Hi All,
The BirdLife Australia pelagic got out off Eaglehawk Neck, SE Tasmania
last weekend. The trip was another great success (see below). The next
scheduled trips are for July 19th and 20th and September 13th and 14th
2014. All trips are at present fully booked (with fairly long wait
lists) but contact me if you wish to be added to a wait list.
Cheers,
Rohan Clarke
BIRDLIFE PELAGIC TRIP OFF EAGLEHAWK NECK, TASMANIA
Sunday 16th Feb 2014
OBSERVERS: Carol Page, Bernie O'Keefe, Karen Dick, Chris Lester,
Rosemary Lester, Dave Bullock, Graeme Bullock, Glen Pacey, Sue Abbotts,
Xenia Dennett, Els Wakefield and Rohan Clarke (organiser and report
compiler).
WEATHER: Moderate to heavy cloud (~80%) throughout the day. Occasional
patches of sunlight. Mild to warm. Initially a 20 knot south-westerly
wind, increasing to 25 knots by midday with gusts to 30 knots.
SEA: Small swell to 1 m inshore, building to 2 m with occasional sets to
3 m beyond the shelf. Despite the persistent wind the sea didn't get up
as expected and at worst we had to contend with a 1-1.5 m chop. As is
usual for an Eaglehawk Neck pelagic the boat seemed to handle this well
and the trip wasn't too rough. There was some intermittent spray when
underway but we didn't get drenched! At least one seasick.
ACTIVITY: Departed Pirates Bay Wharf at 0710. Headed out to the shelf
via the Hippolytes (a rock stack that effectively marks the boundary
between inshore and offshore waters). Small numbers of albatross, gulls
and terns inshore, good numbers of birds around the Hipploytes, fairly
quiet in offshore waters but then very good numbers beyond the shelf.
Crossed the shelf break (100 fathoms) at 0910 before making our first
stop at 43º08.33'S 148º12.54'E over 270-300 fathoms of water. Here we
berleyed with fish frames and tuna oil. A second stop was made at
43º01.45'S 148º16.21'E over 250 fathoms of water. Headed back in at 1240
(a bit earlier than usual as the seas was starting to get more lively
and there were reports of 35-40 knot winds just to the south west near
Tasman Island) to dock at about 1500.
MAMMALS:
Australian Fur Seals: 60 ashore on the Hippolytes and the adjacent small
rock stack. 1 inshore in the PM.
Common Dolphin: At least 4 different pods with a total count of at least
35 animals. All inshore and offshore in the AM.
BIRDS: 30 species beyond the point at Pirates Bay is an excellent count
for a Tasmanian pelagic. Highlights were the good diversity of petrels,
notably many Gould's as well as flybys by Mottled, Providence,
White-headed and Soft-plumaged Petrels.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel: 6 (2). All pelagic.
Grey-backed Storm-Petrel: 20 (10). All pelagic.
White-faced Storm-Petrel: 130 (70). 1 offshore in AM, remainder pelagic.
NZ Wandering Albatross: 6 on plumage. All pelagic but at least 2
followed us back into offshore waters. All were consistent with gibsoni.
4 appeared to be adult males, remainder indeterminate.
Southern Royal Albatross: 1 adult pelagic at the second berley point.
Campbell Albatross: 5 (3). All pelagic. 2 adults, 2 immature (plus 1
juvenile presumed to be this form).
Shy Albatross: 100 (45). 15 inshore, 5 offshore, remainder pelagic. 2
imm pelagic, remainder adult.
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 1 adult with scruffy upperwings that
visited both pelagic berley points.
Buller's Albatross: 45 (12). 21 inshore, 1 offshore, remainder pelagic.
All adult.
Short-tailed Shearwater: 2000 (500). 600 inshore in the AM, similar
numbers offshore and remainder pelagic.
Sooty Shearwater: 40 (5). 2 inshore, 15 offshore and remainder pelagic
passing through as ones and twos .
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER: 1 pelagic at the second berley point. Generally
scarce off Eaglehawk Neck.
Common Diving-Petrel: 2 in inshore waters in the PM.
Northern Giant-Petrel: 1 immature as a flyby in offshore waters in the AM.
White-chinned Petrel: 80 (35). 1 offshore in AM, remainder pelagic.
Fairy Prion: 4 (1). All pelagic.
Great-winged Petrel: 2 (1). Both NZ gouldi. Both pelagic. Remarkably scarce!
PROVIDENCE PETREL: 2 (1). Both pelagic at the second berley point.
White-headed Petrel: 1 pelagic.
GOULD'S PETREL: 21 (3). A steady stream of flybys at each of the berley
stops (pelagic) and an additional individual in offshore waters in the
PM. Mostly distant.
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL: 1 that provided excellent if brief views in
offshore waters in AM (over about 65 fathoms of water).
MOTTLED PETREL: 1 flyby that approached reasonably close but
unfortunately passed across the bow of the vessel (so views were
obscured) at the second berley point.
Little Penguin: 2 together close inshore in the PM.
Australasian Gannet: 20 (10). All inshore. Another 40 on the Hippolytes.
Black-faced Cormorant: 20 (15). All inshore. Another 760 on the
Hipploytes including many sitting on nests.
Crested Tern: 12 (4). All inshore. Another 20 on the small stack
adjacent to the Hipploytes.
Arctic Jaeger: 2. 1 dark bird and 1 intermediate bird (both distant) in
inshore waters in the AM.
Pacific Gull: 6 (4). 4 adults, 2 second year individuals. All inshore.
Kelp Gull: 40 (10). All inshore. Another 30 on the Hippolytes.
Silver Gull: 33 (10). All inshore. Another 45 on the Hippolytes.
An immature White-bellied Sea-eagle on the Hippolytes rounded out the list.
--
Rohan Clarke
www.wildlifeimages.com.au
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