Birding Down Under part 4: towards Macquarie (09 December 2023)

Saturday 09 December. A day at sea, on deck from 05:45-22:10, with breaks for breakfast, lunch and biosecurity. Highlights were 2 new birds (Grey-backed Storm-Petrel and Soft-plumaged Petrel) as well as White-headed Petrels and 8 or 9 species of Albatross. Birds I saw during the day were: Brown Skua 1, Grey-backed Storm Petrel 3, Black-bellied Storm Petrel 8, Snowy Albatross 1?, Gibson's Albatross 4, Southern Royal Albatross 10, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross 6, Black-browed Albatross 1, Campbell Albatross 6, Shy Albatross 30, Salvin's Albatross 1, Grey-headed Albatross 1, Northern Giant Petrel 6, Cape Petrel 8, Fairy Prion 50, White-headed Petrel 40, Soft-plumaged Petrel 1, Mottled Petrel 4, White-chinned Petrel 40, Sooty Shearwater 12 and Common Diving Petrel 2.

Gibson's Albatrosses at sea north of Macquarie Island

Gibson's Wandering Albatross at sea (photos: Paul Noakes)

this one looked more like a Snowy Albatross

at least being so white above

Southern Royal Albatrosses at sea north of Macquarie Island

Shy Albatrosses at sea north of Macquarie Island

Campbell Albatross at sea north of Macquarie Island

Campbell Albatross at sea (photo: Paul Noakes)

Grey-headed Albatross at sea north of Macquarie Island

Grey-headed Albatross at sea (photos: Paul Noakes)

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross at sea (photo: Paul Noakes)

Antarctic Prion at sea north of Macquarie Island

Black-bellied Storm-Petrel at sea north of Macquarie Island

Grey-backed Storm-Petrel at sea north of Macquarie Island

Cape Petrel at sea north of Macquarie Island

White-chinned Petrel at sea north of Macquarie Island

Mottled Petrel at sea north of Macquarie Island

Mottled Petrel at sea (photo: Paul Noakes)

Soft-plumaged Petrel at sea (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-headed Petrels at sea north of Macquarie Island

White-headed Petrel at sea (photo: Paul Noakes)

[blog enhanced May 2024]