TRIP REPORT

Saturday 10 January saw the ZEST II put to sea in a fresh southerly wind and overcast conditions for the first Anne Albatross Trip of the New Year. On board were several overseas birders including a well known Scottish birder, Graham Clarke. The guides for the day were Alvin Cope, Ian Sinclair and Barry Watkins.

The first true pelagic, a Cory's Shearwater, was seen on rounding CapePoint. Birds were scarce as we headed in a southwesterly direction and the most common species sighted was the Common Tern. We encountered Yellowtail at 14 nautical miles and the first albatross, an immature Shy, was seen at 18 nm. Yellownose Albatrosses were not seen on the previous two pelagics and it was with some relief that an Atlantic and Indian Yellownose were seen before we came to the only trawler for the day at 26 to 28 nm from the Point.

The sky had cleared by now and spectacular sightings were had of Greatwing Petrels circling within spitting distance of the boat. The most common species attending the trawler was the Kelp Gull with at least 500 individuals. Sabines Gull was in attendance and Alvin, once again, was the first to spot the first of two Spectacled Petrels. Both species of Giant Petrel were present and both species of Yellownose obliged by coming in very close.

By the time we turned for home the southerly wind had picked up considerably and bird sightings dropped off apart from one Indian Yellownose, five Greatwing Petrels and the more common Whitechinned Petrels and occasional Sooty Shearwaters.
The cry went up "whale blow" and we able to see a cow and a small calf shallow diving. There was some doubt as to whether the animals were Sei or Fin Whales. The Fin whale has the lower right hand side of the head white and pale markings on the upper right hand side. These markings were not obvious and the dorsal fin fitted the description for Sei Whale. It was therefore decided that the whales were Sei Whales, as a result of lack of white face and back and the distinct erect and hooked dorsal fin.

The whales were seen in blue water and approximately 15 nautical miles from the Point where there was a distinct line where the water colour changed from blue to green and some Cape Gannet activity at the interface. Could this have been the same Sei Whale seen by Alvin Cope and Barry Rose twelve days earlier while out on a fishing trip.There was no calf then. This was the first record of a Sei Whale spotted on an Anne Albatross Bird watching trip in over six and a half years so it was a good start to the New Year.

Bird species and approximate numbers:

Blackbrowed Albatross 30
Shy Albatross 40
Atlantic yellownose Albatross 3
Indian Yellownose Albatross 7
Souther Giant Petrel 6
Northern Giant Petrel 2
Manx Shearwater 1
Corys Shearwater 30
Great Shearwater 5
Sooty Shearwater 10
Greatwing Petrel 10
Whitechin Petrel 60
Spectacled Petrel 2
European Storm petrel 10
Wilson's Storm petrel 30
Arctic Skua 6
Pomarine Skua 2
sub-Antarctic Skua 1
Sabines Gull 15
Kelp Gull 500
Common Tern 60
Gannet coastal
Bank Cormorant coastal
cape cormorant coastal
Whitebreasted Cormorant coastal
African Penguin coastal and one individual at sea
Mammals: Cetaceans: Sei Whale with small calf.