• Thursday, 3rd December 2020, Swansea, NSW, Australia

     
    Swansea Pelagic Trip Report – Thursday 3rd December 2020

    Boat: 45ft Randell, skippered by Brad Minors.

    CONDITIONS
    A consistent ENE wind of around 15 knots prevailed throughout the day. Moderate seas of 1.5 m. We commenced our drift at -33.2277, 152.2218 and drifted around 2 nm to the west, finishing at -33.2279, 152.1795.


    Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: Steve Edwards

    ACTIVITY
    Departed wharf at around 7:00am returning at around 5:15pm. We soon encountered small numbers of Wedge-tailed Shearwater, then Flesh-footed Shearwater, Australasian Gannet and a Fluttering Shearwater. Birds were not showing any real interest in the burly, apart from a group of five Flesh-footed Shearwater that stayed with the boat almost to the shelf. These helped to attract some interest from passing birds, which included several groups of migrating Short-tailed and Sooty Shearwater. The former typically comprised groups of 30-100 birds and the latter lines of 5-10 birds. A Shy-type Albatross was also encountered, as was a distant Black-browed-type and two Pomarine Jaegers.
    During the drift we had another two Shy-type and an obliging Campbell Albatross. Grey-faced Petrel were the most consistent presence, along with a couple of Wilson’s and White-faced Storm-Petrel. More groups of migrating Short-tailed Shearwater also passed through. The return trip was much quieter than the outward journey, but a single Solander’s Petrel was seen shortly after leaving the shelf. The activity picked up in the coastal waters, again through the attraction of Flesh-footed Shearwaters to the boat, including a few more Pomarine Jaegers, a Fluttering and a Hutton’s Shearwater.


    Shy-type Albatross: Daniel McKeon

    BIRDS
    16 species were recorded outside the heads in what was overall a productive trip, both in terms of diversity and numbers. 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.

    Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: 2 (2). Both birds present in the slick throughout the drift.

    White-faced Storm-Petrel: 2 (2). Both birds present in the slick throughout the drift.

    Wedge-tailed Shearwater: 80 (20). Low numbers encountered on the outward journey and during the drift, but numbers built when returning to coastal waters.

    Short-tailed Shearwater: 600 (100). Several migrating flocks of 30-100 birds were encountered throughout the day, mostly on the outward journey and during the drift.

    Sooty Shearwater: 30 (10). A few migrating flocks of 5-10 birds were encountered throughout the day, plus a few individual birds, mostly on the outward journey.

    Flesh-footed Shearwater: 50 (20). Low numbers encountered on the outward journey, but numbers built when returning to coastal waters.

    Fluttering Shearwater: 2 (1). A single bird seen in coastal waters on the outward journey and again during the return trip.

    Hutton’s Shearwater: 1. A single bird seen in coastal waters on the return trip.

    Campbell Albatross: 1. A single young bird visited the boat several times during the drift.

    Black-browed-type Albatross: 1. A single young bird observed distantly on the outward journey.

    Shy-type Albatross: 4 (1). An adult bird was seen during the outward journey and a few times during the drift.

    Solander’s (Providence) Petrel: 1. A single bird seen early into the return trip.

    Grey-faced Petrel: 30 (9). Birds were present around the boat throughout the drift.

    Australasian Gannet: 3 (1). A few birds encountered in coastal waters.

    Pomarine Jaeger: 7 (3). Two birds were encountered travelling to and from the shelf, with another three birds consistently present around the boat in coastal waters during the return trip.

    Crested Tern: 50 (20). Mostly around the boat upon returning to port. Otherwise, only several individuals encountered throughout the day.

    Silver Gull: 50 (20). Four birds were attracted to the boat during the return trip through coastal waters. These were joined by an increasing number of birds leaving Moon Island as the boat returned to port.

    FISH

    A single, large, flying fish making air for an extended period near the boat during the return trip was a crowd pleaser.