Ashmore Reef with Peregrine Bird Tours 2010

birding@peregrinebirdtours.com (Peregrine Bird Tours) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 07:41:14 +0000

The northwest shelf of Australia is one of the best places in the world to watch marine wildlife: seabirds, sea snakes, turtles, whales and dolphins. We saw no less than eight species of whale and dolphin in six days on the water, including False Killer Whale and Australian Snubfin Dolphin .

On top of that, the world class Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve is a great place to find rare migrant birds that overshoot the Asian continent. In all respects, this years trip with Peregrine Bird Tours was one of the best ever. Highlights included finding a new seabird for Australia (...read more ) and a whale that may prove to be either one of the least known 'great whales' on the planet, or a new type altogether (...read more ).

The trip would not have been a success without the committed passengers, Jock and Marion Rose, Wendy and Frank Ball, Mary Jones, Jann Skinner, Michael Doyle. Thanks also to the crew and Captain of Top End Expedition's Auriga Bay II, Ian, Peter and Katy.

WANT TO COME NEXT YEAR? CONTACT CHRIS DOUGHTY

It takes almost three days to reach Ashmore but our excitement began not far out of Darwin where we crossed one of the richest, but surprisingly, least known areas of ocean in the world. Read more ...

Papasula

jackmanthepackman@hotmail.com (Jack M) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:29:28 +0000

Jack and Bill Moorhead travelled from Bundaberg to Ashmore Reef via Perth and Broome. Bill visited the area in 2001 and was always talking about how fantastic it was. When Mike Carter emailed us to see whether we could go in 2009 I convinced Dad that we should. We had an unbelievable trip highlighted with sightings of Abbott's Boobies in Australian mainland waters; Island Monarch, Oriental Reed-warbler and Asian Brown Flycatcher on Ashmore Reef; and a fantastic probable first cetacean sigthing of Omura's Whale in Australia

Ashmore Expedition 27 October to 3 November 2009

simonmustoe@hotmail.com (Simon Mustoe) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:20:19 +0000

Trip Details.

The 2009 eight-day Broome-Ashmore-Lacepedes-Broome expedition ran from 27 October to 3 November. Logistics and permits were organised by George Swann of Kimberley Birdwatching. Personnel were Sue Abbotts, John Berggy, Rohan Clarke, Stewart Ford, Tania Ireton, Brian Johnston, Geoffrey Jones, Elizabeth Lloyd, Barb Longmuir, Bill Moorhead, Jack Moorhead, Carol Page, Jenny Spry, Dave Torr, George Swann & Mike Carter. Our boat was the air-conditioned 23 m MV Flying Fish V skippered by George Greaves. Jacqui fed and nurtured us and Maurice attended to our other needs. All three drove dinghies when required.

We sailed from Broome (17º59’S 122º11’E) on 27 October (Day 1) at 06.30 and spent the next two days and nights travelling at sea, arriving off West Island, Ashmore at 12.53 on 29 October (Day 3). We maintained a NW course throughout Day 1 but at night changed our heading to NNE. By dawn on Day 2 we were in 450m deep water and cruising along the continental slope into increasingly deeper water that reached depths of 1,800 m by mid afternoon. We approached Scott Reef at dusk and continued past on a NE course. During the morning of Day 3 we tended to adopt a more northerly course. When west of Ashmore Reef we headed east passing a naval patrol ship and the Australian Customs Vessel ‘Ashmore Guardian’ (with it’s complement of DEWHA wardens) as we passed through the channel entrance.

Our berth for the next three nights (Days 3, 4 & 5) was at the inner mooring (12º14.33’S 122º58.95’E) just off West Island. Most members of the party went ashore daily on West Island; each afternoon and early morning of our stay. Our hosts, Flying Fish Charters, had three dinghies. These were used to affect six landings on West Island and one each on Middle Island, East Island and a sand bar (a high-tide wader roost) near there (the later three sites in the company of DEWHA and/or Aust. Customs wardens). Neap tides limited the time we could spend ashore on all but West Island, water depth within the lagoon being inadequate for navigation except at high tide.

