Report prepared by: Chris Brandis.
Departed: 07:15 returned at approx. 16:15
Sea conditions: calmish to 1m swell.
Swell: SE less than 1.0m.
Weather: Warm winter sunshine becoming overcast in the afternoon.
Summary:
A trip mainly to start banding of returning Wedge-tailed Shearwaters but most birds did not appear to be hungry and only a few were caught in the afternoon and a more trusting Sth Giant-Petrel.
Highlights:
No outstanding birds but a cute juvenile fur seal and close encounters of a pod of inquisitive Humpback Whales as well as a few other pods, some breaching.
Birds recorded according to the latest Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:
Species code: Species name: Numbers:
005 Little Penguin Eudyptula minor 1
929 Southern Giant-Petrel Macronectes giganteus 2
937 Northern Giant-PetrelL M. halli 1
080 Cape Petrel Daption capense 1
971 Solander's Petrel P. solandri 10
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinuspacificus 50
068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 200
068 Huttons Shearwater Puffinus huttoni 150
847 Gibson's Albatross Diomedea gibsoni 6
088 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys 10
859 Campbell Albatross T. impavida 2 (1)
861 White-capped Albatross T. steadi 6
091 Shy Albatross T. cauta 1
864 Indic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri 12
104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 50
980 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 3
981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 6
125 Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae 200+
114 White-fronted tern Sterna striata 5
115 Crested Tern S. bergii 70
Other birds:
226 White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucocaster 1 adult
Mammals:
Humpback Whales, at least 3 pods
Common Dolphin
Bottle-nose Dolphin, with the whales
AustralianFur Seal