I'm surprised that there hasn't been any discussion on this trip and the birds
seen - what a day out!
With a potential European Stormy and a Great Shearwater seen within minutes of
each other off the west coast of Tassie, maybe that Soft-plumaged should be
checked for Fea's?!? :)
Mick
________________________________
From: Rohan Clarke <>
To:
Sent: Mon, 21 February, 2011 11:38:24 AM
Subject: Trip report BOCA Eaglehawk Neck Tas pelagic inc Euro. SP
and Great Shear.
Hi All,
The Bird Observation and Conservation Australia (BOCA) pelagic got out off
Eaglehawk Neck on the weekend. The trip was one of the better trips I have done
(see below). Next scheduled trips are for September 18th and November 26th and
27th 2010. Both trips are at present fully booked but contact me if you wish to
be on the waitlist for either trip.
Cheers,
Rohan Clarke
BOCA PELAGIC TRIP OFF EAGLEHAWK NECK, TASMANIA
Sunday 20th Feb 2010
OBSERVERS: Sue Abbott, Geoff Bromfield, Heyn de Cock, Xenia Dennett, Dick
Jenkins, Michael Kearns, Chris Lester, Rosemary Lester, Gary Oliver, Andrew
Walter, Brook Whylie, John Young & Rohan Clarke (organiser and report compiler).
WEATHER: 10% cloud in the am meant largely blue skies, though cloud increased
as
the front passed through mid morning. Owing to wind driven spray, conditions
for
photography were average to poor. Reasonably warm in the morning thanks to a
north westerly air stream, even after the front passed it remained warm (well
at
least not cold) until just before we docked. A SW change pushed through at
about
1000 bringing persistent wind and squalls to gale force. Initially a 15 knot
north westerly wind, swinging SW in the 25-30 knot range around 1000 and then
building to 30-35 knots and gusting to 35-40 knots at times. This was the
windiest one day pelagic I have ever done but certainly not the roughest.
SEA: A fairly low sea (0.5 m) on a 1.5- 2 m swell. As the sea followed us on
the
way out it was a reasonably gentle ride out. Once the SW change reached us sea
conditions rapidly deteriorated with a 1.5m chop building fairly quickly. As
the
wind direction changed with the arrival of the front, the swell height did not
alter much and rather slowly worked its way around to the SW through the day.
There was quite a bit of spray when underway and occasional wind-whipped blasts
of spray when berleying. The return leg was shaping up to be quite unpleasant
but we turned in early and took it slow and steady and as a consequence it
wasn?t as physically a demanding trip as some. One seasick.
ACTIVITY: Departed Pirates Bay Wharf at 0720 EST. Headed down to the
Hippolytes,
which we circumnavigated before taking an easterly route directly to the shelf
break. Good numbers of birds on the way out with concentrations of albatross
and
shearwaters in the 70-90 fathom zone. Crossed the shelf break (100 fathoms) at
0930 before making our first stop 3 miles beyond the shelf over 500+ fathoms of
water were we berleyed with chicken skin, tuna frames and fish oil. This was an
extended berley session that saw us drift a further 3 miles out. Started
heading
in at around 1100 crossing the shelf again just after midday. A brief berley
stop in worsening conditions in offshore waters for the day?s highlights (see
below) before continuing on with our slow trip back to Pirates Bay. Docked just
after 1500.
MAMMALS: Australian Fur Seals perhaps 120 on the Hippolytes. Also 25 inshore
and
10 offshore in the AM.
BIRDS: 27 species of seabird beyond the point at Pirates Bay is a high count
for
a Tasmanian pelagic (but then we had this same number of species in Feb 2010).
Highlights were European Storm-Petrel, Great Shearwater, Little Shearwater,
Buller's Shearwater, Gould?s and Soft-plumaged Petrels.
Wandering Albatross: 10 (8) Good numbers built slowly through the day so that
we
had our highest count at the offshore berley point. All appeared to be gibsoni.