After a last visit ashore on West Island, we released our mooring at Ashmore at 08.50 on Day 6 (1 November) and maintained a generally southerly heading through waters mainly around 500m deep. At dawn on Day 7, we were still in deep waters on a direct course just east of south for the Lacepedes. By 07.30, we had crossed onto the continental shelf and from 08.30 we were in increasingly shallow waters until we anchored off West Island, Lacepedes (16º50.41’S 122º07.00’E) around 19.30 that day. Next morning, Day 8 (3 November), we were ashore on West Island, Lacepedes, from 05.15 to 08.15. Back aboard and tenders stowed, we sailed for Broome, berthing at the wharf at 16.45.

Whilst at sea a continuous log of position and faunal observations was recorded on computer. Sea conditions were benign throughout with rippled seas on a low swell created by light N breezes. Cloudless skies subjected us to relentless sunshine. Although hot, it was not unbearably humid.

Oil leak from Montana H1 drilling rig: This rig (12º55’S 124º50”E’) is ~200 km ESE of Ashmore Reef. We saw no unequivocal evidence of the presence of oil, oiled birds or of damage from the spill. Whilst ashore on both East and Middle Island, single emaciated Common Noddies with potential light oil contamination on the mantle were taken into care by DEWHA representatives. As Noddies have naturally oily feathers it is possible that these were simply dishevelled individuals that were in the process of dieing of natural causes. At sea we observed two distinct creamy slicks estimated to be 200-300m long by 10-15m maximum width (petering out at both ends). These were both on Day 6 with the first just south of Ashmore and the second at 12º39’S 122º47’E (56 km south of Ashmore). Close inspection revealed these slicks consisted almost entirely of short rod-like structures 4-5 mm in length and ~1 mm in diameter. There was no petroleum-like smell evident. Whether this was a bi-product of the spill (aggregated petroleum based product and/or dispersant) or a more natural product is unknown. Apart from Bulwer’s Petrels, observations at sea were a little depauperate compared with other years. Thus we wondered whether the slick had attracted birds away from our transects as investigators Simon Mustoe and James Watson, independently observed concentrations of predators, (seabirds, cetaceans and sea snakes) at the edges of the slick.

Observations

77 species of bird were identified (and a Snipe sp.) including 34 seabirds.

At-sea sightings included:

Abbott’s Booby: 2 circled our boat inquisitively for several minutes on 28 Oct. and we watched one fishing on 1 Nov. These are the first for any Ashmore cruise and only the 4th or 5th records for Australian waters away from Christmas Island.

http://www.pbase.com/image/119348863

Jouanin’s Petrel: 1 on 29 Oct. as we approached Ashmore and one after leaving on 1 Nov.

Landbird highlights on West Island, Ashmore (all photographed), were:

Island Monarch: 1 adult each day. This is the fourth Australian record, all at this site.

Asian Brown Flycatcher: 1 on 29 Oct. This is the fourth Australian record, all at this site.

Oriental Reed Warbler: Up to 3 daily. http://www.pbase.com/image/119350458

Oriental Cuckoo: 1-3 daily.

Collared Kingfisher: 1 daily, considered to be of Indonesian origin.

Australian Koel: 1 exhausted bird on 31 Oct.

Fork-tailed Swift: 8 over the island & 7 at sea. Notable because 2 or 3, roosted in a palm tree. At sunset on 31 Oct., one made several attempts to cling belly-up to the underside of a frond before securing a hold. Then a second arrived. Next morning, 2, left the tree in the twilight of dawn, quickly joined by a third.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike: 2-4 daily. Photographs of one showed unmarked white underwing coverts indicating the Australian taxon.

Magpie-lark: 2 daily.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail: 2-3 daily on West Island and one on Middle Island on 30 Oct.

Barn Swallow: 2-4 most days.

Tawny Grassbird: 1-2 most days.

