| - 2 Humpbacked Whales
- 1 GREY-HEADED ALBATROSS
Although a northwester threatened the trip, the day turned
out fine and the Obsession left a little after 8am, with guides
Ross Wanless, Martin Benadie, Mike Crewe and Sue Jackson on
board. Almost immediately, we encountered two Humpbacked Whales
just outside Simon's Town. Unexpectedly close inshore, they
gave us very good views. We found a massive group of Cape
Gannets, Cape Cormorants, Sooty Shearwaters that were all
diving just off the Point, with 3 or 4 Subantarctic Skuas
in attendance.
We found a single trawler at 10 am, and saw Pintado Petrels
for the first time as we approached it, with activity of all
species increasing. Surprisingly few Wilson's Storm-Petrels
were around. After half an hour or so, a juvenile Grey-headed
Albatross was spotted, which caused quite a stir. This bird
was definitely the trip highlight and had everyone excited,
landing on the water close to the boat and dipping its head
underwater with the slightly goofy look typical of young albatrosses.
When they heard the winches, several thousand Cape Gannets,
White-chinned Petrels, Sooty Shearwaters, Pintado Petrels,
and Black-browed and Shy Albatrosses all got up and started
feeding behind the boat, joined by the odd Kelp/Cape Gull.
The young Grey-headed Albatross spent some time worrying a
moribund eel-fish at the surface. Better views of this rare
bird would simply not have been possible. We saw a single
Yellow-nosed Albatross, bringing the total number of albatross
species up to four.
We waited behind the trawler for the net to come up, then
followed it for about 45 minutes as processing began on board
while it steamed off for another fishing ground. On our return
trip, we stopped off for the Bank Cormorant colony at Partridge
Point for good views of these birds. We finished the trip
in perfect weather, bringing back to land memories of the
dramatic spectacle of thousands of seabirds feeding behind
a trawler.
|
