I thought Formby Point wasn't bad today, but Neill's just e-mailed me from Australia, if you can't handle hardcore bird envy, don't read any further.....
Just got back from the Wollengong palagic, on board the 'Sandra K'. Boat traveled out 32 miles to 300 fathoms, total trip time 9.1/2 hours 7am - 4.30 pm.
Species:
Wedge tailed shearwater, v common
Huttons shearwater, common
Fluttering shearwater, common
Wilsons petrel, 1
Solanders petrel, 10
Cape Petrel, 12
Northen giant petrel, 3
Common tern, 2
Crested tern, V common
White fronted turn, 10
Brown skua, 15
Australian Gannet, 10
Silver Gull, v common
Kelp gull, 10
Darter, 1 in harbour
Black browed albatros, v common
Yellow nosed albatros, v common
Shy albatros, common
White capped albatros, 5
Gibsons albatros, several
Wandering albatros, common
Antipodian albatros, several
Cambels albatros, 6
Also 4 Humpback whales, several Common and Bottlenose dolphins
*awating DNA of 1 albatros, suspected of being Amsterdam island albatros, only 12 pairs left.
Photos of all above taken and will get them to you when i get home.
Cheers, Cya soon...
Neill
P.S. Trip total close to 200.
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John Dempsey wrote...
Memories stirred! Been there did it never forget it. My highlights were all the above
Except Cambels
Plus
Providence Petrel
Great Winged Petrel
Kermadec Petrel
White headed Petrel 50+
White faced Storm Petrel
Slender billed Prion
Fairy Prion
Sorry excuse me while I wipe the drool from my mouth..... Ok that’s better.
Cetaceans included
Sperm Whale 2
Hump backed 1
Long finned Pilot whale pod of 9
Striped Dolphin 60+
Bottle nosed common
Sun fish 1
What made it even more special was the Wandering Albatross paddling up to the boat on what looked more like a duck pond than the South Atlantic.
They bullied the other albatross species for the pieces of squid that we were literally dropping into the gullet.
Queensland Pelagic was not as productive but managed a real rarity
Tahiti Petrel, 2nd record
Wedge tailed Shearwater v common
Cape Petrel common
Black browed albatross 1
After the bug had taken hold I tried a Pelagic off Cape Town in South Africa. Talk about rough seas!!
My mate spent his time lying on the deck trying to change his complexion to a shade of green to blend in with his surroundings. We picked up a long liner on radar and latched onto it to witness thousands more birds than both my Australian pelagic put together, including my first Royal albatross ( a Northern at that) but it was so rough photography was too difficult.
Royal Albatross
Indian Yellow nosed
Black browed Albatross
Salvin's Albaross
Shy albatross
Giant Perel
White chinned Petrel
Wilsons Petrel.
Hope to be in Aus again in August next year for another dose of the same. I wouldn't mind seeing the pics your mate brings back
Don't mean to go on but havn't had anyone to brag too lately.
cheers
JD
Posted by: John Dempsey | August 31, 2006 12:26 PM