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Albatross - Antarctica from a survey ship (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Graham Moffat
- Start date
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
It looks to me like what they call in the new Argentina guide Tristan, Diomedes exulans antipodensis, adult male?
Graham Moffat
Active member
Hi Folks
Thanks for the quick replies and things to think about. Friend of mine is a geologist who is in the area just now but I don't know which ship Andrew, sorry - will try to find out. Sightings were between Falklands and the Antarctic peninsula. Thanks again.
Best wishes
Graham
Thanks for the quick replies and things to think about. Friend of mine is a geologist who is in the area just now but I don't know which ship Andrew, sorry - will try to find out. Sightings were between Falklands and the Antarctic peninsula. Thanks again.
Best wishes
Graham
DMW
Well-known member
It could well be. Howell & Zufelt suggest that ID of these plumages are usually based on range, but perhaps there's a diagnostic feature. I guess Snowy would be the most likely on range, but these birds do get around!
Graham Moffat
Active member
Andrew - sorry, still don't know which ship but my friend is saying that the James Clark Ross had its last trip to Antarctica this season and is to be replaced by the Attenborough next season I think. Hope it's OK that this post is not directly bird-related.
BW Graham
BW Graham
DMW
Well-known member
I went off the amount of white in the wings, the extent of the dark terminal band on the tail, and the blocky shape of the head.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Dark tail tip is the most glaring feature.
Also present to some degree in immature southern royal albatross from what I've read.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Not illustrated in the new Argentina field guide?
The new Seabird book will be out soon, that should be definitive I hope.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Another feature which 'should' be visible on this shot, is the dark, cutting edge to the bill of S-R.
(Some) black on tail of southern royal albatross is shown, and described, in Argentina FG. Also Pizzey Australia FG shows lots of black on tail of southern royal albatross. I've not looked further.
The juv southern royal albatross in the Argentina guide is actually fairly like this bird - though the imm wandering albatross is a bit more like it.
Ditto assuming/hoping.
O, crikey, no - that's really narrow and difficult to see - nothing like as obvious as in Argentina FG paintings. Even in close-up head-shots you're left wondering if it's just the shadow of the edge of the upper mandible.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Images such as this, make me think it should be visible, it also makes me wonder how many images are wrongly identified on Google.
Southern Royal Albatross 14 Photo, Picture, Print | Cornforth Images
View Southern Royal Albatross 14 photo, license this picture, or buy a stunning print by photographer Jon Cornforth, exclusively on cornforthimages.com.
cornforthimages.com
...and in the field - given that most people are probably keener to get wandering albatross on their lists than southern royal albatross.
John_WA
Well-known member
Definitely a Wandering type, and in that location Snowy (exulans) or Tristan (dabbenena) probably most likely, plumage suitable for both of them and bill/head structure not clear enough for me to make a guess. gibsoni also not excludable on plumage, probably less likely at that location.
I don't have that guide, but Tristan should be Diomeda [exulans] dabbenena, antipodensis is one of the NZ taxa
This plumage could suit any of Snowy, Tristan or Gibson's
The brown vermiculations on the body, shape and extent of white extending onto scapulars, head/bill shape all useful
I don't have that guide, but Tristan should be Diomeda [exulans] dabbenena, antipodensis is one of the NZ taxa
This plumage could suit any of Snowy, Tristan or Gibson's
The brown vermiculations on the body, shape and extent of white extending onto scapulars, head/bill shape all useful
Indeed, though this would be very much at the most extensive end for dark tail in a Southern Royal
