Comments on: Wandering Albatross?

By: Bill Bourne

Bill Bourne — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:00:51 +0000

Surely your photo is too light for a gony (the size of a sheep) or even a nelly (the size of a sheep-dog)- you should have noticed them as you took the picture. I favour a Procellaria, probably White-chinned, surely not unusual in those parts?

By: Gunnar Engblom

Gunnar Engblom — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:17 +0000

Bill, you are absolutely right. I should have noticed the size of an aAlbatross or a Giant Petrel when taking it. I was just blown away to see the pic, which I mis-judged as flying away....

By: Bill Bourne

Bill Bourne — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:18:12 +0000

By: Gunnar Engblom

Gunnar Engblom — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:49:13 +0000

Thanks Sergio
I got it. I just got confused with the angle of the photo at my first look. It looked to me as it flew away....and the white part was the face and the dark spot the eye....
My brain had locked at that image...
You know, it is like that image of an old woman or a young girl
depending how one put the focus.

Looking closer one sees that the bird is flying towards the camera.

By: Sergio

Sergio — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:24:56 +0000

Gunnar, i recommend you a lot this book for pelagic birding trips: ALBATROSSES, PETRELS & SHEARWATERS. 2007. FROM ONLEY & SCOFIELD (PRINCETON FIELD GUIDES).

CHEERS,

SERGIO

By: Gunnar Engblom

Gunnar Engblom — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:20:23 +0000

Doug: It is most likely a White-chinned Petrel. See the update above!
This was a very good excersize. And a lot of good seabirders took part in the forums I participate in. I guess I have to add Wandering Albatross to one of those 1000 I have to see before I die! Keep on dreaming, Gunnar.

By: Doug Hanna

Doug Hanna — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:16:35 +0000

Gunnar: Why isn't this a Parkinson's Petrel (or other large dark petrels)? The bill seems light with a dark tip and body is very dark. The narrowness of the wings may be due to angle?? It seems too chunky for albatross.