Hi all, Here's the first of two trip reports for pelagic excursions that ran
off Port Fairy over the weekend. Interesting to see how things change (or
don't) over a two day period.
Regards
Rohan Clarke
PORT FAIRY (PF), VIC, PELAGIC TRIP REPORT, 10 May 2003
OBSERVERS: A trip organised for third year marine ecology students at La
Trobe University. Rohan Clarke, Simon Goldsworthy and 10 students were on
board
WEATHER: Patchy cloud cover with two or three short showers in the am.
Generally good visibility. Cool to mild. SE wind to 10 knots inshore at
first rising to 20 knots well offshore and slowly swinging to the NE by the
end of the day. 20 knots inshore as we came in.
SEA: Very choppy on a small confused swell throughout the day. Although the
wind was much as forecast the steep and persistent chop had not been
predicted until late the afternoon.
A rough ride with spray and plenty of 'bumps' both going out and coming in.
Time at the shelf was shortened because of the large number of students
(6/10) that fell ill and we spent more time than usual in the lee of Lady
Julia Percy Island enjoying the seals. Although they were warned, a late
night at the pub was not the best preparation for a day at sea!
ACTIVITY: Sailed at 07.00 EST. Headed directly to the sea mount at 38º49.2'S
141º51.2'E with a couple of short stops on the way. With the exception of a
band of prions and a few shearwaters between the 40 and 50 fathom mark few
birds were seen on the trip out. We crossed the shelf break (100 fathoms) at
0930. Between 1000 and 1200 we stopped and berleyed with shark liver at two
locations around the sea mount. Initially, bird numbers were low at each
site but they rapidly grew to big aggregations with good diversity. Coming
in, a single stop was made for the best bird of the day (which got away) and
we again passed through the Prions in offshore waters. We cruised off the
western and northern shores of Lady Julia Percy Island (LJPI) and sat off
the main seal bay in sheltered conditions from about 1350 until 1445. Docked
around 1550.
MAMMALS: 1,000's of Australian Fur Seals at LJPI mostly females with large
pups. Also about 25 at sea mostly in one feeding aggregation with attendant
gannets and albatross.
BIRDS: 24 species of seabird beyond the river mouth indicated good
diversity. Counts probably don't reflect the true abundance of many species
as there were fewer observers than normal, spray whilst travelling limited
opportunities and time beyond the shelf was limited. Best bird was a
probable Barau's Petrel, followed closely by an obliging Sooty Albatross and
a Soft-plumaged Petrel. Unless noted otherwise, those listed below were near
or beyond the shelf break (i.e. pelagic).
Little Penguin: 5 all on LJPI.
Great-winged Petrel: 100 (60). all nominate race
Cape Petrel: 1
Soft-plumaged Petrel 1
[Barau's Petrel: 1 probable. The bird was seen at a distance alongside a
Cape Petrel that provided a good indication of size. While both dorsal and
ventral surfaces were seen, each was only seen once before the bird was lost
from sight.]
Fairy Prion: c. 500, mostly offshore, but 100 pelagic & few inshore.
Slender-billed Prion: 1
Antarctic Prion: 1
Short-tailed Shearwater: 30 (10). 4 pelagic, 20 offshore, 5 inshore.
Fluttering Shearwater: 1 inshore.
Wandering Albatross: 2 (1 exulens and 1 smaller bird)
Black-browed Albatross: 80 (50) with nom. race, 10+ (5) impavida, 40+ (20)
Shy Albatross cauta: 50 (30). 4 offshore, 2 inshore.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 10 (3). 3 offshore, 2 inshore.
SOOTY ALBATROSS: 1 imm that remained with us for 5 mins and flew directly
overhead on several occasions.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel: 15 (8).
Common Diving Petrel: 1
GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL: 5 (5).
White-faced Storm-petrel 1 offshore
Australasian Gannet: c.1000 (120) mostly offshore but 1 pelagic.
Black-faced Cormorant: 2 ads. on LJPI.
Southern Skua 1 pelagic
Kelp Gull: 8 on LJPI.
Silver Gull: 25 on LJPI and 8 inshore
Crested Tern: 50 (20). 35 inshore, 15 offshore
Rohan Clarke
Department of Zoology
La Trobe University
Vic 3086
office 03 9479 1672 mobile 0408 947 001
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