Report of Eaglehawk Neck pelagic trip on 16 November
Group seabird excursion on "Pauletta"; people on board: Phil Maher, Dennis
and Barbara Abbott, Bill and Maggie Wakefield, Mike Thornton, Tim Reid, and
five others (sorry!).
Weather: Mostly fine and sunny (~6/8 cloud) until a SW front passed through
at about 1330. Wind NW force 3-4 in a.m., gusting to F7 with the front. Seas
force 2-3. One person seasick.
Departed Pirates Bay jetty 0745 and headed south with few birds until
Hippolyte Rock. Continued south, headed through flocks of Shy Albatross and
Short-tailed Shearwaters and arrived at shelf edge in mid-morning. Slowly
moved south-west along shelf edge before following a line of Shy Albatrosses
south to ~10 miles off the shelf break (18 miles south of Hippolyte) ~43o20S
148o16E, where most of the variety of birds were. Headed in with approach of
front, arriving at Pirates Bay jetty at 1600.
Birds seen:
Wandering Albatross 12 (5 stage 2-3, 6 stage 4, 1 stage 5). All 10 miles off
shelf
Southern Royal Albatross 5 (maximum seen together). From shelf break out.
Shy Albatross 400+ (maximum flock around vessel 170). All south of Hippolyte.
(SALVIN'S ALBATROSS) 1 possible juvenile.
Black-browed Albatross 8 impavida (max count) + 2 juveniles; all 10 miles
off shelf except one juvenile between Pirate's Bay and Hippolyte
Northern Giant-Petrel 2 10 miles off shelf
Cape Petrel capense 3; 2 10 miles out, 1 near Hippolyte on return.
Great-winged Petrel gouldi 5 (max count) 10 miles off shelf.
White-headed Petre 1 10 miles off shelf.
Gould's Petrel 12 beyond shelf.
Mottled Petrel 6 beyond shelf
Fairy Prion 11
Short-tailed Shearwater countless '000's.
Sooty Shearwater 4 all south of Hippolyte
White-chinned Petrel 15 (max count) beyond shelf.
Grey Petrel 1 10 miles off shelf.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 5 (max count) beyond shelf.
Black-bellied Storm-Petrel 2 10 miles off shelf
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel 1 10 miles off shelf
Common Diving-Petrel 3
Arctic Tern 1 shabby adult summer, 10 miles off shelf
Silver Gull 5 max count off shelf, lots inshore.
Dominican Gull 4 second year off shelf, 2 adults Hippolyte, others in harbour
Pacific Gull 1 adult between Hippolyte and Pirates Bay
Australian Gannet 175 around Hippolyte
Black-faced Shag nesting on Hippolyte, many between Pirates Bay and Hippolyte
Great Cormorant Pirates Bay
Sooty Oystercatcher 1 on Hippolyte
Pied Oystercatcher 2 between Pirates Bay and Hippolyte
White-faced Heron Pirates Bay
Masked Lapwing Pirates Bay
Marine Mammals
Bottlenose Dolphin 30+ shelf edge, breaching around vessel
Long-finned Pilot Whale 5 shelf edge
Australian Fur-seal ~250 Hippolyte.
Tim Reid.
Marine Ecosystems Unit
Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service
PO Box 44a
Hobart
Tasmania
Australia
phone: 011-61-3-62336018
fax: 011-61-3-62333477
e-mail:
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