Day SIX
We departed around 7.30 A.M. from
Eaglehawk Neck for a day on the water with John Males. On the way out to the
Hippolyte Rocks we came across our first Common Diving-petrels and
Fluttering Shearwaters were seen by some. On
the rock itself were Black-faced Cormorants, Kelp and Silver Gulls and
Australasian Gannets . Also Australian Fur Seals including one pup. Not
long past the rock we started to see the first of several Albatross for the day,
an unidentified immature Giant Petrel and a distant unidentified Prion species.
All in all variety was low but the seas were calm and the Albatross eventually
came in to feed behind the boat, giving some American visitors there first close
looks at Albatross.
Species seen
Little Penguin (1)
Common Diving-Petrel(10)
Giant-Petrel sp?(2)
Great-winged Petrel(4)
Prion sp? (1)
White-chinned
Petrel(4)
Short-tailed Shearwaters
(thousands)
Fluttering
Shearwater(?)
Wandering Albatross(2)
Black-browed
Albatross(1)
Shy Albatross(~30)
Yellow-nosed
Albatross(2)
Buller?s
Albatross(~20)
White-faced
Storm-Petrel(1)
Australasian Gannet(several)
Artic Jaeger(1)
Arriving back about 3.30 P.M., we
drove back to the Pines Resort near Hobart airport. On the way adding Great
Egret to our trip list. Little Wattlebirds were plentiful around our
accommodation as were Scarlet Robins. After dinner we had an early night ready
for our flight to Melaleuca in the morning.
Day SEVEN
We arose to a fine morning in
Hobart but news of a front with 30 knot winds at Melaleuca dampened our spirits.
After birding around The Pines and the Airport for a while we headed over to the
terminal and waited for a weather improvement. At around 11 A.M. our pilot came
out and said lets go!! Finally with more than a little trepidation we boarded
the small aircraft spurred on by the thought of seeing some Orange-bellied
Parrots . We initially headed inland but the weather closed in on us and we had
to head out to the coast, which was very worthwhile as the scenery around the
southern and south-western coastline was absolutely spectacular. After a very
smooth flight we landed safely at Melaleuca. It was cool and overcast and
occasional rain squalls but we managed to see 8 Orange-bellied Parrots,
stunning! We also saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Green Rosella, Striated
Fieldwren,Tasmanian Thornbill, Crescent Honeyeater, Dusky Robin, Olive
Whistler,Grey Shrike-thrush, Superb Blue Wren and Beautiful Firetail whilst at
Melaleuca.
The flight back was just as
spectacular and we flew over Bruny Island and up the Derwent River to Hobart.
Dropping people off at the airport was productive with several Musk Lorikeets
and 2 Swift Parrots feeding in Eucalypts at the airport.
Another great trip come to an
end. Apart from Scrubtit,Forty-spotted Pardalote and the Black Currawongs at
Derwent Bridge all the other Tasmanian Endemics were seen regularly through out
our trip.
That's all folks !
Until
next trip
Dick
Jenkin
DUNGOG
NSW
