Dear all,
this species needs to be split in the opus. In that context, I started looking at what we had in the gallery and which could be confirmed to be either northern or southern. Some are already labeled - but do they fit the current criteria? I will link to 10 photos in this post and make further posts.
Niels
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this species needs to be split in the opus. In that context, I started looking at what we had in the gallery and which could be confirmed to be either northern or southern. Some are already labeled - but do they fit the current criteria? I will link to 10 photos in this post and make further posts.
Niels
Southern Royal Albatross
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Southern Royal Albatross
Very similar to the Gibson's; the black line between lower and upper bill is the key identifier.
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About time ...
for another Southern Royal. Well, maybe the same one. I think we only saw one. But at least this is a different "pose" ;) Note again the dark edge to both mandibles and the "smile wrinkles" at the back of the eye.
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Southern Royal Albatross
Besides that narrow dark streak along the mandible edges, our guide on the pelagic (but not my field guide) mentioned that the Southern Royals have a dark crease or streak behind the eye. The field guide also points to their bills being...
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Welcome home, Mum! Whaddja bring me?
One of the two Royal juves stretching its wings to greet an arriving parent. Judging by the order of pics, the parent was doing its final fly-by when I took this shot of the juve. A few dozen shots later, I have a landing sequence.
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Royal fly-by
Albatrosses are much better at gliding than at landing. The arriving parents, coming to feed their chicks, made several loops around the head, gliding lower and lower before finally landing. In the end, the two we saw land weren't as clumsy as...
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Royal landing
See? Nailed that landing. Not so clumsy after all. Now I need to get some work done. I'll finish browsing later.
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Young Royal
Today's three all taken through the plexiglass windows of the albatross center's hide. Not sure if this juve is a prince or a princess, but it's definitely young royalty. Fully fledged and testing its wings (as you'll see later), but not yet...
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Royal Albatross
This is from a group of young pre-breeders called "gams" displaying to each other. This particular display is called "sky-calling" in which wings are outstretched with the head and neck stretched upward. This display is...
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