Sections
CalendarBoat: 45ft Randell, skippered by Brad Minors.
CONDITIONS
A light offshore breeze at the start of the day, which dropped off at around 09:30. Flat seas. We commenced our drift at -33.2299, 152.2505 and effectively remained stationary throughout, finishing at -33.2327, 152.2503.
Buller’s Albatross: Christina Port
ACTIVITY
Departed wharf at around 7:10am returning at around 4:40pm. Australasian Gannet was seen shortly after leaving the heads, with several small groups and occasional larger rafts seen throughout the day. A flock of over 100 Fluttering-type Shearwater was also encountered early on (and again on the return journey), most of which appeared to be Fluttering, but Hutton’s was also photographed amongst them. A single Hutton’s Shearwater was seen further out to sea. Albatross numbers began to build behind the boat, with a mix of Indian Yellow-nosed and Black-browed following us out to the shelf. A young Shy-type Albatross was seen halfway to the shelf, followed later by a Buller’s Albatross. A single Brown Skua was flushed from the deck just short of the shelf break, with another seen on the return journey. Several Solander’s Petrels were the only additional species encountered during the drift, with no new species on the return journey either.
Shy-type Albatross: Daniel McKeon
BIRDS
12 species were recorded outside the heads in what was initially a promising trip until the winds dropped on the outward journey. 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 V3.
Fluttering-type Shearwater: 100. A flock seen within coastal waters looked to comprise mostly Fluttering Shearwater, although Hutton’s were also photographed amongst them.
Fluttering Shearwater: 5. A few individuals were positively identified amongst the inshore flock.
Hutton’s Shearwater: 5. A few individuals were positively identified amongst the inshore flock and a single bird was seen further into the outward journey.
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 16 (12). A few birds joined the boat inshore and numbers gradually built throughout the day. Reduced numbers followed the boat on the return journey due to a lack of wind. One immature bird was seen, with the rest in adult plumage.
Black-browed-type Albatross: 1. A single young bird observed towards the end of the return journey.
Black-browed Albatross: 10 (6). A single bird joined the boat inshore and numbers gradually built throughout the day. Reduced numbers followed the boat on the return journey due to a lack of wind. All birds were in adult plumage and no Campbell Albatross were observed.
Shy-type Albatross: 2 (1). A young bird was seen following the boat mid-way through the outward journey and an adult was present during the drift.
Buller’s Albatross: 1. A bird was seen on the approach to the shelf break but did not stay with the boat during the drift.
Solander’s (Providence) Petrel: 11 (3). All seen at the shelf break, but none showed any extended interest in the boat.
Australasian Gannet: 150 (40). Small groups of birds were encountered throughout the day, including a few larger rafts on the deck.
Brown Skua: 2 (1). A single bird was flushed from the deck on the approach to the shelf break, with another encountered during the return journey.
Crested Tern: 20 (12). Occasional birds encountered throughout the day, with 12 present during the drift.
White-fronted Tern: 2. Two birds seen flying north along the coast on the return journey.
Silver Gull: 10. Several seen in coastal waters on the return journey. Large numbers seen on Moon Island not included.
MAMMALS
Pan-tropical Spotted Dolphin: one large pod of around 200-300 was encountered during the return journey.
Humpback Whale: A few were encountered within coastal waters
Two other unidentified cetaceans were encountered during the outward journey. One was dark with a triangular dorsal fin and estimated to be around 20ft in length. The other was a baleen whale, most likely Bryde’s based on the relatively small size and strongly curved dorsal fin.