*Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania – Pelagic Trip Report – 04/02/2012*
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*Participants:* John Weigel (organiser, with thanks to Tim Faulkner), Paul Brooks (report compiler), Richard White, Peter Jenkins, Ruth Brozek, Franz Steinhauser, Andrew Walter, Maggie Mitchell, Stewart Mitchell, Richard Johnstone, Els Wakefield, James Melville & JJ Harrison.
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*Conditions:* Sunny for most of the day with just a small cloud band about half way out to the shelf break. Light winds (5-10 knots, easterly) all morning with the predicted strengthening of winds in the afternoon not eventuating. If anything, conditions became calmer. Low swell of around 1m, with very little chop. A very comfortable ride all day.
*Activity:* Left Pirate’s Bay at 7.20 am, headed south-east to the Hippolytes. Did a lap of Big and Little Hippolyte (Cheverton Rock) and then headed straight out to the shelf break. Started our first berley run at -43.1767, 148.243 from 10.25 am. Drifted up the slick before motoring north-east to set up another slick at -43.1409, 148.3280 from 12.15 pm. Drifted along this slick before motoring back to the shelf for a final stop at -43.1106, 148.255 from around 1:10 pm. Headed straight back to Pirate’s Bay at around 1.50 pm, disembarking at 3.40 pm.
*Birds:* The total of 23 species was probably a good count due to the calm conditions throughout the day. Undoubtedly, the highlights were the two sightings of a White-necked Petrel (possibly two separate birds), seemingly the first well documented record. Coming in a close second was the extended view of an immature Sooty Albatross (initially thought to be a Light-mantled). The bird was content to sit in the slick for some time, as was a single Salvin’s Albatross.
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Little Penguin: 5 (3) One inshore, 4 offshore.
Northern Giant-petrel: 1 (1) Pelagic.
*Pterodroma* sp. 1 (1) Offshore in the afternoon, too distant and fleeting to ID.
WHITE-NECKED PETREL: 1 (1) Pelagic, sighted at the first and second berley stops. Possible that it was two separate birds.
Fairy Prion: 2 (1) 1 inshore, 1 offshore.
White-chinned Petrel: 30 (20) All pelagic, many followed the boat between berley stops.
Sooty Shearwater: 2 (1) Pelagic.
Short-tailed Shearwater: Tens of thousands (1000+). A vast swathe of birds heading south encountered in the afternoon stretching from horizon to horizon. Several other small flocks encountered throughout the day.
Fluttering Shearwater: 2 (1) Offshore.
Common Diving-petrel: 2 (1) Offshore.
Wandering Albatross: 2 (1) Immatures, both pelagic.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 2 (1) Immatures, both pelagic
Shy Albatross: Race *cauta*, c. 40 (12), race *salvini*, 1 (1) Race* cauta*inshore to pelagic, many followed the boat between stops. Race* salvini* pelagic.
Buller’s Albatross: 30 (19). Inshore to pelagic, many followed the boat all day.
SOOTY ALBATROSS: 1 (1) Pelagic. Initially identified as Light-mantled Sooty but corrected to immature Sooty after consultation with Rohan Clark.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel: 1 (1) Pelagic.
White-faced Storm-petrel: 7 (15) Pelagic.
Grey-backed Storm-petrel: 5 (9) Pelagic.
Australasian Gannet: 25 (15) Hippolytes and inshore waters.
Black-faced Cormorant: Hundreds on the Hippolytes and inshore.
Jaeger sp. 1 (1) Inshore near the mouth of Pirate’s Bay in the afternoon. Too distant to ID to species level.
Pacific Gull: 2 (2) Little Hippolyte (Cheverton Rock).
Kelp Gull: c. 40 (20) Hippolytes and inshore.
Silver Gull: c. 50 (20) Hippolytes and inshore plus one pelagic.
Crested Tern: 80 (60) Pirates Bay, Hippolytes and inshore (60 roosting on rocks at the mouth of Pirate’s Bay).
*Mammals:*
Australian Fur Seal: c. 30 on the Hippolytes and several more loafing around in the surrounding waters.**
SHEPHERD’S BEAKED WHALE (probable): 2 (2) Pelagic. Identity unresolved at sea but observers noted a beak as one whale broke the surface. Identity of the whale tentatively confirmed as this species after examination of a photograph of the dorsal fin and back colouration by the Australian Marine Mammal Centre’s Paul Ensor. Very few live records in Australia or worldwide and a stunning topper for the trip. ===============================
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