26 August 2023 Report

OVERVIEW

17C. 1-8 knot SW winds. 0.5m seas. 18.4C sea surface temperatures.

The conditions were very benign. At times the ocean was quite glassy which meant the majority of birds were using the opportunity to roost on the water.

The trip out saw us picking up the usual Silver Gulls from the Harbour. It asn't long before a few Black-browed Albatrosses joined us. Migrating Wedge-tailed Shearwaters also began following the boat albeit in low numbers. A Brown Skua thankfully arrived which the gulls responded to as expected. Crested Terns as well as WHite-fronted Terns were seen on the way out. Around 5NM from the shelf we encountered a couple of active Humpbacks. We stopped to observe their antics. A few other pods further away were also breaching and tail slapping in response. From there to the shelf we had zero birds.

At the shelf we set up our usual slick and began to drift. Despite every man and his dog being at the shelf fishing we saw zero birds for some time. Eventually a distant Gibson's Albatross was spotted on the water. We decided to motor over towards it. Another boat was powering toward the albatross as well, unfortunately flushing the bird before we arrived. A pair of Fairy Prions were seen roosting on the surface. Asleep! Heads nestled in their backs as resting bird do.

We set up a second, and third slick. The Fairy Prions began feeding. Soon a White-faced Storm-Petrel arrived. With little activity after some time we decided to motor back to where we'd encountered migrating shearwaters.

Around 2NM from the seamount we encountered the only pterodromas for the day, Providence Petrels, in ~400m depth.

Flocks of Hutton's Shearaters were seen on the trip back along with a handful of Fluttering Searwaters. A Wandering Albatross was also seen floating on the surface. Too little wind for it to bother flying.

Common dolphins approached the boat while motoring back.

BIRD LIST

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

White-faced Storm Petrel	1	(1)
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross	8	(4)
Buller's Albatross	1	(1)
Shy Albatross	7	(3)
Black-browed Albatross	12	(9)
Wandering Albatross	1	(1)
Wandering Albatross (Gibson's)	1	(1)
Providence Petrel	2	(2)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater	82	(40)
Fluttering Shearwater	2
Hutton's Shearwater	35
Fluttering-type Shearwaters	90	(40)
Fairy Prion	2	(2)
Australasian Gannet	23	(8)
Brown Skua	3	(2)
Silver Gull	60	(50)
White-fronted Tern	3	(2)
Greater Crested Tern	12	(7)

OTHER

Humpback Whale
Common Dolphin
Blue shark	1

The next Sydney pelagic trip is scheduled for Saturday 9th September 2023 departing from Mosman at 6.45am and Rose Bay at 7.00am.
All information on our trips including dates and contact details can be found on the website at sydneypelagics.info
Book at contact@sydneypelagics.info
You can also find us on Facebook and post photos at https://www.facebook.com/sydneypelagics

(Photographs Bay Amelia Reeson and Greg McLachlan).

Bay Amelia Reeson
bird