Living and Birding Gratitude: Eaglehawk Neck Tasmania Pelagic January 2019

Robert Shore and I had spots on Rohan Clarke’s January pelagic weekend in Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania. My old pal and I boarded the Spirit of Tasmania ferry on Thursday evening for the overnight voyage to the Land Down Under the Land Down Under. We would be heading straight down to Eaglehawk Neck to our room at the Lufra Hotel for the next few nights. Staying at the hotel, we would not need Troopi’s camping abilities so we took my Prius. The fuel savings are pretty amazing.

Once again I was blessed with good weather for a crossing. There is something deeply wonderful about nodding off knowing you are crossing the Bass Strait with the roll of the sea to rock you to sleep.

We arrived in Devonport early. The ferry was doing a quick turn around to return to Melbourne and vehicles were to begin disembarking at 5:30am. For various reasons, I had been awake since 2am. I was ridiculously tired. We had a lovely ride south to Eaglehawk Neck and were able to check-in early to our room. I did get a nap and that helped. The next morning we met our friends and other birders at the boat and chugged out to our first day of birding.

Truth be told (and I would not take the time to write anything but the truth as I know it), I am not that keen on pelagic birding. I talked about it in the book. There are several reasons. One, it can be uncomfortable. Two, it can take hours of uncomfortable-ness before you really begin birding. Three, as I have aged, I need to wear a patch to insure against seasickness and those patches themselves make me feel crap, (but not seasick!). Four, my pelagic bird identification skills are still woefully lacking. I mainly try to position myself near an expert (there are usually several) and when they call a bird and point to it, I am usually able to look at “that” bird, and that will do for me. I will add that regardless of the above, I am always awed by the massive majestic grace of a Wandering Albatross, or the delicate dance of lovely little Storm-Petrels as they seemingly walk on water by the boat, or the sweet Prions darting to and fro above the waves. Yes, there are certainly some beautiful birds out there, but they are often a long way out there.

When Rohan called the first Common Diving Petrel I was close nearby and was instantly looking at the distant small sea bird to which he was pointing. I saw it, but certainly not well. A half an hour or so later I was much relieved when Rohan called it again and this bird flew right by the boat in clear view. Robert even got a few quick ‘recording’ shots. My camera was in the cabin most of the weekend. My sense of balance is not what it used to be and jostling for photo position would have been difficult. I just want to be sure I see with my eyes the bird that has been identified as the bird. I do love to have some sort of photos if possible and I am grateful for Robert’s images for this blog entry. Here are three of the Diving Petrel.

The Common Diving Petrel had been my pelagic “bogie bird.” I had repeatedly not seen it and I had certainly tried. The birds are often seen on the way out and on the way back in, so I would continue scanning the sea as most everyone else hunkered in for the ride. Yes indeed, I was extremely happy to get good looks at this small “Button-quail of the Sea” (as I had come to call it).

My second lifer of the weekend was Cook’s Petrel. It was seen twice, giving us good views as it flew along the slick and then down the side of the boat. Sweet looks, no photo.

The second day seemed a bit less rough in the beginning and I brought my camera out for some of it. I took a few photos, but was focused on seeing the Buller’s Shearwater and did not get much of a photograph. It was the third and final lifer for my weekend. The wind blew up a bit on the way in and I was glad not to be trying to find a Diving Petrel as we bumped our way back to port. The first two photos are Robert's shots of the Shearwater. Then a few of my photos.

Believe it or not, that is a Buller's Shearwater. My shot.

Lifer Pie in the form of Ice Cream (I do Lifer Days now and am having one as I write this).

We stayed on another day at the Lufra Hotel in our comfortable “fisherman’s room,” as they refer to the first floor rooms out the back. We went out that evening in hopes of finding a Morepork for Robert. However, smoke from the small bush fire earlier in the day had settled over the area and it was unpleasant. I did photograph a pair of Tawny Frogmouths before we called it a night.