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. 

The trip back was gratefully once again on mostly calm seas and we arrived safe and sound back in Victoria. Here are a few photos from the ferry.

Sunset over Tassie

Sunrise over Melbourne,Victoria

I write therefore I am. I share therefore it’s real. I love because that is why we are here.

Birds and Travels of 2018

I reckon I will have a look back at last year. I will attempt to briefly put into perspective the journeys and the birds of 2018. It was the year that these migraines became a regular part of my life and the battles with depression and anxiety continued to wax and wane as they do. But I am still here and I am not giving up. And I saw eleven new birds. Sure, one big dollar trip to the islands would have netted me more than twice that amount of lifers in a couple of weeks, but travelling around Australia in Troopi is so much more rewarding. However, I will go to those islands one day!   

The map is only an approximation of the travels and only includes life birds. I also went up to SEQ in February, but I dipped on finding an Oriental Cuckoo. I was also dealing with bad depression during that time.

 

The year began with a two Troopy trip in January to Tassie with Robert. There three pelagic birds including the ultra mega-rarity, Juan Fernandez Petrel were added to my list. It was a weird and beautiful time. In the last part of it, I plummeted into some of the darkest depression I’ve ever had, but lived through it as one does. That which does not kill me can still make me pretty damn miserable. You may quote me.
     

I did no more major travelling until April when I met up with Robert again and joined in with the Victorian birders on the beginning of their big birding adventure. At Coober Pedy, with the help of younger ears, I was able to find and add Thick-billed Grasswren to my list. And then I made a decision to make a massive dash north to Katherine, NT. My old bogie-bird, Yellow-rumped Mannikin was being very cooperative there and it was only about two thousand kilometers. I am very glad I made the trip and it had some funny moments (those blogs are here).
           

       

Bogey no more... the Yellow-rumped Mannikin

Then came the wonderful May trip up to Birdsville and then down to Lake Gilles, SA with James and Robert. Thanks entirely to James’ hearing we were able to locate the Grey Grasswren, my 700th bird in Australia. We found them at Bernie O’keefe’s spot down the track. It has become the go-to location for these birds. Lifer High does not get much better than that. I love the Birdsville Track and that area out there. As with so many parts of this wonderful continent, I will return. 

Robert's photo of me on the road to Birdsville

I am not a "badge wearer" this lives on the inside of Troopi's  sun visor beside the 600 badge. 

In June, James and I headed out to the Nullarbor. I was in pursuit of one bird, the Naretha Bluebonnet. We finally found it and James got several other lifers out there as well. We also saw some of the most beautiful rainbows and landscapes I have ever seen. It is beautiful out there. Here are some photos of that beauty (and the parrots).
   

On the way back we called in at Rupanyup where I saw my second Letter-winged Kite in Victoria. It was a lifer for James and a thrill to see. Also, our pal Gary Gale showed up and watched it with us. That was a memorable day.

   

Then there were not a lot of travels until the big trip in September, the Thunderbird Princess Parrot Expedition. That trip will remain one of the highlights of not only my birding life, but of my life in general. I will always cherish that adventure. Of course I blogged about it and you can read it here. I will be working on another book, possibly to be called, “After the Year” and that trip will fill several chapters. It was more than a birding trip. Some of that journey was internal and very necessary. And I saw about 50 Princess Parrots in total over three of the days out there. More importantly, two new life-long friendships were forged with Glen and Bernie. We remain close and in regular contact to this day.

Spring came with more migraine adventures. Botox injections, which had at first seemed like a miracle were working less and less. Then there came the amazing opportunity to move into a two-bedroom house. And we did. I am writing this from my study that doubles as our guest room. It is the bird room and the map room. It is the me room. But 2018’s birding was not done yet. Just after Christmas James and I dashed over to Whyalla, SA and twitched the Citrine Wagtail. That was the eleventh and last lifer for me in 2018. The Tufted-duck was probably already at the WTP, but no one knew it yet.

   

Now I will have a look through my photos for which ones to use to accompany this blog entry. This morning I began the seventh day in a row of migraines. Gratefully, they are mostly not intense. As I write, a migraine visual is blotting out the word that I am writing (that has now passed). The back of my neck aches and spreads into the pressure in my head like a tightening band around my temples and pressing into my forehead. It seems that for now, this is my new normal. I head off to Tasmania this Thursday evening for weekend pelagic trips and will return next week. I will do whatever I need to do to function through the trip and I know that I will enjoy much of it. When I get back, I will get onto my neurologist and see what we can try next. What we’ve been doing is no longer working and this is not a sustainable way to live. I will keep y’all posted. 

This is my desk where I write 

I write therefore I am. I share therefore it’s real. I love because it is why we are here.