Abrolhos Trip Report

Hi all.

Eight keen birders plus crew visited Pelsaert Island in the southern Abrolhos group off Geraldton on Wednesday 9 November and yes we did see Lesser Noddys and we were very fortunate to have Dr Chris Sulman aboard who is the expert on these birds.

It was difficult to locate a boat because most boats had departed Geraldton as it was out of season for fishing and cray fishing. I located Justin Pirrottina _kemptonfisheries@westnet.com.au_ whose boat, Apparition, was surveyed as a charter boat as well as for commercial fishing.

Justin was very helpful in selecting the best day to go out (we allowed a few days window in which to go) as it is usually windy at this time of year and the day in fact was superb with a 2 to 3 knot breeze blowing most of the time. He was also an excellent host.

Bird seen were:

Lesser Noddy (1,000,s) Common Noddy (10,000s) Crested Terns (100s) Sooty Tern (100s) Bridled Tern (3) Caspian Tern (6 – 10) Fairy Tern (3 – 6) Roseate Tern (6 – 10) Wedge-tailed Shearwater Hutton’s Shearwater Osprey White-bellied Sea-eagle Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Red-necked Stint Sandplover species (no consensus reached) Sooty Oystercatcher (1) Pied Oystercatcher (many pairs) Silver Gull Pacific Gull Pied Cormorant Shy Albatross (1 on the way out) Grey Teal (8) Welcome Swallow Silvereye Eastern Reef Egret (grey morph)

Also seen: Humpback Whale (3 or 4 with one breaching in the distance) Sea Lions (3) Bottlenose Dolphins

Among the variety of sea life we saw was a Spanish Dancer which was a 30 cm long red frilly sea slug, a most attractive animal.

I can certainly recommend the boat to any birders or groups of birders wishing to visit the Abrolhos.

Happy birding.