North Head - Seawatching Trial

After the horrible weather over the last week, Max and I decided it was time to try a bit of seawatching - something the neither of us have really attempted before (excluding short 30 minute coincidental sightings off various Sydney headlands). We headed up to North Head at about 3:30, and spent 2 hours standing in the wind (thankfully no rain), trying to ID the various black-dots-with-wings that happened to fly past. Overall, we were quite successful, and were pleased with our first attempt at this grueling type of birding.

In 2 hours, we managed to see and ID:

Black-browed Albatross 20 (4) - one possible Campbells
Southern Giant Petrel 1 (1)
Northern Giant Petrel 1 (1)
Australasian Gannet 30+ (6)
Silver Gull 50+ (25)
Crested Tern 3 (1)

Also, a possible Great-winged Petrel, a few distant Shearwaters (plus a White-fronted Tern seen in the same place on Saturday).

We also managed to get onto a "Shy type"Albatross just before we left. We originally thought it might have been Salvin's, but a post on Birding-Aus clarified that is was indeed just a juvenile White-capped Albatross. Thanks to Nikolas Haass, Brook Whylie, John Graff and Steve Davidson for helping out!

So, adding to the above list:
White-capped (Shy) Albatross 1 (1)

Cheers,
Josh

 Northern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel

White-capped Albatross #1

White-capped Albatross #2

White-capped Albatross #3

After the horrible weather over the last week, Max and I decided it was time to try a bit of seawatching - something the neither of us have really attempted before (excluding short 30 minute coincidental sightings off various Sydney headlands). We headed up to North Head at about 3:30, and spent 2 hours standing in the wind (thankfully no rain), trying to ID the various black-dots-with-wings that happened to fly past. Overall, we were quite successful, and were pleased with our first attempt at this grueling type of birding.

In 2 hours, we managed to see and ID:

Black-browed Albatross 20 (4) - one possible Campbells
Southern Giant Petrel 1 (1)
Northern Giant Petrel 1 (1)
Australasian Gannet 30+ (6)
Silver Gull 50+ (25)
Crested Tern 3 (1)

Also, a possible Great-winged Petrel, a few distant Shearwaters (plus a White-fronted Tern seen in the same place on Saturday).

We also managed to get onto a "Shy type"Albatross just before we left. We originally thought it might have been Salvin's, but a post on Birding-Aus clarified that is was indeed just a juvenile White-capped Albatross. Thanks to Nikolas Haass, Brook Whylie, John Graff and Steve Davidson for helping out!

So, adding to the above list:
White-capped (Shy) Albatross 1 (1)

Cheers,
Josh

 Northern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel

White-capped Albatross #1

White-capped Albatross #2

White-capped Albatross #3