LAUGHING GULL

In non-breeding plumage, photographed at Venus Bay, South Australia, August 2016

803      LAUGHING GULL         Lares atricilla

Australia         (647)

Found on coasts, tidal flats. 36-40 cm.; span 1.05 cm. Breeds coastal e. N. America, and California: migrates to ne. Brazil and down Pacific coast to n. Chile. Vagrant to Hawaii, Samoa, elsewhere in Oceania. Sighted in Cairns, and in 2016 Venus Bay (SA). Vagrant.

ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS

Photographed on Kiama pelagic, July 2016

802                    ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS        Diomedea antipodensis

Australia         (646)

Also known as Antipodes Albatross, New Zealand Albatross, and Gibson's Wandering Albatross. 1.1 m; span 2-3 m. Nominate race breeds Antipodes and Campbell Is. Outside breeding season ranges over s. Pacific, including s. Aust waters. Race gibsoni breeds on Auckland Is., forages in Tasman Sea and sw Pacific; common off s NSW. Endangered.

SLENDER-BILLED PRION

Photographed on Port Fairy pelagic, August 2016

801         SLENDER-BILLED PRION         Pachyptila belcheri

Australia         (645)

25-26 cm, span 56 cm. Breeds Crozets and Kerguelen Is (s Indian Ocean); Falkland Is (S. Atlantic) and islands off S. America. Ranges n. in winter to c. 30 degrees S. Uncommon winter/spring visitor from s. WA to Tas., NSW to se Q. Common on sw and s coasts.

Port MacDonnell pelagic, South Australia, 26 August, 2019

GREAT-WINGED PETREL

Photographed on Port Fairy pelagic, August 2016

800            GREAT-WINGED PETREL           Pterodroma macroptera

Australia             (644)

With other birds it is also referred to as Muttonbird, also by NZ name oi. Recently split from Grey-faced Petrel. 42-45 cm. Breeds in southern hemisphere between 30 and 50 degrees south, including coast of southern Aust.

PAINTED BUTTON-QUAIL

Photographed at Chiltern State Forrest, August 2016

799            PAINTED BUTTON-QUAIL             Turnix varia

Australia            643

Found in scrublands, open woodlands with branch, leaf debris; tussocks, stones; heathlands, farm regrowth, mallee. 17-19 cm, female larger. Range e. and se. Aust., Tas. and s WA: from Atherton Tablelands (ne Q) to Tas., w to Eyre Pen. and Kangaroo Is., n to s Flinders Ras. (SA) In sw WA n to Shark Bay, including coastal islands. Sedentary, nomadic.

Note:  Not a very good photograph but the only ones I have been able to manage of this elusive bird so far.

GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, July 2016

798           GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL          Garrodia nereis

Australia           (642)

Breeds on islands in NZ region; also Macquarie, Kerguelen and islands in s. Indian Ocean and S. Atlantic. NZ population visits offshore waters of se Aust. in all months but mostly winter. Records from Eyre Pen. (SA), w and e Vic., Tas., and c. coast NSW. Flocks of hundreds reported beyond continental shelf.

WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, July 2016

797           WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL         Pelagodroma marina

Australia          (641)

Breeds in late spring and summer on many coastal islands in s. Aust. from Abrolhos group (WA) at least to Broughton Is. (NSW); Bass Strait and Tas. islands; also Kermadecs; NZ and NZ sub-Antartica Is; N. and S. Atlantic. Part of Aust population winter n. Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea; some e. coast birds range into the Pacific. Present offshore s. Aust.in summer; apparently (usually) absent in winter. Migratory.

WHITE-FRONTED TERNS

Photographed at Norah Heads, July 2016

796          WHITE-FRONTED TERN                Sterna striata         

Australia           (640)

Found in offshore waters; bays, reefs, islands. 38-42 cm, wingspan c. 80 cm. Breeds NZ, sunAntartic Islands: regular migrant (March-Oct.) to offshore and coastal NSW, Vic., Tassie; casual n toRockhampton (Q), w. to Adelaide (SA); accidental inland.

SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, June 2016

795            SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL           Macronecteus gigantes

Australia          (639)

Also known as Giant Fulmar, Nelly and Stinker. 80 cm-1 m, wingspan 1.8 - 2.1 m. Breeds in colonies on coasts of Antartica and circumpolar sub-antarctic islands between c. 50 -60 degrees S, incl Macquarie Is. Disperses widely over s. oceans in circumpolar pattern. Immature and sub-adults common winter-spring migrants to Aust coasts n. to beyond Tropic. Most common May-Nov.

NORTHERN GIANT-PETREL

Photographed on Kiama Pelagic, June 2016

794        NORTHERN GIANT-PETREL           Macronectes halli      

Australia     (638)

Also known as Hall's (Giant) Petrel. 80-95 cm, wingspan 1.5-2.1 m. Breeds in sub-antarctic islands, incl. Chatham, Antipodes, Campbell, Auckland and Macquarie Is., NZ region; also Stewart Is. Wide circumpolar range generally n. of Antarctic convergenceImmature birds and some adults common May-Oct in offshore and inshore waters from c. Fremantle (WA) to c. Sydney (NSW).