Hi All
Please find below a trip report on the recent pelagic trips out of
Eaglehawk neck (TAS), written and compiled by Els Wakefield and Scott
Baker. Thanks to everyone who attended and made these trips possible.
For anyone that may be interested, I will be organising one more trip this
year which will occur in either October or November (dates still to be
confirmed).
Kind regards,
James Melville
W: http://www.birdingintas.net/
*
*
*Report Eaglehawk Neck Pelagics 1st and 2nd Sep-12*
*By Els Wakefield and Scott Baker.*
Fortunately both Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd September dawned fine and
relatively calm compared to the previous week as the state seemed to be
under a large high pressure system for the weekend. The boat was The
Pauletta, skippered by John Males, assisted by his son Michael. The
passengers included a group from the mainland led by John Weigel as well as
a few Tasmanian locals. Thanks to James Melville for coordinating the trip.
Participants were:
JJ Harrison (Saturday, Sunday)
Els Wakefield (Saturday, Sunday)
Jeremy O'Wheel (Saturday, Sunday)
Robert Morris (Saturday, Sunday)
John Weigel (Saturday, Sunday)
Glen Pacey (Saturday, Sunday)
Scott Baker (Saturday, Sunday)
Ruth Brozek (Saturday)
Jenny Warren (Saturday)
Timothy Collins (Saturday)
Andrew Walter (Saturday)
Michael Dempsey (Saturday)
Edward Doddridge (Saturday)
Mick Brasher (Sunday)
Robert Hamilton (Sunday)
Fletcher McCormack (Sunday)
Graeme McCormack (Sunday)
Robin Banks (Sunday)
Michael Banks (Sunday)
David James(Sunday)
Departing at 7am from Pirates Bay, some were keen to travel directly out
to the Continental Shelf so it was agreed not to go via the Hipolytes. On
the way we were aware of hundreds of Common Diving Petrels, more than most
of us had experienced before. In addition there were Silver Gulls, 1 adult
White-breasted Sea Eagle, 6 Australasian Gannets, 3 Shy Albatross, 1
Yellow-nosed Albatross, 1 Juvenile Kelp Gull and 1 Crested Tern.
There was a confused chop on top of about a 1m swell, which made
photography difficult for some although the light conditions were good. I
noticed three people who were sick but only briefly and they soon rallied
round.
We had two burley stops, the first bringing in 13 Shy Albatross, 1
Australasian Gannet, 3 Crested Tern, 2 Cape Petrel, 3 Great-winged Petrel,
2 Northern Giant Petrel, 3 adult and 1 juvenile Black-browed Albatross, 1
Southern Royal Albatross and 1 Gibsons Wandering Albatross.
The second stop had 7 Crested Tern, 50 Shy Albatross, 2 Northern Giant
Petrel, 4 Sooty Shearwater, 4 Cape Petrel and 1 Southern Giant Petrel.
Heading back to shore, we had 1 Bullers Albatross, 1 Silver Gull, 1
Black-faced Cormorant and 1 Sooty Oystercatcher. Coming to shore, a
Pacific Black Duck flew past, an adult Sea Eagle was perched in its usual
tree at Pirates Bay and two Firetail Finches were feeding in the afternoon
sun on a grassy spot by the jetty allowing close shots from behind a large
sign that made a perfect hide.
The Firetails were there again on the Sunday morning as we left but not as
photogenic this time in the shade. A Peregrine Falcon was perched on a
high tree as we departed. This time it was decided to go out past the
Hipolytes as JJ had pointed out that the Shelf comes in just past the rocks
and it has been a prime area for photography. Following the coast, 38 Kelp
Gulls were counted perched on the cliffs. There were also 2 Silver Gull, 4
Black-faced Cormorant, 2 adult Pacific Gull, 23 Australasian Gannet but
only 1 Common Diving Petrel. At the Little Hipolyte there were Kelp Gull,
Crested Tern, Black-faced Cormorant, Silver Gull and a Little Penguin. At
Hipolyte Rock there were Silver Gull, 1 juvenile and 2 adult Pacific Gull,
37 Black-faced Cormorant, 22 Kelp Gull and 1 Peregrine Falcon chasing
everything into the air!
On our way to the Shelf, there were 100s of Common Diving Petrel again as
well as 1 Shy Albatross, 2 Great-winged Petrel, 1 Bullers Albatross.
At the first of three burley stops there were 2 Crested Tern, 6
Great-winged Petrel, 2 White-headed Petrel, 1 Northern Royal Albatross, 1
Northern Giant Petrel, about 30 Shy Albatross and 1 Bullers Albatross.
At the second stop there were 2 Black-browed Albatross, 1 Fairy Prion, 4
Cape Petrel, about 30 Shy Albatross, 5 Great-winged Petrel, a Crested Tern,
1 Southern Royal, 5 Northern Giant Petrel and 1 Northern Royal Albatross.
The Third stop began with the probable sighting of a Blue Petrel flying
past. In addition there were 2 Southern Giant Petrel, 1 Black-browed
Albatross, 8 Cape Petrel, about 20 Shy Albatross, 2 Northern Giant Petrel,
3 adult and 1 immature Southern Royal Albatross, 2 immature Northern Royal
Albatross and 1 Wandering Albatross.
On the return trip our skipper, John Males, took us past the Hipolytes
again and close below the magnificent cliffs of Tasman Peninsula. We had
close views of the geological features and the waterfall and were able to
count 8 Pacific Gulls in 4 pairs along the coast. There were also some
Silver Gulls and 2 Pied Oystercatchers near Pirates Bay. There was no mal
de mer this time and although there had been the same confused chop at the
shelf, the water calmed down to almost flat for the return trip.
1st Burley Point (Saturday)
-42.99386061,148.31371161 at 9:09 am drifting to -42.98861577,148.32179072
at 10:45 am
2nd Burley Point (Saturday)
-42.92383607,148.32461982 at 11:22 am drifting to -42.91682539,148.32981269
at 12:33 pm
3rd Burley Point (Saturday)
-42.90827557,148.30308101 at 12:52 pm drifting to -42.90448858,148.30351552
at 1:07 pm
1st Burley Point (Sunday)
-43.21365536, 148.18499096 at 9:30 am drifting to -43.21906967,
148.18738066 at 10:15 am
2nd Burley Point (Sunday)
148.21744803, 17.600000381469727 at 10:32 am drifting to -43.24292279,
148.21628762 at 11:27 am
3rd Burley Point (Sunday)
-43.27539047, 148.19349533 at 11:51 drifting to -43.27776515, 148.19571693
at 12:24 pm
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