For the third successive month we managed some fine weather with light
winds, and recorded a third species of cetacean, Pilot Whale, in as many
months. Weather was fine but overcast for most of the day, becoming clear
and sunny for a couple of hours on our way back inshore. Light and variable
NW breeze, swell not particularly drastic. Highlights were a distant Sooty
Albatross, a juv. Grey-headed Albatross and 5 Great Skuas, 2 of which worked
in tandem chasing Gannets around Lawrence Rocks, forcing disgorging of food.
Participants: Mike Carter (organiser), David Andrew, Rohan Clark, Peter &
Valerie Fowler, Lyn & Terry Gord, Peter S. Lansley, Chris Morris, Beth
Williams and two additional South Australians; skipper John Bolytho and one
crewman.
Date: 8 June 1997. Departure 0725 h; docked 1635 h. Most birds seen within 3
N Miles of 38 deg 49' S, 141 deg 31' E.
Birds
Little Penguin 3
Southern Giant-Petrel 1 juv.
Northern Giant-Petrel 1 juv.
Cape Petrel 5
Great-winged Petrel 20 subspecies macroptera
Sooty Shearwater 1
Short-tailed Shearwater 1
Fluttering Shearwater 7
[Antarctic Prion 1]
Fairy Prion 20
Wandering Albatross 6
Black-browed Albatross 100; both melanophris and impavida
Shy Albatross 50 including 1 salvini
Grey-headed Albatross 1 juv.
Yellow-nosed Albatross 15
Sooty Albatross 1
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 12
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel 1
White-faced Storm-Petrel 1
Black-faced Cormorant 37 near Lawrence Rocks
Australasian Gannet c. 3000 Lawrence Rocks; 1 at shelf break
Great Skua 5 (4 together at Lawrence Rocks)
Silver Gull 30 ; only 1 outside bay just beyond Lawrence Rocks
Pacific Gull 5 including 2 adults Lawrence Rocks; rest in bay
White-fronted Tern 3
Crested Tern 50 mostly in bay
non-seabirds
White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1 juv. Lawrence Rocks
Peregrine Falcon 1 Lawrence Rocks
Mammals
[Long-finned] Pilot Whale 20
Australian Fur Seal 3+
Fish
Blue Shark 1 reeled in over shelfbreak
Forthcoming trips; July and August contact Mike Carter 03 97877136;
September contact Peter Lansley 03 93754564 (home) 03 9882 2622 (work)
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