From: "Rohan Clarke" <>
Date: 18 February 2004 5:14:16 PM
PORT FAIRY (PF), VIC, PELAGIC TRIP REPORT, 15th February 2004
OBSERVERS:Rob Berry, Adrian Boyle, Joan Broadberry, Rohan Clarke, Gail
D'Alton, Tania Ireton, Chris Lester (organiser), Rosemary Lester,
Andrew
Silcocks, Simon
Starr, Geoff Walker, David Webb, Bruce Wedderburn.
WEATHER: Clear and sunny till 10:00 then 6/8 cloud cover for the
remainder
of the day with occasional bright patches. While much of south-eastern
Australia sweltered in record temperatures we enjoyed a rare t-shirt
day at
sea! No wind as we left PF. A light breeze mostly to 5 knots picked
up
midmorning and remained for most of the day. This increased to 10-15
knots
in the last hour on the run from LJPI into Port Fairy. The sea was
therefore
surprisingly pleasant.
SEA: Initially, almost glassy on a low ~1 m SW swell. The
swell and the chop built slowly through the day but with such a light
wind
only to a 0.5-1 m sea on a 1.5-2 m swell late in the day. In contrast
to our trip a fortnight ago this was a comfortable ride all day.
ACTIVITY: Sailed at 07.00. There were few birds over inshore waters,
the
highlight
being 2 Diving Petrels. Soon after two BLUE WHALES
were encountered actively lunge feeding at 0800 and we stayed with
these for
20-30 mins. After resuming our course just 8 km further on we
encountered
two
more BLUE WHALES behaving in much the same way and we again stayed with
these for 20 mins or so. We crossed
the shelf-break (100 fathoms) at 9:50 and continued out into pelagic
waters.
In the
pelagic zone, we made three berley stops within a 10 km area centred
on
38º50'S 141º52'E. At each stop, we attracted good numbers of
Storm-Petrels
but
smaller numbers of other species. We departed the pelagic zone at
13.00. A
brief stop was made for yet another BLUE WHALE in 36 fathoms. This
animal
was travelling towards our earlier sightings and being 14 km to the
nearest
of these earlier observations may well have represented a fifth
animal. When
inshore, we cruised
off Lady Julia Percy Island (LJPI) from 1445
to 15.05. Docked at 16.05.
MAMMALS:
Australian Fur Seals: 1,000's at LJPI, 8 inshore and 4 offshore.
Common Dolphins: Three pods: one of 4+ in 38
fathoms at 38º30.19'S 142º09.85'E, another of 50+ in 56 fathoms at
38º42.01'S 141º59.87'E and one of 4+ in 18 fathoms at 38º27.45'S
141º58.04'E
BLUE WHALES: In the absence of rarer birds these were the highlight of
the
day. 2 at 38º32.82'S 142º07.58'E in 27 fathoms. Occasional lunge
feeding by
both animals (surging just below the surface and rolling on their
sides to
expose pectoral fin and tail fluke). Observed from 8:00 to ~8:20. 2
different animals at 38º36.04'S 142º03.61'E in 34 fathoms. Again with
occasional feeding by both animals. In both of these sightings the
animals moved around the stationary vessel at distances down to ~150 m
and
continued to feed. A single large animal was sighted at 38º37.31'S
141º53.28'E in 37 fathoms at 13:50. This animal appeared to be
travelling
rather than foraging and was heading in the direction of the earlier
sightings.
Birds:
Generally low diversity and low numbers. 3 Buller's Albatross together
was
perhaps the most noteworthy species.
Little Penguin: 9 inshore and 4 offshore in p.m.: 2 near, & 17 on,
LJPI.
COMMON DIVING-PETREL: 2 inshore in a.m.
Great-winged Petrel: 6 (4). mostly nominate race, 1 (?) gouldi. all
pelagic
Fairy Prion: 1 pelagic, (1 other unidentified prion offshore)
WHITE-CHINNED PETREL: 2(2) pelagic
Flesh-footed Shearwater: 3 (2) pelagic
Sooty shearwater: 1 pelagic
Short-tailed Shearwater: c.500 (200). 350 offshore, 100 inshore & 50
pelagic.
Fluttering Shearwater: 2 inshore in am, 4 inshore in pm
Hutton's Shearwater. 20 inshore in the pm (+ 100 unidentified
'Fluttons'
Shearwaters)
Black-browed Albatross: nom. race, 10 (6). all pelagic. 2 juvs
impavida, 1 ad pelagic.
Shy Albatross cauta: 30 (15). 24 pelagic, 6 offshore. mostly adults, 4
sub-adults.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 12(5). 8 pelagic & 4 inshore. mostly adults, 1
sub-ad.
BULLER'S ALBATROSS: 5 (3). 3 pelagic, 2 offshore, all adults
GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL: 20 (10). all pelagic. Many in heavy primary
moult.
White-faced Storm-Petrel: 60 (30), 10 offshore, remainder pelagic
Australasian Gannet: c.90. 35 inshore, 45 offshore, 10 pelagic.
Black-faced Cormorant: 14 on LJPI
Kelp Gull: 18 adults 2 juvs on LJPI.
Silver Gull: 80 inshore, 30 on LJPI.
Crested Tern: 40 inshore, 2 offshore
Dr Rohan Clarke
Threatened Mallee Bird Project
Zoology Department
La Trobe University
Bundoora 3086
Ph: 03 9479 1672 Mobile 0408 947001
