There’s an island off the coast of Southeastern Australia known as Tasmania. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Geographically and biologically isolated, Tasmania is known for its unique (& endemic!) flora and fauna and much of Tasmania is still densely forested. There are 12 endemic bird species on the island of Tasmania so obviously we were going to go!
It was winter (July) during our visit to the land down under, and the further south we went the colder it became. Inland areas of Tasmania are among the coldest temperatures that Australians endure but lucky for us, the coast is more temperate. Temps hovered with highs in the 10-17°C or 50-60°F range so it really wasn’t too bad, especially mid day. (We thought these would be the coldest temps we would experience during our trip because this was the furthest south we would be venturing but oh were we wrong. Never underestimate how the ocean can keep a place mildly warm and never forget how cold deserts can get at night!)
There are at least a thousand neighboring islands within the state of Tasmania’s jurisdiction but one island in particular stands out to birdwatchers. You probably haven’t heard of Bruny Island unless you live in Australia, are very up-to-date with your geography, or are a hardcore birder who knows that all of the endemic bird species that can be found on Tasmania can also be found there. Ross was super keen to visit Bruny Island so the very next morning we left our Airbnb early to get on the ferry. Bruny is very close to Tasmania but there is no bridge connecting the two and one must ride across the channel via ferry. We took the ferry and spent the full next day birding around Bruny Island.
We started our day with the critically endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote which is found in the dryer forest of northern Bruny Island. Thankfully we quickly found a pair of Forty-spotted amongst a flock of Spotted Pardalote. Native Hens and Green Rosellas were everywhere. The wetter rainforests of the southern part of the island held our remaining bird targets so we drove down there to look for them. Bruny is a great place for a day trip and is quite popular amongst mammal watchers as well because this can be a great place to spot the highly endangered eastern spotted quoll. White Bennett’s Wallabies, which have become more common of the population living here are typically a big hit and we saw two white wallabies, but I have to say I much preferred the gray ones. (Go to Hayes Road if you want to see white wallabies!) We hoped to stay after dark and find a quoll coming out or some other mammalian goodies but Roger had other ideas and insisted we go back to the Airbnb so he could get his sleep. We obliged and took him back. One of the biggest things we noticed during our time on Tassie was how fresh the air felt. Simply breathing, and this might sound crazy, was a great experience.
One of the best places in Australia the world to go out on a pelagic trip is from Eagle Hawk Neck in Tasmania. Pelagics from Eagle Hawk Neck head out onto the continental shelf and are often treated to a great selection of seabirds that could include several species of tiny storm-petrels skipping from wave to wave, giant-petrels, petrels, prions, shearwaters, and albatrosses coming so close to the boat you can almost touch them. I said we had come to Tassie for the endemic birds but really, I think Ross came for the seabirds and the immediate access to the ocean. (Unfortunately we didn’t feel it safe to take Roger out on a small seaboat so I stayed behind in Hobart for the two days Ross was away.)
We knew our itinerary prior to leaving for our trip so of course Ross reached out to join on on one of these reknown pelagics. Unfortunately he learned that during the dates we would be visiting, there was no trip on Saturday and the trip on Sunday was already full. So what does one do when they want to go out on a pelagic but learns there isn’t one available to go out on? Naturally they coordinate their own.
For the boat to go out 10-11 people are needed so Ross, with the help of Rob Morris, Ross’s birding friend from the Brisbane area that he met when he lived there, contacted some local Aussies and threw together a trip for Saturday. Because there was now a trip on Saturday, one of the ladies, Ruth, traded her spot on Sunday so Ross could go out both days. Voila!
From an Australian birder’s perspective, the two pelagics Ross coordinated would probably be considered lackluster. No particularly rare birds were seen but Ross loved photographing the albatross and petrels up close. Those who frequent pelagics out of Tasmania are probably used to the hundreds of Shy Albatross weaving through the boat’s orbit, but having these incredible seabirds so close must always be a highlight. (The albatross are not shy at all out here!) The rough seas are not for the faint of heart but pelagics from Tassie are surely some of the most adventurous birding experiences in all of Australia. Along with Ross managing 6 lifers (Great-winged Petrel, Gray-backed Storm-petrel, Antarctic Tern, Common Diving-petrel, Fairy Prion, and Yellow-nosed Albatross) over the course of his two pelagics, the boat on Saturday was treated to a white morph Southern Giant Petrel, quite the rarity for Australia.
We ended our trip to Tasmania by setting off after one of the most bizarre animals that graces planet earth, Platypus. They swim in the water, have webbed feet and a bill like a duck, and a tail like a beaver, but best of all, Platypus are mammals that lay eggs. Oh, and the females don’t have nipples, they have glands that secrete milk into the fur, and the males have a venomous spur on their hind feet that they use to fight other males. They are downright absurd, adorable creatures. What’s not to love about all of that?! There’s nothing else on earth like a platypus! We were super happy to find one and watch it for over an hour up close as it fed amongst lily pads and aquatic vegetation. So cool! Tasmania was a huge success!
This birding occurred 14-17 July 2023
Here’s one of the eBird checklists from Ross’s pelagic and what you might expect to see on a Tasmanian Pelagic. (The other boat participants added sooooo many photos to this checklist!)