Eaglehawk Pelagic – 27th of May, 2017
Participants:
Kevin Campbell, Cathy Cavallo, Andy Jensen, Scott Linnane, Rowan Mott,
James Mustafa, Jenny Ostenfeld, Mark Sanders, Sue Taylor, Els Wakefield,
Tom Wheller and Paul Brooks (organiser and report compiler)
Boat:
The Pauletta, skippered by Michael Males, with deckhand Dean.
Activity:
Left port at 0730 hrs and headed east from Pirates Bay, foregoing the
Hippolytes due to the strong northerlies. We pulled up just beyond the
shelf-break at 0935, in 120 fathoms, to berley. Our drift south was slow
despite the prevailing wind, with the current holding us up. We drifted
out to 155 fathoms, motoring back to the head of the slick twice, before
heading back to port at 1245 hrs, docking at 1450 hrs.
Conditions:
Left port in a 15 knot northerly which increased to 15-20 knots as we got
into deeper water and remained constant for most of the day. Seas were
running at 1.5+ m inshore, increasing to over 2 metres in deeper water,
combining with a swell of 1-2 metres to provide a bit of spray and a few
bumps. There was thin, high cloud for much of the day, with some isolated
patches of full sun, but increasing cloud cover later on. The viewing
conditions up the slick were frustrating for most of the day, with the sun
shining straight back down the trail. Water temperature was 14.8 deg C
inshore, rising to the low 16s out wide. Air temperature was cold in the
strong wind. None seasick.
Mammals:
Australian/New Zealand Fur Seal: 1 hanging around the back of the boat in
pelagic waters.
Short-beaked Common Dolphin: A pod of c. 12 offshore in the morning.
Birds (IOC v 7.1 – max at one time in brackets):
Wilson’s Storm Petrel: 3 (2) Pelagic.
Grey-backed Storm Petrel: 1 pelagic.
Antipodean Albatross: 3 All adult male *gibsoni* in pelagic waters.
Southern Royal Albatross: 1 adult made a couple of passes in pelagic waters.
Black-browed Albatross: 1 adult inshore in the afternoon.
Black-browed type Albatross: 1 Observed at distance in pelagic waters.
Campbell Albatross: 1 immature offshore in the morning; 1 adult in pelagic
waters.
Shy Albatross: c. 50 (27) 4 inshore in the morning; 11 offshore in the
morning; remainder pelagic. Mainly adult *cauta/steadi* with at least 6
immatures.
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 3 (1) 2 adults in pelagic waters; 1 adult
inshore in the afternoon.
Buller’s Albatross: c. 35 (8) 2 inshore in the morning; 22 offshore in the
morning; remainder pelagic. All adult.
Southern Giant Petrel 1 juvenile in pelagic waters.
Northern Giant Petrel: 3 (2) 1 juvenile offshore in the morning; 1 immature
and 1 juvenile in pelagic waters.
Cape Petrel: c. 30 (21) All in pelagic waters; several birds followed us
back into inshore waters. Mainly *capense *with 2 or 3* australe.*
SLENDER-BILLED PRION: 1 bird made a couple of passes in pelagic waters.
This or possibly another bird was sighted briefly in the slick later on.
Fairy Prion: c. 200 (c. 80) Several large rafts around the shelf-break with
lots of birds around the boat while berleying.
Great-winged Petrel: 11+ (11) All pelagic; several birds followed us in,
one bird all the way inshore.
WHITE-HEADED PETREL: 2 (1) Both birds gave good, close views on multiple
passes in pelagic waters.
Grey-faced Petrel: 3 (2) All in pelagic waters.
PROVIDENCE PETREL: 1 bird appeared briefly at distance in pelagic waters.
SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL: 1 bird flew by without stopping near the shelf-break
on our way back in.
GREY PETREL: 1 Gave excellent views as it repeatedly flew right over the
back of the boat before stopping to forage in the slick, even sitting on
the water. Stayed with us for over an hour.
White-chinned Petrel: 1 pelagic.
Sooty Shearwater: 2 (1) 1 pelagic; 1 offshore in the afternoon.
Short-tailed Shearwater: 8 (2) 3 inshore in the morning; 1 offshore in the
morning; 2 pelagic; 2 offshore in the afternoon.
Common Diving Petrel: 6 (2) 5 offshore in the morning; 1 offshore in the
afternoon.
Black-faced Cormorant: 1 offshore in the afternoon.
Australasian Gannet: 5 (5) Inshore in the morning.
Sooty Oystercatcher: 2 (2) Flying out of Pirates Bay in the morning.
Silver Gull: 1 inshore in the morning.
Pacific Gull: 3 (2) 2 adults at the heads in the morning and an immature
inshore in the afternoon.
Kelp Gull: 2 (2) Inshore in the morning.
Greater Crested Tern: 5 (2) 1 offshore in the morning; 4 pelagic.
White-fronted Tern: 2 (1) Pelagic.
Brown Skua: 1 Approached at height in pelagic waters but flew on without
coming close.
PB
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