Shearwaters at Norah Head

[(Alistair Poore)]

        Yesterday I witnessed the largest concentration of seabirds I have
ever seen (even counting a recent trip to Lord Howe Island) at Norah Head
on the NSW Central coast.  Literally a few metres from the rock platform by
the lighthouse there were enormous flocks of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters -
feeding, sitting on the water and in flight.  I could not even begin to
estimate numbers, there must have been several thousand in a small area -
the ocean was black with them.  Adding to the feeding frenzy were Gannets,
Crested and Common Terns, Silver Gulls and a few Fluttering? Shearwaters. 
It was an amazing sight.  Is this sort of congregation so close to shore
unusual?

        Alistair Poore

_____________________________________________________________________
         Alistair G.B. Poore                            
                School of Biological Science
                University of New South Wales
                NSW   2052
                AUSTRALIA

                ph    61 2 385 2080       fax    61 2 662 2913
                email   
_____________________________________________________________________