A week later than planned, inclement weather in the form of very strong winds claimed the scheduled trip, a pelagic from Portland, SW Victoria, went ahead, on 13th April in fine conditions. In fact, the weather was probably too fine, with a low number of species and total numbers of birds recorded. By compensation, those on board were treated to wonderful views of 2, possibly 4, Blue Whales seen about 8 miles south of Lawrence Rock both on the outward and return journey to Portland. One spouted, close enough to the boat to smell its breath and seen rolling on its side with a huge flipper in the air. This close encounter of the Leviathan kind was the highlight for most on board.
Weather was fine with minimal cloud cover for much of the day and temperatures climbing to the high 20s. The wind was 5-10 knots for most of the day but increasing to 20 knots in mid-afternoon giving us a bumpy ride home. The sea was slight with no swell and not a single case of mal-de-mer. We reached the shelf about 20 miles south of Lawrence Rocks, motored west along the shelf and then returned to Portland. Those on board were: Ian Ashton, Gail Berry, Rob Berry, Mike Carter,Peter Crabtree, Murray Grant, Ivor Grainey, Roger Hicks, Martin Hulzebosch, Peter Lansley, Rory O'Brien, Rod Sympson.
Birds
Little Penguin 1 in moult, on Lawrence Rocks and another dead in the seaover the shelf
Black-browed Albatross 30+ attracted to 'chum' put over the side of which about half were the pale-eyed race
Yellow-nosed Albatross 10 - In the morning seen closer inshore than other two species of albatross
Shy Albatross 30 attracted to 'chum' commonest albatross over the shelf
Great-winged Petrel 10 over the deeper water at the shelf
Fleshy-footed Shearwater 4 over the shelf
Short-tailed Shearwater small numbers (<20) in shore and 1 over shelf
Fluttering Shearwater 6
Wilson's Storm Petrel one flock of 30 over the shelf and other individuals seen during the day
White-faced Storm Petrel up to 6 with the Wilson's Storm Petrels and other singles seen through the day.
Common Diving Petrel 1
Australasian Gannet Numerous inshore with the colony on Lawrence Rocks being the focus of their movements
Black-faced Shag 50+ on the rocks of Lawrence Rocks
Pacific Gull Portland Harbour
Silver Gull Portland Harbour and Lawrence Rocks
Crested Tern Portland Harbour and 2 over the shelf
Arctic Skua (Jaeger) 6 2 light phase and 4 dark phase including 2 lightgrey/brown birds
Long-tailed Skua possibly one
Mammals
Blue Whale 2-4 about 8 miles south of Lawrence Rocks
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