The usual local tropical seabirds, Masked, Red-footed & Brown Boobies, Great & Lesser Frigatebirds, Common & Black Noddies, Bridled, Sooty, Crested, Lesser Crested, Roseate, Gull-billed (both Australian and Asian taxa) and Little Terns were seen. The first ten of these had or were nesting on Middle or/& East Islands. Many species, including Lesser Crested Terns, were also nesting on the Lacepedes. On West Island, Ashmore, there was only one nestling Red-tailed Tropicbird when we arrived and this departed overnight on 31 October. This compares with 8 occupied nests last year. Only one White-tailed Tropicbird was seen at sea and only one over the Island compared with 2 pairs prospecting there last year.

Other migrant Seabirds of note included (last years numbers in brackets): Tahiti Petrels 9 (24), Bulwer’s Petrels 64 (29), Streaked Shearwaters 14 (10), Hutton’s Shearwaters 4 (31), Wilson’s Storm-Petrels 29 (20), Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels 9 (50) and Long-tailed Jaeger 1 (3).

Twenty-four species of shorebird included a Broad-billed Sandpiper (at a sandbar near East Island) and a Pin-tailed or Swinhoe’s Snipe that on the morning on 30 October flew-in at considerable height and circled West Island, Ashmore before landing.

Cetaceans were less numerous and diverse than recent trips but the compensation was good sustained views of at least 2 Fin Whales, a first for an Ashmore cruise and most aboard, see http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/fin_whale. Striped Dolphin was also recorded for the first time. Others were Humpback Whale 7 (12) and Bottle-nosed, Pan-Tropical Spotted, Spinner and Risso’s Dolphins.

Reptiles included Green, Loggerhead, Australian Flatback Turtles and various sea-snakes.

Other observations included numerous fish and other critters, particularly by those that went snorkelling, adding interest to another superb trip.

The 2010 cruise will be from 25 October to 1 November. Persons should register their interest ASAP with Kimberley Birdwatching or Mike Carter.

Ashmore Reef Expedition 2008

simonmustoe@hotmail.com (Simon Mustoe) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:14:51 +0000

The annual Ashmore Reef Expedition with KIMBERLEY BIRDWATCHING TOURS was a huge success again this year. Apart from being one of the very few opportunities to visit this remote Australian territory, it is a world-class chance to see tropical ocean wildlife. Data collected on these trips contributes to a growing knowledge-base about the region.

There is almost nowhere on earth where you can spend a week at sea and expect to encounter up to a dozen species of whale and dolphin, half a dozen species of marine reptile and over thirty species of seabirds

Environmental Conditions

Water temperature varied by three degrees celsius. The coolest water was associated with the Kimberley coast and west of Adele Island and the Lacapedes. This may have been due to mixing of the water column in these locations.

Sea temperature was substantially higher north of Scott Reef and south of Ashmore Reef, probably influenced by the Indonesian Throughflow current. There was however, a substantial drop in sea surface temperature on the approach to Ashmore Reef on 22nd October, where it fell from 30.7ºC to 29.8ºC. This was almost certainly the result of upwelling along the shelf-edge to the west of the reef and happens at numerous points along the coast to a lesser degree. It is a particularly important feature of the marine biodiversity on the shelf.

Ashmore Reef, 2005

info@wildiaries.com (Simon Mustoe) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:42:34 +0000

Kimberley Birdwatching Tours annual Ashmore Reef trip. The eight-day Broome-Ashmore Reef-Lacepedes-Broome expedition ran from 26 October to 2 November. Logistics and permits were organised by Kimberley Birdwatching. Attendees were Reg Clark, Rohan Clarke, Peter Crabtree, Sean Dooley, Dave Dureau, Murray Grant, Adrian O'Neill, Trish Pepper, Frank Pierce, David Stickney, George Swann and Mike Carter (leader). From the 29-31 October was spent on Ashmore Reef.

Recent trips to Ashmore Reef - West Island

Ashmore Reef with Peregrine Bird Tours 2010

Papasula

Ashmore Expedition 27 October to 3 November 2009

Ashmore Reef Expedition 2008

Ashmore Reef, 2005