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Lawrence Rock
15 May 2002 I visited Lawrence Rock (10 kms south
of Portland) with Marcel Hoogantinck from Parks Victoria to check on
the Cape Gannets. As we approached we could see 100's of Australasian
Gannets feeding at sea and there were also a few thousand resting on top of
Lawrence Rock so we thought we were in with a chance of finding a cape
among them. Cameras had to stay behind on the boat as the weather was
getting worse making landing difficult and the exit 2 1/2 hrs later nearly
impossible. We eventually found one Cape Gannet and a short time later another
nearby observed from 3-4m they were in an area called the saddle same
place seven were recorded in Jan 1995 and where Marcel had seen them on
previous trips when banding A. Gannets.
Main features id. M.
capensis from M. serrator both have the blue eye ring but
cape has a paler iris and much blacker facial mask- Gular throat stripe is much
bolder and longer in the cape this is very obvious when the birds oblige and
point their bills up which they often do-also cape has an all black tail a good
pointer but not diagnostic as some A. Gannets have this feature, we did
see two A. Gannets with all black tails.
Very few other
sps.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (2) Imm., Little Penguins (3), White-faced Heron
(4), Silver Gull (9). Welcome Swallows (sev.), Black-faced Cormorants
(35+). Also a freshly killed partly eaten (albinistic) Short-tailed
Shearwater was collected it's outer 2-3 primaries were pure white.
Common Dolphins up to 10 on the way out close to L. Rock.
Rob. Farnes
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