Port Stephens Pelagic Trip Report – Sun 11th August 2013 Boat: M.V. Argonaut, skippered by Ray Horsefield OBSERVERS Mike Kuhl, Jim Smart, Tiffany Mason, Bruce Hosken, Dick Jenkin, Allan Richardson, Mark Simpson, Craig Anderson, Dan Williams, Michael Kearns, Lorna Mee, Steve Roderick and Mick Roderick (organiser). CONDITIONS Consistent with the 2013 trips that we’ve managed to get out, today was once again calm seas with <1m combined sea and swell. on the run out there was a nice, brisk southerly at around 10 knots, but this faded into gentle sou-wester by around 0945. water temperature shelf approximately 18 degrees. highlights no outstanding avian highlights pod of offshore bottlenose dolphins thrilled us with some spectacular synchronised leaping shelf. summary departed nelson bay public wharf 0705 returning 1705. as we rounded tomaree headland brisk southerly air flow hit our faces the first birds seen were silver gulls an unidentified albatross behind a trawler. before long we started seeing small flocks fluttering shearwaters and once berley it didn't take too to attract attendant albatross (the vast majority which yellow-nosed). season’s first wedge-tailed shearwater joined us briefly brown skua that accompanied us for virtually entire day flew in. the closer got shelf, calmer conditions became, though was still slight wind chop drift starting point 32 55 25s 152 35 31e. it was generally quiet mostly yellow-nosed one or two black-browed attending boat. fairy prion picked up, soon become 2 birds down slick, then white-faced storm-petrel appeared north. a very hungry young shy in as first 3 solander’s petrels arrived from north (and continued flying south). a great dolphin spectacle observed acrobatic trio bottlenose dolphins within larger had moved through leapt in near-perfect synchronicity. having drifted north, finished 32 51 54s 36 48e trip journey back port. with the only wandering sighting for bird up wake of the boat unfortunately off, giving brief views. not great deal else apart came went, occasional fairy prion, more wedge-tailed single hutton’s shearwater which added day’s list far heads. a detour made approached islands humpback whales spotted just off boondelbah island. saw 2 reef egrets the rocks peregrine falcon circling high. somewhat unusual sight a feral pigeon (a ‘red chequer’ something similar) sitting rock ledge a few metres above island, looking much like its ancestral doves – perhaps hiding falcon?! cheers, mick roderick birds species: total (maximum number visible time) white-faced storm-petrel: (1) black-browed albatross: (2) shy albatross: (1) yellow-nosed albatross: 30 (11) wandering albatross: 1 fairy prion: 7 (2) fluttering shearwater: 60 (8) hutton’s shearwater: 1 wedge-tailed shearwater: (3) solander’s petrel: (1) australasian gannet: 70 (30) crested tern: 20 (9) silver gull: 40 (25) white-bellied sea-eagle: 1 peregrine falcon: 1 eastern reef egret: (2) great cormorant: 4 (3) pied cormorant: 1 sooty oystercatcher: 1 feral pigeon: mammals offshore bottlenose dolphin: 25+ humpback whale: 10 ===============================To unsubscribe mailing list, send message: unsubscribe (in body message, no subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au http:>
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