Sunday 12 November 2017

Portland Pelagic

It's been a while since I was out birding so I was very pleased to get out on a pelagic birding trip from Portland, Victoria.

As far as Southern Ocean pelagic trips go, this one was calm with only about a 1 metre swell and not much wind so the trip out to the continental shelf was relatively comfortable. On arriving at the shelf we began berleying and were soon greeted by a few of the usual suspects:

White-chinned Petrel

White-chinned Petrel, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 200mm, ISO800, f/6.3 @ 1/4000

White-chinned Petrel, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 200mm, ISO800, f/5.6 @ 1/2000

White-chinned Petrel, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 70mm, ISO800, f/5.6 @ 1/3200

White-chinned Petrel, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 200mm, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/2000


and White-capped (Shy) Albatross

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 180mm, ISO800, f/6.3 @ 1/1600

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 180mm, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/3200

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 130mm, ISO800, f/5.6 @ 1/6400

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 150mm, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/5000

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 160mm, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/8000

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 70mm, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/8000

White-capped Albatross, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 70mm, ISO800, f/5.6 @ 1/1600

along with one immature Black-browed Albatross

Black-browed Albatross (immature), Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-1, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 200mm, ISO800, f/5.6 @ 1/2000

The highlight, however, was a solo Fairy Prion, dancing on the water surface close enough to the boat to get some half reasonable shots :-)


Fairy Prion, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens + 1.4x adapter, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/1250

Fairy Prion, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens + 1.4x adapter, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/2500

Fairy Prion, Southern Ocean (off Portland)
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens + 1.4x adapter, ISO800, f/4 @ 1/2500

Not a wide variety of species but some great photo opportunities.

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