Hi all,
Here's the trip report for the most recent Port Fairy pelagic.
Cheers
Rohan
Trip report for a pelagic that sailed off Port Fairy (PF), Vic on 11 May
2002
Observers: Simon Goldsworthy, 9 ecology students from La Trobe University,
Sean Dooley, Neil Macumber and Rohan Clarke.
Weather: As with last weekend a high-pressure area was centred over
Victoria. Mainly bright and fine. Wind N, 5-10 Kts at first, freshening as
we moved offshore to about 15 Kts then easing so that by late afternoon < 5
Kts NW.
Sea: Slight on moderate swell until about 1300 then moderating as we headed
inshore till almost glassy near LJPI.
Activity: Sailed at 07.00. Motoring towards the shelf at 13 Kts. Our first
stop, just inside the shelf in 55 fathoms at 38º43.02S 141º57.67'E, was for
large rafts of albatross, gannets and other seabirds. We then moved out over
the shelf to 39º50.63'S 141º51.44'E. Here the birds appeared to be a little
hungrier. From here motored west to burley at 38º43.20'S 141º50.79'E. .
Headed in at 13:00 past Lady Julia Percy Is. (LJPI) to dock at 16.10.
Mammals: ~20 Long-fined Pilot Whales, ~100 Australian Fur Seals in groups of
5-20 in offshore waters and 1,000's loafing at LJPI.
Birds:
Little Penguin: 2 over the shelf at our second burley point, 20 inshore and
2 on LJPI.
Great-winged Petrel: 50 (25) all nominate race.
White-chinned Petrel 1 offshore (with nice white chin)
Northern Giant Petrel 1 imm
Fairy Prion: 70 (50).
Short-tailed Shearwater: 34 (10), (mostly inshore).
Sooty Shearwater 4 (1)
Flesh-footed Shearwater 1 (a late bird!)
Hutton's Shearwater: 10 inshore
Fluttering Shearwater 70 (25) mostly inshore
Wandering Albatross: 7 mostly exulans stages 1-5 but 1 probable
antipodensis.
Black-browed Albatross: 300 (150). mostly offshore melanophris and pelagic
impavida .
Shy Albatross: cauta 150 (80).
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 80 (50)
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel 3 (2)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel: 8 (3)
Australasian Gannet: 250 (50)
Black-faced Cormorant: 4 on LJPI.
Arctic (?) Jaeger: 1 inshore
Southern Skua 1 inshore
Kelp Gull: 10 on LJPI.
Silver Gull: 20 on LJPI & 5 inshore near PF.
Crested Tern: 80 (40) mostly inshore
Also of interest, 3 Black Swans flying parallel to the coast several kms
off PF.
Rohan Clarke
PhD Candidate
'Conservation Biology of the Black-eared Miner'
Department of Zoology
La Trobe University
Bundoora Vic. 3083
Tel 03 9479 1672
Fax 03 94791551
Email
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