Offshore Birding in Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia

[Gil Langfield <>]

I have just spent a week offshore in Bass Strait while doing some work on
one of Esso's oil platforms.  I had great hopes of seeing wonderful things
following the recent reports from pelagic trips out of Port Kembla in NSW;
perhaps some Mottled Petrels or even a Potato Petrel.

There were very few birds, apart from Short-tailed Shearwaters and Silver
Gulls.  The only birds of any note were 2 Wandering Albatrosses one day, an
Arctic Jaeger and a single White-fronted Tern.  I did not see any Pintado
Pigeons, one of my favourite species.

I was not as far offshore as on previous occasions, being at about 45 km out
from Seaspray in about 61 m of water.  I have had better results in the past
further out in 95 m of water closer to the "drop-over".

I will go back in about 2 weeks' time and file a further report.


Regards,

Gil Langfield