Montagu Island October 2005

Monday 17th to Tuesday 18th October 2005

We left the wharf in Narooma at 0930 and stayed overnight. The purpose of the visit was to discuss and plan future ecological research on the island. The party consisted of Tim Shepherd, Preston Cope, David Priddel and Nicholas Carlile from Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), Nick Klomp and Amy Jorgenson from Charles Sturt University, Mike Crowley, Petrus Heyligers and me.

Tim, Nick K, Petrus, Mike, Dave, Nick C, self and Preston
[photo by Amy]

During the crossing to the island we saw hundreds of shearwaters both Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris and Wedge-tailed shearwater P. pacificus and lesser numbers of Fluttering shearater P. gavia. Small numbers of Australasian Gannet Morus serrator were seen, both adults and immatures. Two adult White-bellied Sea-Eagles Haliaeetus leucogaster were heading to the mainland, one of them carying a large fish. We saw two Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae towards the S end of the island and 4 Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis.

A courting pair of Crested Tern near the landing on Montagu island

The majority of the western Crested Tern colony

General view of part of the eastern Crested Tern colony


Top and bottom portions of the eastern Crested Tern colony
Note: There is a small overlap between these two panorama composites

Sitting Crested Terns

Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae and Crested Tern Sterna bergii were breeding and several large groups of Fur Seal Arctocephalus sp. were seen hauled-out at various places along the N and W shoreline of the North Island. Many were at the traditional place in the NE corner of North island with a good number in the water nearby, but others were basking on rocks at several locations to the west of here in particular on headlands both sides of Pebble Beach and even on a headland towards the gulch dividing North Island from South Island. We thought about 1000 individuals but as to specific identity of the seals at the various haul-out places, we remained uncertain. It is possible that both Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusilus and New Zealand Fur Seal A. forsteri were present but they all looked rather similar! I took some photos from various locations but from a moving boat it was difficult to obtain really sharp pictures.

Australian Fur Seals hauled out at the traditional NE site on North island



Fur Seals flipper waving in the sea off the NE side of the island



Fur Seals hauled out near Pebble Beach


A bull Fur Seal








Various groups of Fur Seal at haul-outs on the West side of North Island

There were large numbers of gulls and terns at the north landing including many White-fronted Terns Sterna striata, many of which had traces of immature plumage. However, no White-fronted Tern were seen in the Crested Tern colonies.

White-fronted Terns

Most Silver Gull had recently hatched chicks (many eggs pipped) and it was difficult, in the time available, to estimate the size of the colony. The colony this year, and at this time, started from about half way up the track to the Light Station buildings, continued over the saddle and round to the south on the east side of the island where it was clearly visible from the station. There were large numbers often seen on the open area in the region formerly occupied by chook yards and sheds. The gulls were using the complex of patheways, mown area and rocky outcrops close to which their nests were most often found.

Gulls on the open areas N of the Light station

The Crested Terns were at two locations. West of the Light Station and directly below the rock on which the Lighthouse sits with about 150 nests and another colony of about 300-400 nests to the east of the Light Station right alongside the eastern edge of the pathway leading south to the South landing. Terns were sitting and none were disturbed to check status but it can be assumed that incubation was in progress.

Various Silver Gulls - mostly screaming their heads off !

Other species seen included a maximum of 7 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus a male Swamp Harrier Circus approximans, 2 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris, 2 adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle (mentioned already but seen again) a male Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides, Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus calling in several locations, Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis also calling at various locations, a pair of Australian Pipit Anthus australis feeding young at the old vegie Gardens towards the NW side of South island and another single bird seen near the Light Station. Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis seen at various locations including the area formerly occupied by chook yards. This area is easily scrutinized from outside the Light Station buildings. We also saw 17 Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris a male Peregrine Falco peregrinus in the gulch area betwen the two parts of the island, a Whistling Kite Haliastur shpenurus and about 60 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo.

Two Sooty Ostercatcher feeding near the landing place

Large rafts of shearwaters were feeding on schools of baitfish all round the island during the two days. We saw 1 Wandering albatross Diomedea exulans close in on the 18th off the south end. Several Humback Whales were seen at various times- all heading S.

Evening gathering of shearwater rafts against backdrop of Dromederry Mountain

On the return trip to narooma we again had large flocks of shearwaters on the water mostly Short-tailed sheasrwater but some Wedge-tailed Shearwater and about 5% Fluttering Shearwater. one Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophrys, a few Australian Gannet, some Common Dolphin and a fine Sunfish Ranzania sp (probably R.laevis the Oblong Sunfish) close up beside the boat after stopping to investigate it.

In the Narooma estuary we noted large numbers of Crested Tern with 10% White-fronted Tern amongst them. 1 Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris, c. 200 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, 2 Red Knot Calidris canutus, 5 Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis, and sundry Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos, Great Cormarant and Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus.

[These note are based lagely on those taken by MC]