Pelagic Trip - Tasmania - Australia

Eaglehawk Neck - Tasmania - Australia
Trip date Sun 14 Apr 2024
Ebird report: Paul Brooks
Participants:
Marcio Conrado, Andrew Dyson, Hannah Fitzgerald, Mona Loofs-Samorzewski, Nick Priest, Raiza Sartori, Bronwyn Scanlon, David Sinclair, Tom Sloane, Els Wakefield, Dale Watson, and Paul Brooks (organiser and report compiler)
Boat:
The Pauletta, skippered by John Males with deckhand Stacey Beswick.
Activity and Conditions:
The calm and mild conditions forecast for today left us with little hope of much action; our fears were misplaced however because, despite numbers being on the low side, diversity was good, and we were visited by some fine birds. The highlight was an adult Sooty Albatross which cruised in from the north - just after somebody had mentioned needing to see one! The bird slipped close past the port side and disappeared to the south all too quickly but is notable for being the only April record for Eaglehawk. Pterodroma petrel numbers were surprising given the lack of wind; Great-winged Petrel was common, and we had good views of White-headed Petrel, a very showy Soft-plumaged Petrel, and Providence Petrel. Gibson’s Albatross was also common, with a steady stream of visitors, including two birds that sat at the stern and warded off the Shy and Buller’s Albatrosses while uttering seldom heard vocalisations. An early juvenile White-fronted Tern dived repeatedly into our slick over a few minutes, giving great views. A notable omission from the list was a giant petrel of any stripe, and albatross diversity was low overall. All in all though, it was an unusual combination of a great seabirding day in beautiful boating conditions.
We departed Pirates Bay at 0706 hrs, making for The Hippolytes. We passed by Cheverton Rock and circumnavigated The Hippolytes, before motoring south-east towards the shelf-break, pulling up to berley over 402 f at 0902 hrs, drifting generally south along the slope to 405 f by 1105 hrs. We headed back north at this point to slightly deeper water, berleying over 521 f from 1132 hrs. We drifted south to 456 f at 1242 hrs before making for port, docking at 1505 hrs. We had one deviation on the way to investigate a congregation of mainly albatross, over a bait ball, about half way over the shelf.
It was mainly clear and cool in the morning, with north-westerly breeze below 5 kn and a low swell. Offshore, the swell rose to 2-3 m but sea remained negligible in the light breeze. Past the shelf-break, the swell rose to 3-4 m, but the variable breeze remained light, and seas were below .5 m. It remained clear for the morning, but began to cloud over after midday, becoming mainly cloudy for our return to port. Air temperature was very mild for mid-April, being in the high teens, and water temperature was also very high for April: 17.2 deg C inshore, rising to 19.1 deg C in deep water. None seasick.
Mammals:
Brown/New Zealand Fur Seal: 30 (24) Mainly on The Hippolytes/Cheverton Rock; 1 offshore.
Short-beaked Common Dolphin: 5 (5) Inshore.

Video director: Marcio Conrado
Assistant: Raiza Sartori
Video production: Birdcheckbrasil
2024