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GREAT DESTINATIONS TASMANIA 6 World of Birds • 2023 www.birdguides.com ALL PHOTOS: JOSH JONES UNLESS STATED Come to Tasmania Some 250 km south of the Australian mainland, Tasmania is bustling with unique wildlife, much of which is easy to see amid awesome scenery. Josh Jones outlines some of the unmissable spectacles which are highlights on any trip to this special place. Not only is Tasmania beautiful, but it is superb for wildlife. Bruny Island Neck, shown here, is an isthmus of land with blue seas and white sand either side. It supports breeding seabirds such as Little Penguin and Short-tailed Shearwater. S teaming out into the open expanses of the Tasman Sea, anticipation was building. This was my first-ever pelagic in Southern Hemisphere waters – and boy, was I excited. The Tasmanian coast ebbed away towards the western horizon and our surroundings became increasingly uniform blue. Kelp and Pacific Gulls had trailed the boat since leaving the quay at Pirates Bay, but were suddenly joined by something significantly larger. “Albatross!” Its e ortless gliding put the gulls to shame as it sheared past the boat, giving us a nonchalant stare before continuing on its way. Shy Albatross. What a bird! Then another came. And another. And then a Campbell Albatross. “This is alright,” I thought. As we headed further from land, it became apparent that Shy Albatrosses were part of the furniture in these waters. Breeding locally on islands o Tasmania, it is an expected sight on any Tasman pelagic and comfortably the most numerous albatross. At one point, a trawler passed us with several dozen in attendance, as well as a couple of Campbell and a single Salvin’s Albatross in among the fray. Scything past at breakneck speed were Short-tailed Shearwaters, easily the commonest seabird here with several thousand sometimes in view. Sturdy, blackish fulmar-like birds transpired to be White-chinned Petrels, which were among the first to come and land by the boat when we started chumming. The Shy Albatrosses quickly followed and soon we were surrounded by these spectacular birds at point-blank range, squabbling over bits of squid. Meanwhile, the occasional Wilson’s Storm Petrel fluttered by, looking tiny and insect-like compared to their giant cousins. Some time passed. And then it happened. Up went the shout: “Southern Royal Albatross o the stern!” Pelagics off Tasmania will produce a wide range of seabirds, including Southern Royal (larger birds) and Shy Albatrosses.