Since joining BIBY, my fishing trips have taken on a whole new outlook. Learning much about sea birds, and finding some I didn't know existed.
Taken last earlier this week, about 15klm from shore, south of Bruny Island Tasmania.
First thought it was a juvenile shy albie, then perhaps a Grey Headed, but the white cap did not fit. Expanded "My Location" on Morcombe's iPhone app, and found this one.
Just love the vivid yellow and black contrast on the beak.
Also sighted - Royal Albatross, Shy Albatross, Short Tailed Shearwater (nearly ready to head north again) as well as the usual Pacific and Klep Gulls.
Beautiful bird and great photos.
Amazing :)
Chris
yes, that bill stands out
Peter
How fascinating , I remember having seen Albatross along the beaches of the South of France. But I can’t find any information about them. I would think they most likely came from Africa across the Mediterranean. Don’t know what kind of Albatross they were. Any idea what kind they could be? I will write to some friends over there, but don’t expect a quick answer, you know what friends are like?
M-L
Araminta, I'm wondering if what you saw on the beaches of South France were, in fact, albatrosses. I've just had a look in A Field Guide to the Seabirds of Australia and the World by Gerald Tuck & Hermann Heinzel & there aren't any albatrosses listed there which range anywhere near Europe. All the albatrosses listed are either in the Southern Ocean or Northern Pacific excepting the Waved Albatross which covers a relatively small area centred on the Galapagos Islands.
According to this field guide, dwatsonbb, the Buller's Albatross you photographed would have been at the very edge of or even slightly to the west of the limit of its range. It's a sighting that would be worthwhile reporting to relevant bird range authorities.
Wow!
I couldn't find any reference either. But in the fishing village I used to spend every summer for 35 years, there are streets, houses, Hotels and boats called Albatross. You can buy souvenirs of all shapes all depicting Albatrosses. Why would they do that if there weren't any? I should have paid more attention to them when people pointed them out. I hope to get some answers.
M-L
dwatsonbb
http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=3 is a bird sighting program or
http://www.sossa-international.org/
then I checked most recent sightings for BA in Tas
http://www.eremaea.com/MostRecentSightings.aspx?CommonNamesSet=1&Context=MostRecent&Region=18&Species=108
and there have been plenty but you should/could still report your sighting
Peter
dwatsonbb
http://www.eremaea.com/BirdlineRecentSightings.aspx?Birdline=3 is a bird sighting program or
http://www.sossa-international.org/
then I checked most recent sightings for BA in Tas
http://www.eremaea.com/MostRecentSightings.aspx?CommonNamesSet=1&Context=MostRecent&Region=18&Species=108
and there have been plenty but you should/could still report your sighting
Peter
I just got some mail from France, here it is:
bonsoir marie lou j espere que tu vas bien ,
concernant les albatros... désolé mais il n'y a pas d 'Albatros dans notre région se sont des mouettes tout simplement ,les albatros se trouvent dans les régions nordiques voilà..je t embrasse très fort très très fort............. Christian PS IL Y A PLEIN DE NEIGE TOUT AUTOUR DE LA VILLE
Well, as he says, No Albatrosses, just big Gulls.
People are probabely just longing for them and dreaming of them.I'm still dreaming of them too.
Now I will look for them in the "nordiques" regions.
M-L
Beautiful shots of what's probably my favourite albatross! Love that contrasting yellow, like others above.
I think Bullers Albatross is reasonably common off Tas, though perhaps more so at certain times of year (winter?). I recently went on a pelagic trip off the Tasman Peninsula down here and saw 7 species of albatross, incl Buller's, and highly recommend such a trip to anyone even remotely interested in sea birds. I'm going again in May!
Thanks for posting these great photos, and great to hear of your increasing interest in seabirds :)
Cheers,
Scott.
Thanks all, I will report sighting Pacman. Looking back, have seen these from South Bruny Island to Schouten Island (mid east coast of tassie), just always mis-identified. Morcombe shows Tasman Sea, Bass Strait and up as far as south coast of NSW in their range. Seem Albatross are one of the few I can get close to, or more they get close to us looking for a feed. It s the Shy Albatross, which is most often sits near the boat, looking for a free meal.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania