Buller’s Albatross and three species of storm-petrel, including White-bellied and Black-bellied, were the highlights of the inaugural pelagic birding trip off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Our 10m catamaran, the Cat-A-Pult, departed Mooloolaba Harbour at 0700 hours, with the air temperature a crisp 5*C. Although encountering moderate westerlies and a mild swell not far from shore, we reached the Mooloolaba Wide area at the edge of the continental shelf at 0840 hours - a relatively quick trip to the shelf. We encountered little inshore, with brief views of distant Fluttering Shearwaters for some and a smattering of Australasian Gannets and Crested Terns. At the shelf, 31 nautical miles from shore and at a depth of 200m, our sharp-eyed skipper, Paddy, began laying a berley trail. It was not long before the first Providence Petrels (above) appeared.
Soon after, a Buller’s Albatross arrived to feed on the berley, albeit at some distance. It was followed later in the morning by the first of two sightings (probably of the same bird) of a White-bellied Storm-Petrel. Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and Hutton’s Shearwaters flew in to the berley and Providence Petrels were in attendance constantly as we drifted with the trail for 7 nautical miles E-NE to a depth of 400m. At 12:30 hours, we began retracing the route of the berley trail, seeing a Buller’s Albatross which presumably was a different bird because it had a paler head.
Shortly before leaving the shelf at 14:00 hours, close to the point where we had arrived a little over 5 hours earlier, a Black-bellied Storm-Petrel offered nice views. This was the only Fregatta storm-petrel that we managed to photograph. There was no sign of the New Zealand Storm-Petrel seen off Southport recently. We returned to the harbour at 15:30 hours.
Conditions were sunny and pleasant, with a gentle 5-knot south-westerly for most of the day - apart from the rough patch early in the day - and visibility was excellent. Maximum air temperature was 19*C.
The only mammals seen were 4 Humpback Whales heading north.
Participants: Paul Barden, Marcus Clarke, Ken Cross, Paddy Dimond (skipper), Glen Gyldenlove, Bob James, Ray Kellman, Kate Kellman, Rob Kernot, Dave Metcalf, Owen Prowse, Greg Roberts (organiser), Brian Willey.
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Conditions were sunny and pleasant, with a gentle 5-knot south-westerly for most of the day - apart from the rough patch early in the day - and visibility was excellent. Maximum air temperature was 19*C.
The only mammals seen were 4 Humpback Whales heading north.
Participants: Paul Barden, Marcus Clarke, Ken Cross, Paddy Dimond (skipper), Glen Gyldenlove, Bob James, Ray Kellman, Kate Kellman, Rob Kernot, Dave Metcalf, Owen Prowse, Greg Roberts (organiser), Brian Willey.
List of species with totals seen:
50
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40
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15
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8
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4
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2
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2
| ||
White-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta grallaria)
| 1 | |
2
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2
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1
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