Birdlife Victoria Portland Pelagic, Nov 2015 – Trip Report

BirdLife Victoria Pelagic off Portland, Victoria, Sunday 8 November 2015 Participants: Ruth Woodrow, Tim Bawden, Brian Johnston, David Burren, Mark Buckby, Trevor Hunt, Iian and Alana Denham, John McRae, Jim Wright and Paul Dodd (organiser). Crew: Kev (skipper) and Nick. This was our first trip on a new boat from Portland after the previous operator, Shannon Churchill, sold the Southern Pride to a New Zealand-based charter operator. The new boat, the Timaru is slightly wider than Southern Pride but a little shorter. It is, however, MUCH faster with our trip to the shelf cut to less than two hours compared with two and a half previously. Kevin Treloar, the owner and skipper, was very keen to ensure that we had a good trip – and was very amenable to the directions I provided. Nick, the deckhand was equally receptive to suggestions and was also equally keen that we had a good trip. Activity: Departed Portland Harbour aboard the Timaru at 06.55 heading south-west to the shelf. We stopped right on the shelf break for our first stop at 38°39.422’S, 141°14.432’E in 180 fathoms of water, where we berleyed from 08.50 till 10.10. We moved to the south-east to 38°43.329’S, 141°16.248’E in 500 fathoms and stayed there from 10.40 until 12.00. We moved further east and berleyed at 38°41.924’S, 141°21.860’E in 194 fathoms over a well-known underwater feature called “The Horseshoe” from 12.30 until 13.50. We then headed back to the north-east spending a considerable amount of time circumnavigating Lawrence Rocks, before returning to Portland Harbour and docking at 16.30. No participants were seasick. Conditions: In the harbour there was nil wind and completely flat sea. Once we left the harbour we had no sea and swell of 1-1.5m decreasing to 0.5m during the day. Wind was a light northerly, initially 3-5 knots and easing to 1-2 knots later in the day. It was warm and sunny for the duration of the trip. Summary: A very quiet day on the pond with 19 species of seabird (and three other species seen on the rocks). In addition to low variety, there were low numbers of those species that we did see. The highlight was 15 White-chinned Petrel that magically appeared at the third berley point. Mammals: Common Dolphin: a small pod on the way out and two small pods on the way in. Australian Fur Seal: the normal numbers (about 50) loafing at Lawrence Rocks. One seen inshore on way out. Fish: Shark sp: At second berley point. Initially thought to be Blue Shark, but had unusual white markings on the upper snout and on the top and leading edge of the pectoral fins. “Jellyfish” sp: At second berley point an unusually large number of “jellyfish” of various types including several Portuguese man o’war (Physalia physalis) Birds: Little Pied Cormorant 1 (1). Harbour. Crested Tern 230 (200). Harbour, inshore, offshore and pelagic with around 200 on Lawrence Rocks. Black-faced Cormorant 56 (40). Harbour, inshore and around 40 on Lawrence Rocks. Silver Gull 111 (100). Harbour, inshore and around 100 on Lawrence Rocks. Pacific Gull 1 (1). Harbour. Australasian Gannet ~2000. Inshore, Point Danger (~200) with most on Lawrence Rocks. Shy Albatross 45 (20). Inshore, offshore and pelagic. Most (around 25) at second berley point. Fluttering Shearwater 6 (4). Offshore, 1 pelagic at first berley point. Jaeger sp 1 (1). Inshore between Lawrence Rocks and coast. Not identified definitely to species but considered likely to be Pomeraine. Flying away from us, low to the water, towards a flock of feeding Gannets. Short-tailed Shearwater 550 (200). Several large feeding groups on the water. 6 birds pelagic, 2 at second berley point and 4 at third. Huttons Shearwater 1 (1). Offshore. Fairy Prion 35 (12). Offshore and pelagic. One large group of at least 12 birds on the water as we were heading back in. White-chinned Petrel 40+ (26+). Pelagic. At each berley point with 26+ at third stop. Great-winged Petrel 5 (4). Pelagic. Four gouldi, one macroptera. Antipodean Albatross 1 (1). Pelagic at second stop. Gibsoni. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 1 (1). Pelagic at second stop. Little (Fairy) Penguin 3 (2). Offshore. White-fronted Tern 1 (1). Lawrence Rocks – initially identified when flock of 200 Crested Terns took flight. Easily located when the birds settled down again. Good close looks for all on board. Great Cormorant 1 (1). Lawrence Rocks. An unusual sighting at the rocks. Sooty Oystercatcher 2 (2). Lawrence Rocks. Chestnut Teal 2 (2). Lawrence Rocks. Kelp Gull 3 (2). Lawrence Rocks. Little Black Cormorant 3 (3). Lawrence Rocks. Welcome Swallow 3 (3). Lawrence Rocks. All the best, Paul Dodd For details of future Portland trips, go to the BirdLife Australia web site at the bottom of the relevant Birdlife Victoria page at http://www.birdlife.org.au/locations/all-victoria-statewide/activities-vic For reports of past BA-Vic and BirdLife Victoria trips from Portland and Port Fairy, search the Birding-Aus archives for the trip reports at http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/html/birding-aus/