Albany Pelagic Trip Report - 8 February 2015

Summary: This was also an interesting trip, with a reasonable variety of seabirds, though most species were the same as the previous day’s trip. 11 tubenose species were recorded, along with several skua and tern species. The highlights were more Sooty Terns and Short-tailed Shearwaters, and several close passes from a Wandering-type Albatross.

Wandering-type Albatross, suspected Gibson’s D. [e.] [antipodensis] gibsoni. Photo courtesy Plaxy Barratt.

Albany Pelagic Trip Report - 7 February 2015

Summary: This was the first trip run off Albany in February (or any summer month, for that matter) so it was difficult to know what to expect. It turned out to be an interesting trip, with a reasonable variety of seabirds. 9-10 tubenose species were recorded, along with several skua and tern species. The highlights were close views of a large pod of Pilot Whales around the boat, and records of Sooty Tern, Long-tailed Jaeger, and Short-tailed Shearwater. The latter two were not unexpected at this time of year, but both represent the second records of the species for Albany pelagics. The Sooty Terns were more unexpected, and appear to represent the first records of the species off the south coast of WA.

Pilot Whales (suspected Long-finned Pilot Whales) off Albany. Long-finned and Short-finned are barely separable at sea in areas where they overlap. Long-finned is the more likely species off Albany, and the relatively prominent and well-defined pale saddles are also suggestive of Long-finned. Photo courtesy Plaxy Barratt.