Black-browed Albatross: 4 (2). 1 adult and 1 juv inshore in the AM, 1 smart
looking adult in pelagic waters that followed us back into offshore waters and
one scruffy older immature in waters. All were the nominate subspecies.
Shy Albatross: 100 (60). cauta: 8 inshore, 10 offshore, remainder pelagic with
good numbers following us back inshore on the return leg. All adult. salvini: 2
older immature birds, both pelagic.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 16 (4). 2 inshore, 4 offshore, remainder pelagic. 1
sub-adult, remainder adults.
Buller?s Albatross: 20 (6). 5 pelagic, 5 inshore remainder offshore. All adults.
EUROPEAN STORM-PETREL: 1 in offshore waters whilst berleying for the Great
Shearwater in the PM. On approach this bird was called as a Wilson?s
Storm-Petrel and it was then (understandably) ignored given the shearwater had
been seen just a minute or so earlier. As the bird passed through the berley
trail the white longitudinal underwing streak was bought to our attention
allowing just enough time for some to note other important characters (size,
structure, absence of pale carpal bars) as it headed off into the 30+ knot
wind.
Although most on board saw the bird, which was the only black and white
storm-petrel for the day, for all involved these were quite poor views of what
is a mega-rarity. Pending BARC assessment this is the first record for
Australia.
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel: 10 (4). 4 pelagic, remainder at our short berley stop
in offshore waters in the PM.
White-faced Storm-Petrel: 17 (10). 5 offshore, remainder pelagic.
Fairy Prion: 8 (4). All offshore in the PM.
Short-tailed Shearwater: 5000 (1000). Mostly offshore, a few inshore and 40
pelagic.
Sooty Shearwater: 8 (2). 2 offshore, remainder pelagic.
Fluttering Shearwater: 2 (1). 2 definite in offshore waters, 4-5 further
?Fluttons? type birds (ie. either Huttons or Fluttering but not seen well
enough
to ID).
BULLERS SHEARWATER: 3 (1) Several close approaches in pelagic waters. 1 in
offshore waters in the PM.
GREAT SHEARWATER: A single bird with worn plumage seen by most and photographed
by several in offshore waters on the return leg. It approached the vessel but
never came right in and never responded to berley. The first record for
Tasmania
and about the 6th or 7th record for Australia.
LITTLE SHEARWATER: A dark faced bird of the Sub-Antarctic form in offshore
waters in the AM seen well by most as it overtook the vessel.
White-chinned Petrel: 65 (30). Mostly pelagic but at least 15 followed us back
into offshore waters and 5 followed us into inshore waters.
Great-winged Petrel: 25 (10). All gouldi. On the way out we had our first over
90 fathoms of water with the remainder pelagic. A few followed us back into
offshore waters.
GOULD?S PETREL: 1. A single flyby at the pelagic berley stop.
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL: 1 at brief offshore berley point in the PM. This was a
very distant bird seen (and photographed) by just a few.
Common Diving-Petrel: 1 flashed by near the Hippolytes in the AM.
Little Penguin: 1 inshore in the PM.
Australasian Gannet: 50 (20), 1 pelagic, 2 offshore, remainder inshore. Also
300+ on and around the Hippolytes.
Black-faced Cormorant: 8 inshore in the AM, 4 offshore in the pm and ~650 on
and
around the Hippolytes.
Crested Tern: 14 (10). Mostly inshore, but 2 offshore. Also 35 on the
Hippolytes
in the AM.
Pacific Gull: 2 inshore in the AM.
Kelp Gull: 13 inshore in the AM. Also about 50 on and around the Hippolytes
Silver Gull: 16 inshore and about 20 around the Hippolytes.
A Swamp Harrier over the Hippolytes in the AM rounds out the list.
Cheers,
Rohan Clarke
--Rohan Clarke
www.wildlifeimages.com.au
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