birding-aus

Re:Macquarie Is report and Jack

To: "Birding Aus" <>
Subject: Re:Macquarie Is report and Jack
From: "Moorhead Family" <>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:48:35 +1000
Hi folks,

The Macquarie, Campbell, Enderby and Auckland Islands trip was extraordinary (as
others have covered well in this forum).

I'd like to recall my most memorable incident though.

After leaving Macquarie Is and heading NE to Campbell Is in late afternoon, we passed through the best seabirding of the trip. The water drops quickly to 6 km shortly after only a few km's. Most of us were on or adjacent the bridge......White-headed, Soft-plumaged, Mottled, White-chinned Kerguelen Petrels and the odd Blue Petrel were showing well. Most of us had seen the later several times. Jack, being only 11 (and a bit shorter) keep missing the Blue. One time he went to get something for me inside and missed one as soon as door shut. I felt like a mongrel......In my defence with all the activity, I wasn't aware that he'd not seen it yet.....anyway, another belted past....tall people stood up and moved ...........dipped again....I can tell you it is hard to see through binos with tears welling, 40knt breezes, lumpy swells and a crowded bridge..........Then, in fadding light, the dinner call comes out.......Unknowingly, everyone else happily turned their attention to their stomachs (understandable)........Jack was getting hot .......(as he was dressed for 5 deg and we were back on the bridge)......I asked if I could take his coat off....NUP! Want to go dinner......NUP......so I stayed with Adam (a staffer)......minutes go by.....plenty of Antarctic Terns doing their best BP impression......Almost resigned to being the worst person in Jack's short (but abt 575) birding career...........BLUE PETREL......Adam pulls him....I push him to the prime spot......I can say honestly that that was the best individual viewing of such a sensational seabird that I had....banked both ways, showed it's white tail tip and dark cap beautifully....only metres away from the bow.

Triumphantly and tears gone we enjoyed dinner, a red or 3 and a few cans of Sprite for Jack.

Thanks to everyone who made the trip so fantastic....including Jack, who's passion , stamina and knowledge and enthusiasm was a hightlight in itself. To the outsiders (AKA those who preferred the outside deck), Richard, Inger, Dick, Mick, and Bob....and to the insiders (AKA . see above), Chris, Rosemary, and others, thanks
for sharing the experience.

Cheers,

Bill Moorhead
Bundaberg

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