, almost in-tandem with a Solander’s Petrel, was first thought to be a Wedge-tailed Shearwater due to languid flight close to the water. Was actually first identified as a Kermadec on behaviour, as it started chasing Crested Terns. First winter record for this species in Hunter waters.
Australasian Gannet: 30 (9). Vast majority were adults and mostly singletons.
Brown Skua: 2 (1). About 7 miles out from the heads on the return leg he first bird flew up behind the boat and fed on scraps as they hit the water. This bird remained with the boat for about ten minutes, before it flew off to the north. Moments later a second bird appeared, immediately making its presence known by acrobatically chasing terns and gulls, which all lifted off the water and flew high into the air (which we have seen when an Arctic Jaeger is present). This bird’s identity was also discussed post-trip and confirmed to be another Brown.
Crested Tern: 50 (10). Mostly close to port but a few birds followed the boat for the entire day.
Silver Gull: 2000 (200). Mostly in association with Moon Island, though some birds followed us for a long time, but just one bird (an immature) came as far as the shelf.
MAMMALS:
New Zealand/Australian Fur Seal: 6 animals, five of them loafing in the water in the lee of a ship, the sixth sitting on the rudder.
FISH
Several Sea-Gar seen, as well as what looked like small tuna/mackerel breaking the surface at the shelf.