Sunshine Coast Birds

Birding and other wildlife experiences from the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere in Australia - and from overseas - with scribblings about travel, environmental issues, kayaking, hiking and camping.

Friday 6 December 2019

South-East Australia Road Trip Spring 2019: Part 5 - Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic

Southern Royal Albatross

From Port Arthur I joined a pelagic trip on November 9. I'd messed up the dates for another trip organised by Paul Brooks that I'd been booked on so was fortunate that Bernie O'Keefe and Hedley and Irena Earl made room for me on this one, which Paul also joined. We headed out of Eaglehawk Neck and past the imposing Hippolytes with its attendant Australian Fur-Seal colony.

Australian Fur Seal

Hippolytes
A blustery south-westerly of up to 25 knots was blowing with a 2-3 metre swell in conditions which would have been marginal for the south-east Queensland pelagics but are commonplace in Tasmania. It took us about 2.5 hours to reach the shelf.

Shy Albatross
One of the things we miss in Queensland is big numbers of albatross and it was sheer joy to once again be among these beautiful birds. Although I've been on numerous southern pelagics in years long gone, it's been quite some time between drinks. I was impressed by the chumming methods used on the boat. The deckhand was devoted to the task, dividing his time between cutting up and dispensing chicken skins, and pulverising fish scraps in a berley bin attached to the back of the boat. The results were impressive.

The first of several Southern Royal Albatross appeared soon after our arrival off the shelf and a couple of Antipodean (Gibson's) Albatross were seen. 

Southern Royal Albatross

Southern Royal Albatross
Antipodean Albatross

Antipodean Albatross
Shy Albatross was, as expected, easily the most common with a maximum of 40 or so at one time around the boat and many more during the day. We had 2 Black-browed Albatross and 3 Campbell Albatross while out wide. 

Black-browed Albatross

Campbell Albatross

On the way back we had a Buller's Albatross up close and distant views of a Light-mantled Albatross as it disappeared into the distance before anyone could get onto it.

Buller's Albatross
White-chinned Petrel was common. Good numbers of Short-tailed Shearwater were about, possibly indicating a late return amid suggestions that the species suffered severe declines while on migration during the northern summer. 


White-chinned Petrel

White-chinned Petrel
A few Northern Giant-Petrels offered fine close-up views and a single Southern Giant-Petrel was often behind the boat. A single Grey-backed Storm-Petrel was seen briefly.
Ebird list.


Northern Giant-Petrel

Southern Giant-Petrel


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