8 Dec 2012 Report

TRIP SUMMARY

Here a summary of yesterday's Sydney pelagic on Hal Epstein’s Halicat, 8th December 2012:Pictures will be posted here: http://www.adarman.com/Pelagics/New-South-Wales-Pelagics

BIRD LIST

(Note that the numbers in parentheses represent the approximate maximum number of that species in view at one time)

Wilson’s Storm Petrel: 5 (never more than two at a time)
Wandering-type Albatross: 4+ (most likely all Gibson’s, one possibly Antipodean)Black-browed Albatross: 1 (1st/2nd year)
Campbell Albatross: 3 (all 1st/2nd year)
Shy Albatross: 2 (adult)
White-chinned Petrel: 1
Wedge-tailed Shearwater: x
Flesh-footed Shearwater: 2 (never more than one at a time – very low number)
Sooty Shearwater: 2 (on the way out; didn’t get good looks – bulky appearance, heavy wing-load and contrasting silver flashes[the three parallel bars on the inner underwing coverts were not seen due toobservation angle])
Short-tailed Shearwater: x (still southbound migration)
Hutton’s Shearwater: 1
Grey-faced Petrel (Great-winged Petrel P. m. gouldi): x
Providence Petrel: 1 (pristine plumage, late)
Little Penguin: 1 (seen by only one observer)
Australasian Gannet: 3 (2 adult, one 2nd year bird)
Little Black Cormorant: 2
Pomarine Skua: 6
Arctic Jaeger: 2
Long-tailed Jaeger: 1
Sooty Tern: 1
Sterna spec.: 1 (very white secondaries, sharply defined narrow black trailing edge to primaries ruled outCommon; looked a bit to bulky for Arctic; maybe a late White-fronted?)
Crested Tern: x
Silver Gull: only a few in the harbour

OTHER

Short-beaked Common Dolphin: 12
Pygmy Killer Whale: 30

Flying Fish spec.: 5
Sunfish: 3 (most likely all Mola ramsayi)