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| Pauletta, photo by Steve Reynolds |
On Saturday and Sunday I enjoyed pelagics out of Eaglehawk Neck on the Pauletta. I went in May because this is the best month to see Southern Fulmar. I've done 14 trips out of Eaglehawk Neck, but only once before had I travelled to Tasmania with the single target of seeing Southern Fulmar. I confess that I didn't really expect to see it, but I felt sure that if I remained home in Melbourne the lucky people on the boat would be sure to enjoy lengthy, perfect views of fulmars.
The weather was kind. There was no rain, little wind, 1.5 metre swells on Saturday, less on Sunday and temperatures not nearly as cold as an autumn in Tasmania is entitled to be. I saw 29 species on Saturday and 32 on Sunday. Nine of these 32 I had not seen on Saturday, making a total of 38 species for the two trips. That's my count. Others saw more. I am inhibited both by my lack of mobility and my very poor eyesight. And probably most importantly, by my ignorance!
As regular readers of this blog will know, I am quite incapable of moving around on mobile boats. I get on board (with difficulty and with assistance), find myself a seat out of the way and stay there until my quarry is sighted. Then, invariably, the entire boatload of people always helps me to my feet and ensures that I get good looks at my target bird. This certainly happened on this occasion: both on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday we set off with enthusiasm. There were 12 of us on board plus John, the captain, and Adam, the deckie. We enjoyed smooth seas and saw many Black-faced Cormorants and Short-tailed Shearwaters. There were lots of Shy and Buller's Albatross and a sprinkling of Common Diving Petrels, Cape Petrels and Fairy Prions. We also saw several Soft-plumaged Petrels, normal light phase birds. Later, we saw a dark phase bird, which was considered to be a first for Tasmania. (Some experts thought this bird was in fact an intermediate phase.) On Sunday we again saw darker Soft-plumaged Petrels. We saw Grey-backed Storm Petrels on both days and on Saturday, one of my favourite seabirds, a White-headed Petrel. (This photo was not taken on this trip.)
At 10.20 a.m. on Saturday, I could barely believe it when someone called 'Southern Fulmar.' Initially I thought it was a joke. But it was real. With assistance I staggered to my feet. I was helped to the front of the boat where the fulmar had landed on the water amongst a group of albatrosses. It gave me excellent views. I staggered back to my seat and sat, glowing in satisfaction at seeing my quarry. In fact I felt quite smug. The bird flew in front of me, just to make sure a had another look. On Sunday, I saw it again, flying right past me. I could not have had better views.
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| Southern Fulmar, my 823rd Australian bird, photo by Steve Reynolds |
Sunday was overall an even better day. We saw Sooty Albatross, then another bird which was initially called as a Light-mantled Albatross. Indeed that's what I thought it was. It had a pale mantle, which, I was informed was worn feathers. It was in fact another Sooty Albatross. Traps for beginners. There weren't as many Buller's Albatrosses on Sunday as on Saturday, but there were plenty of Royal Albatross, both Northern and Southern. There were several wandering types. I saw just one Black-browed and one Campbell Albatross.
We had prions on both days, mainly Fairy, but also (according to the experts) at least one Slender-billed and one Antarctic.
If I initially doubted the Southern Fulmar call, I was quite incredulous on Sunday when someone called 'White-necked Petrel.' I look for these birds in summer in New South Wales and southern Queensland. Late autumn in Tasmania seemed a bit odd. But there was the bird, clearly sporting a white neck. I didn't even have to stand up as it flew right in front of me. This bird I'd looked for twenty times. Two ticks in two days. It was unbelievable. And very soon, a clever South African birder on board broke the news: the bird was not a White-necked Petrel. It was a Great Shearwater. This made more sense. Many people were delighted. It was a lifer for them. Not for me. I'd seen Great Shearwaters off Port Fairy in 2011.
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| Great Shearwater, masquerading as a White-necked Petrel, photo by Steve Reynolds |
I didn't mind. I'd seen my Southern Fulmar. That's the reason I travelled to Tasmania. I came home very happy.
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