Observers: Mike Carter (organiser), Peter Lansley, Tania
Ireton, Rob & Gail Berry, Euan Fothergill, Peter Crabtree, Ray Schulz, Tim
Dolby, John Harris, Adam Rigg and Lee Milway.
Weather: An anticyclone was centred over eastern South
Australia extending a ridge to western Bass Strait. Cloud cover varied from 2/8
to 8/8. Frequent drizzle showers in a.m. with sunny periods. Mainly sunny with
good visibility in p.m. Cool. Very light S to SW winds in a.m. with an
occasional squall; calm in p.m.
Sea: In the morning, slight, on a low to moderate swell.
In the afternoon, glassy but undulating on a rising, 3-4 m swell.
One-and-a-half persons sick.
Activity: Sailed at 07.35. A few albatrosses, mostly immature
birds, and a juv. S Giant Petrel were feeding inshore on cuttlefish. Headed out
on a COG of 206º at 13.0 Kts. About 40 km out at the 40 fathom line there were
>400 Gannets and a smaller number of birds of other species feeding, as well
as Common Dolphins. We continued across the shelf-break seeing little until our
shark liver berley attracted the birds at three stops between 10.50 & 13.30
centred on 38º49’S 141º52’E in 230 fathoms. Cruised the western and northern
shores of Lady Julia Percy Is. (LJPI) from 15.20 to 15.50. Docked at 16.50.
Mammals: About 5 Australian Fur Seals were scattered across
the inshore and offshore zones and 1,000’s at LJPI. A pod of c. 20 Common Dolphins
offshore.
Birds: 23 species of seabird beyond the river mouth
indicated good diversity but only Gannets were really abundant. The highlights
are emphasized in bold type. Unless noted otherwise, those listed below were
near or beyond the shelf break (i.e. pelagic).
Little Penguin: 1 inshore in
p.m.
S. Giant Petrel: 1 juv.
dominating albatrosses feeding on cuttlefish inshore.
Cape Petrel: 4 (2), (1
offshore & 1 inshore).
Great-winged Petrel: 10 (4),
all nominate race.
Antarctic
Prion: 2-3.
Slender-billed
Prion: 10 (6), (2 offshore).
Excellent, close, photogenic views.
Fairy Prion: 6 (3), (2
offshore).
Sooty Shearwater:
1.
Short-tailed Shearwater: 1
offshore.
Fluttering Shearwater: 3
inshore.
Hutton’s Shearwater: 1-2
offshore.
Wandering Albatross: 3. 1
juv. gibsoni, 1 juv. & 1 stage 4
exulans.
N. Royal
Albatross: 1. Excellent extended
views.
Black-browed Albatross: 92
(35). 90 melanophris (30 inshore, 20 offshore).
2
impavida.
Shy Albatross: cauta
40 (12), (15 inshore, 10 offshore).
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 28
(6), (6 inshore, 15 offshore with Gannets).
Grey-backed
Storm-Petrel:
1.
Australasian Gannet: c. 500,
(50 inshore, 450 offshore & 1 pelagic).
Great (Brown) Skua: 1
offshore.
Kelp Gull: 14 on
LJPI.
Silver Gull: 2 on
LJPI.
Crested Tern: 80 (60), (38
inshore, 38 offshore & 4 pelagic). 22 standing on
floating mass of kelp 30 km
offshore.
White-fronted Tern:
1.
