Iron Pot and Betsy Island 2/12/05

Had a great day visiting the Iron Pot and circumnavigating Betsy Island. This year the Black-faced Cormorants and Silver Gulls have all moved fron the Iron pot and Little Betsy Is.. The Black-faced Cormorants breeding colonies are on the East face of 'Big' Betsy, where there are over 800 adults and young in 3 colonies on cliffs painted white with guano. The Silver Gulls are on the South eastern corner of the island overlooking Little Betsy.
One pair of Caspian Terns are nesting on the Iron Pot--the only species of tern breeding there, though there are both Pacific and Kelp Gulls breeding there and look to have a firm foothold.

The Islands are particularly beautiful at the moment with pigface flowering over extensive areas. Bill & Els

NB The Iron Pot is at the mouth of the Derwent River and the Betsy Islands are situated to the East lying off Goat Bluff and Black Jack Rocks.