RV Investigator Voyage IN2016_V01 Seabird Observations, Australia (2016)

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Seabird and incidental cetacean and seal sightings were recorded during daylight hours during the entire voyage. During the voyage, there was 2,581 transect counts of seabirds of 61 species. Coverage was good over the area around Heard and McDonald islands, with some coverage also of Gunnari Ridge. Also covered some deeper parts of the Central Kerguelen Plateau.

There were 31 sightings of sea mammals away from the immediate vicinity of Heard and McDonald islands (fur seals were sufficiently common in waters around Heard and McDonald Island to be treated using the same method as for seabirds). Sightings included five species of whales and three species of dolphins. The most intriguing series of sightings comprised seven sightings (approximately eight animals) of blue whales over Gunnari Ridge on 9/10 February (another sighting on 21 January may have been in the same area, as it was approximately 1° north and 1° west of the February sightings).

Each species has been linked where possible to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS https://www.marinespecies.org).

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