OBSERVERS: Chris
Lester (organiser), Richard Baxter, Rob Berry, David Burren, Rohan Clarke, Chris
Corben, Gail D’Alton, Rosemary Lester, Graeme O’Connor, Frank Pierce, Geoff
Walker, Bob Way & Mike Carter (leader).
WEATHER: A ridge of
high pressure extended from the Bight through Bass Strait to the Tasman Sea.
This slow moving system had persisted for several days. Low level, thin, 2/8
cloud cover pertained for most of the day so it was mostly sunny with excellent
visibility. There were occasional brief drizzle showers. It was cold early;
milder in the p.m. Winds were 3-5 Kts inshore at first, calm at times offshore,
rising to 12 Kts inshore in the p.m.
SEA: Slight, waves
to 0.5 m, on a moderate to large, 3-4 m, SW swell. No one was
sick.
ACTIVITY: Sailed at
07.07. Headed out on a COG of 206º at 13 Kts. As we moved out, we encountered
more and more Short-tailed Shearwaters, a species that was to remain conspicuous
for the remainder of the day. There were some large feeding concentrations. When
20 km, out we encountered two BLUE WHALES, a mother and calf. We followed
them at a discrete distance for about 20 minutes. Further out, were some feeding
White-faced Storm-Petrels and Gannets. Having crossed the shelf-break, we
continued out into pelagic waters. Our first berley stop was for 40 minutes from
10.00 over 250 fathoms @ 38º49.4’S 141º53.3’E. Then we motored for 25 minutes
out to even deeper water (400 fathoms) and berleyed again while drifting,
initially @ 38º52.5’S 141º51.6’E. After 50 minutes, we travelled east to a
canyon which had a near perpendicular face rising from 360 to 300 fathoms @
38º50.0’S 141º45.7’E and berleyed from 12.23 to 12.55. Then we headed in @ 15
Kts. A good selection of birds attended each stop, details below. When inshore, we cruised the western and
northern shores of Lady Julia Percy Island (LJPI) from 15.00 to 15.25. Here we
got the promised bonus. An ELEPHANT SEAL found by our charter operators
on 8 March. Docked at 16.30.
MAMMALS:
Australian Fur Seals: 1,000’s at LJPI and
scattered individuals & groups of up to 3 elsewhere.
ELEPHANT
SEAL: One immature male in
the landing cove at LJPI.
BLUE
WHALE: Mother & calf in
the vicinity of 38º29.7’S 142º10.9’E for 20 minutes from around 08.00. The depth
here was 26 fathoms.
Common Dolphins:
Three pods: (1) 6 probably feeding with the Whales, (2) c.230 at 09.00 travelling east @
38º42.6’S 141º59.6’E (depth over 40 fathoms), (3) 30 at 14.30 near 38º30’S
141º50’E.
BIRDS: 20 species
of seabird beyond the river mouth indicated about average diversity. Notably
absent were Grey-backed Storm-Petrel and Flesh-footed Shearwater. (A pelagic off
Port MacDonnell in S.A. had none and three respectively). Short-tailed
Shearwaters were widespread and abundant. We had good, close views of almost
everything. Highlights are in capitals. Unless noted otherwise, those listed
below were near or beyond the shelf break (i.e. pelagic).
Little Penguin: 22
(10). 10 inshore, 10 offshore & 2 on LJPI + 4 dead on
sea.
Great-winged
Petrel: c.40 (20). 32 nominate race, 3 gouldi.
GOULD’S
PETREL:
1.
Fairy Prion: 3 (2).
1 + 2 offshore.
WHITE-CHINNED
PETREL: 4 (2).
Short-tailed
Shearwater: c.4,000 (2,000). 3,500 inshore, 470 off, & 30
pelagic.
Fluttering
Shearwater: 8 inshore, mostly in p.m.
Wandering
Albatross: 3 (1). 1 exulans, (stage 7), 2 possibly gibsoni (stage
4).
Black-browed
Albatross: nom. race, 10 (3). 6 pelagic, 4 offshore. 4 ads, 5 sub-ads, 1 juv.
impavida,
40 (20) 34 pelagic, 5 off &
inshore. 35 ads, 5 sub-ads.
Shy Albatross
cauta: 30 (12). 20 pelagic, 7 offshore, 3 inshore. 20
adults, 9 sub-adults, 1 juv.
Yellow-nosed
Albatross: 14 (5). 4 pelagic, 7 off & 3 inshore. 10 ads, 4
sub-ads.
BULLER’S
ALBATROSS: 8 (5). 7
pelagic, 1 offshore. All ads.
Wilson’s
Storm-Petrel: 6 (4).
White-faced
Storm-Petrel: 30 (6), 10 pelagic, 10 offshore, 10 inshore.
Australasian
Gannet: c.430. 400 inshore, 30 offshore.
Black-faced
Cormorant: 8 on LJPI.
Arctic Jaeger: 2
(2).
Kelp Gull: 7, 6
adults & 1 juv on LJPI.
Silver Gull: 50 on
LJPI.
Crested Tern: 16
(3), 3 pelagic, 5 offshore, 8 inshore.
{Mottled Petrel: Rob Farnes & Adam Rigg found one
beach-washed on Discovery Bay on 16 March. This is the 4th specimen
for the area, yet we’ve never seen a live one!}
