By Peter Ryan, onboard scientist, expert in general ornithology, seabird-fishery interactions, evolutionary ecology, marine debris, solid waste management, biology of oceanic islands.
Leg 1, Day 25.
A very quiet day, that got quieter as it progressed. Even the White-chinned Petrels, which have been our constant companions since leaving Cape Town, gave up and were replaced as the main ship follower by White-headed Petrels. Only one albatross was recorded – a young Grey-headed visited the ship on station shortly before we left at 15h00. Short-tailed Shearwaters were regular before the CTD station, heading south, but dried up in the late afternoon, and from 17-18h00 only a single White-headed Petrel was observed. The late afternoon watch was enlivened only by a solitary South Polar Skua, which headed south like the shearwaters. At only 9 bird species, today was by far the lowest diversity recorded to date:
| Short-tailed Shearwater | 160 | White-headed Petrel | 15 |
| Fairy Prion | 10 | Antarctic Prion | 10 |
| Black-bellied Storm Petrel | 6 | Mottled Petrel | 5 |
| Diving petrel spp. | 3 | South Polar Skua | 1 |
| Grey-headed Albatross | + |
