Not for the faint
hearted, this one was rough & tough, but well rewarded. We ventured out with
S-SW winds forecast to be 10-20 knots on the internet and 12-17 on the SA
coastal waters forecast. Wet and tiring but worth it.
OBSERVERS: Rob Berry, Adrian
Boyle, Rohan Clark, Gail D’Alton, Rob Farnes, Phillip Griffin, Peter Lansley,
Frank Pierce, Dave Stickney, Nick Talbot, David Webb, Andrew Wells, & Mike
Carter (organiser & leader).
WEATHER: We were midway
between a high pressure cell in the Bight and a low in the Tasman east of
Tasmania. This slow moving system had persisted for a week creating a southerly
air-flow over western Bass Strait. 8/8 cloud cover pertained for most of the day
so it was generally dull but with some bright periods. Short drizzle showers
were fairly frequent in the a.m., during which visibility was poor but otherwise
it was good. With a min. of 13º and max of 19ºC on shore, at sea it was cold,
especially for summer. We estimated the S wind to be between 12 and 15
knots.
SEA: Moderate (lumpy); 1 to
1.5m waves on a low (1-1.5m, larger inshore) SW swell throughout, made for much
spray and a bumpy (hold-on-tight), unpleasant ride out, considerable instability
when stationary whilst berleying over the shelf slope, but a comfortable ride
back to port. Two people were sick but neither badly
incapacitated.
ACTIVITY: Sailed at 07.05.
Headed out on a COG of 204º at 12 Kts. There were a few birds over inshore
waters (first 20 km), the highlight being 4 Diving Petrels. Offshore, small
flocks of Prions, Storm-Petrels, Shearwaters and Gannets were feeding beyond the
35 fathom contour and we stopped twice to investigate some of these. We crossed
the shelf-break at 10.00 and continued out into pelagic waters with no sign of
an oil-drilling rig. In this pelagic zone, we made three berley stops within a 10 km
circular area centred on 38º50’S 141º52’E. At each stop, we attracted good
numbers of Great-winged Petrels and Storm-Petrels, smaller numbers of other
species and the rarities listed below. Although there were a good number of the
great-albatrosses, there was a scarcity of the smaller albatrosses. We departed
the deeper waters, max 300 fathoms, at 13.10 & came in @ 15 Kts. When
inshore, we cruised the western and northern shores of Lady Julia Percy Island
(LJPI) from 15.10 to 15.25. Docked at 16.30.
MAMMALS: Australian Fur
Seals: 1,000’s at LJPI [and a suspected NZ Fur Seal], but only 2 seen elsewhere
at sea, the rough conditions not conducive to detection. Common Dolphins: Four
small pods: one of 10+ in a fish-rich zone inside 40 fathoms near 38º38’S
142º02’E, another of similar size in 265 fathoms at 38º49’S 141º63’E and two
even smaller pods in offshore waters > 65 fathoms as we came
in.
BIRDS: 26 species of seabird
beyond the river mouth indicated excellent diversity with several rarities.
Whilst some were abundant, others were surprisingly scarce. We had good, close,
views of all except Fluttering Shearwater and Caspian Tern. Highlights are in
capitals. Unless noted otherwise, those listed below were near or beyond the
shelf break (i.e. pelagic).
Little Penguin: 1 inshore in a.m.: 2 near, & 3 on,
LJPI.
COMMON DIVING-PETREL: 4
inshore in a.m. Everybody had good views of at least one.
Great-winged Petrel: 60
(40). 5 nominate race, 55 gouldi.
WHITE-HEADED PETREL: 3 (1).
One offshore as we came in.
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL: 1;
sustained views & photos at close range.
COOK’S PETREL: 2 seen
briefly but well with corroborating photos of the first sighting by David Webb. This was a very pale bird in
fresh plumage with a prominent
well-defined ‘M’ mark. The second bird was more mottled on the upper wings and back and had stronger black
markings on the inner underwing. Only
the second and third for Victoria, and because of the photographic record, potentially the first
‘acceptable’ sight record for Australia.
Fairy Prion: 25 (15). 1
inshore & 20 offshore.
WHITE-CHINNED PETREL: 4 (2).
Flesh-footed Shearwater: 1
followed us around.
Sooty shearwater: 2
(1).
Short-tailed Shearwater:
c.600 (200). 500 offshore, 50 inshore & 50 pelagic.
Fluttering Shearwater: 2
inshore in a.m. (RC).
Wandering Albatross: 7 (4).
1 exulans, (stage 7), 1 gibsoni (stage 4), 2 antipodensis (stage 3), & 3 ‘juvs.’ (stage 2) probably
exulans.
ROYAL ALBATROSS: 1 Southern,
dorsally like a Northern but lacking the bolder black border on underwing beyond the carpal and with
a prominent white leading edge along
leading edge of upperwing.
Black-browed Albatross: nom.
race, 4 (1). 1 pelagic, 3 offshore. 2 ads & 2 juvs.
impavida, 1 ad pelagic.
Shy Albatross cauta:
16 (7). 7 pelagic, 9 offshore. 10 adults, 6 sub-adults.
[White-capped Albatross
steadi: One adult had the characteristics of this
form.]
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 5
(4). 4 pelagic & 1 inshore. 4 juvs & 1 sub-ad.
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: 5
(2), 3 offshore.
GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL: 40
(15). 25 offshore (from 65 fathoms).
White-faced Storm-Petrel:
100 (25), 4 in & 40 offshore,
Australasian Gannet: c.111.
50 inshore, 60 offshore, 1 pelagic.
Black-faced Cormorant: 12.
11 ads on LJPI & 1
inshore.
Kelp Gull: 10 adults on
LJPI.
Silver Gull: 50 on
LJPI.
CASPIAN TERN: 1 seen by PL
inshore in p.m. may be the first for these trips.
Crested Tern: 15, all
inshore, mostly between LJPI & PF.
