Portland (Vic.) pelagic Sunday, 9 November 1997.
Report by P.S. Lansley from notes of Mike Carter.
Group seabird excursion, on the Michael J IV. Those present: Mike Carter
(leader), Peter Lansley, Rory O'Brien, Rohan Clarke, Jamie Mathew, Maarten
Hulzebosch, George Appleby, Neil Macumber, Neville Pamment, Marjorie Pegler,
Beth Williams, Enid Pascoe, John Bolitho, Robert Carr.
Weather. A shallow trough between two high pressure cells to NE and NW.
Fine. 3/8 puffy cloud cover burnt off by 0800 to cloudless, sunny, bright,
day. ESE wind 15 to 18 knots veered to S by noon and moderated to 12-15
knots. Coolish.
Sea: Moderate on a low swell. A tiring day but only one sick briefly. Spray
coming back.
Activity: Sailed late, at 0650 h. Passed Lawrence Rocks (LR) @ 0725 h (slow
in Bay due to spray). Then headed at 224 degrees (SW) at 10-11 knots.
Stopped between 7 & 9 NMi SW of LR where suddenly lots of shearwaters and
some gannets and albatrosses encountered from 0815-0845 h (ca 100 metres
depth). Reached shelf break (200 metres) @ 1000 h, berleyed there till 1035
then moved slowly out deeper. Berleyed 1100-1120 over 500 metres, then moved
out to ca 800 metres, 27 NMi SW of LR @ 1130-1230 when started in. Paused
and berleyed again at ca 165 metres 20 NMi SW of LR till 1405. Reached LR @
1545, circled. Docked 1640 h.
Mammals: Australian Fur Seal. 2 inshore, 2 offshore, 2 pelagic, 2 @ LR, all
in water.
Birds: 26 species; high abundance and diversity; one unusual. Many ravenous
for the berley. Good views, often close, of all species.
Little Penguin 2 inshore on way out
Wandering Albatross 2 pelagic. 1 stage 1 and 1 stage 4. Neither banded.
Black-browed Albatross 50 (30). ca 10 impavida (incl. 2 ads). 2 inshore, 5
offshore, 43 pelagic. 2 ads (both impavida), 47 sub-ads., 1 juv.
Yellow-nosed Albatross 30 (20). 10 inshore, 2 offshore, 18 pelagic. 6 ads,
18 sub-ads, 6 juvs.
Shy Albatross 40 (25). 2 inshore, 2 offshore, 36 pelagic. 7 ads, 30
sub-ads, 3 juvs.
Southern Giant-Petrel 1 juv., pelagic. Followed, then ID at 165 metres depth.
Northern Giant-Petrel 2. 1 juv. and 1 sub-ad., pelagic. One ID at 165
metres depth.
Cape Petrel 3 (2), pelagic. Assumed to follow boat.
Great-winged Petrel 12 (6), pelagic. Mainly gouldii, at least one macroptera.
White-headed Petrel 5 (3), pelagic. Good close views. Photos. Fed on
sharks' liver.
Fairy Prion 15 (6) pelagic.
Flesh-footed Shearwater 2, pelagic
Sooty Shearwater 2 (1), pelagic
Short-tailed Shearwater ca 100000 (MJC, RC), but some (PSL, JM) estimated
much lower number (10000-20000). 2 Bay (going out)(1 harbour), ca 100000
offshore (but not adjacent to coast - feeding and searching in stretch from
6-8 NMi SW of LR from beyond Cape Bridgewater to far east and scattered to
10 NMi; 1000 offshore, 100 pelagic. Feeding at berley. Photos.
Fluttering Shearwater 23 (6). 2 Bay, 18 inshore, 2 offshore, 1 pelagic.
Hutton's Shearwater 1 pelagic.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 6 (4). 2 pelagic, 4 offshore @ 165 metres coming in.
Photos (MJC).
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel 1 offshore @ 165 metres coming in.
White-faced Storm-Petrel 20 (12). 8 pelagic, 12 offshore @ 165 metres
coming in. Photos (MJC).
Australasian Gannet 8000. Mainly on LR and Pt. Danger where nesting. More
on Pt. Danger than 5 Oct. 1997 (ca 300 birds this time). Otherwise, ca 200
in Bay, at least 100 feeding with Shearwaters, inshore 6-8 NMi out, and 20
offshore, 4 pelagic.
Black-faced Cormorant 100 on LR. Some of these and others in adjacent
waters of Bay and harbour.
Arctic Jaeger 5. 1 pelagic, 1 offshore, 3 Bay. Did not come to boat.
Pomarine Jaeger 1, offshore @ 165 metres, came very close. Photos.
Silver Gull 3. 1 followed in Bay and inshore to ca 8 NMi out.
Pacific Gull 3. 2 ads on LR and 1 2nd year followed us out, inshore.
Crested Tern 10 (5). 2 Bay (afternoon), 1 inshore, 5 offshore, 2 pelagic.
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