Wednesday 23 January 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday 28 - Shy Albatross

As you may have gathered I have been in Tasmania for a while, and the last two WBWs were brought to you courtesy of the schedule function and intermittently functioning mobile broad-band.  So, if I did not manage to reply to your comments or visit you site pleas except my apologise!

Tasmania is a truly wonderful part of Australia - with a rich heritage, globally significant landscape areas and wildlife that has not be decimated (too badly) by development, deforestation, rabbits or foxes (although the fox problem has unfortunately arrived in the island state).

We spent all of out time there on the east coast.  During our visit we went on two boat trips - neither of them ever really get you out of sight of the shore, but the scenery and wildlife were stunning.

On both of these trips I finally got to sea living albatross!  I can only claim one species - Shy Albatross (Diomedea cauta), but that will do for me.  These are absolutely stunning birds with a wingspan of over 2m (thats about 6 feet!).  At one stage we were in a boat with 3 huge outboard motors moving along a decent speed, and we were over taken by an albatross that was not even flapping its wings!  It just shot past.

The trip was a wee bit bouncy and the birds are very fast moving, so I ended up with a low hit rate on the pictures.  I was just shocked at how many birds I saw - there must have been upwards of 20 different birds around the boat at one time ore another.  At times we could see five or six at the same time.   Now I like watching dolphins (pictures to follow), but I could not believe the number of people on the boat who seemed slightly unimpressed by the albatrosses!  How can that be!  Strange people.

So, here in my general order of preference are my favourite Shy Albatross shots from both trips:








Many of the shots I took ended up in the recycle bin - and a good number did not even contain albatross!  But I loved the fact I could take dozens of images, often in rapid fire mode - if anybody anywhere has lingering doubts about digital imaging, they should try taking pictures of rapidly moving birds, from a bouncy, crowded boat!

But now is your turn to link up to WBW.

Remember to visit, comment and link back to WBW!

SM

54 comments:

  1. very cool! Glad you got your albatross! They are pretty impressive birds, so beautiful. Great photos too!

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  2. awesome looking birds! definitely a gull on steroids! :)

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  3. Nice pictures you show an albatross :) Hanne Bente

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  4. I would love to see an albatross but if that requires a boat ride, I guess I will never see my albatross. Those who were unimpressed probably considered them just another gull, or rather to them, seagull.

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  5. Wonderful pictures of a bird I`ll probably never see,thanks for sharing & hosting,phyllis

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  6. Oh how exciting Stewart! Your photos are terrific!

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  7. A gorgeous bird!! I totally agree with the whole digital thing, I'm fairly new to photography so it's really all I know. I can't imagine not being able to take pictures in rapid succession. I have many of those same shots in them that have either no bird or only part of a bird in them!

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  8. Fabulous images of an awesome bird Stewart! I don't suppose I'll ever see an albatross in my life.

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  9. How cool is that ... isn't it supposed to be good luck to see an Albatross? Or am I confusing that with the expression "Albatross hanging around your neck"... hmmmm Knowing that they have a wingspan of six feet gives new meaning to that expression. Whatever, it sure was your lucky day ... and you did get enough good shots between your blanks to make a great post. Thanks, Stewart:)

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  10. Your flight shots are impressive as are the water photos! I've never seen an Albatross. Very striking birds!

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  11. I understand it must have been fantastic to see those big albatrosses! I can't believe they have larger wingspan than the Mute Swans! :)
    Really nice photos of them! Good job!
    Greetings Pia

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  12. I think you got some very wonderful shots from that bouncy boat. I especially like the one of the outstretched wingspan that not quite graces the water.
    Well done Stewart!
    Looking forward to the dolphin shots as well. :)

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  13. What a big wing span the albatross has. I love the rapid fire button on my digital camera and it is always interesting going through all the shots. I used to have a hard time hitting the delete button, but now I can easily press it and get rid of those not so perfect shots.

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  14. How exciting! A wingspan of six feet?! Holy albatross, Batman! They are gorgeous birds and like you I would have been thrilled to pieces to see them. You managed quite a few excellent shots despite the conditions.

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  15. Great series!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  16. well, they are on my wish list as well. :) To bad people don´t appreciate them. But they might do some day. Mostly it is lack f knowlede I guess and they wanted dolphins. :)

    You don´t have to appologise for not always having time to comment. Don´t let it overtake your life. :)

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  17. Those bird flight photos are fantastic.

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  18. Glad u liked Tassie! (My home-I know living in Mildura, can't get much more different!) great shots.

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  19. What a grand time you must have had in Tasmania, Stewart! The Albatross is really an impressive bird - it must have been amazing to see them in flight! I think your photos are great.

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  20. Amazing birds and how I wish I could see one! I can see dolphins from the land - but certainly not these birds! Great photos.

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  21. Wow it looks magnificent. I would love to see one. I am collecting stamps for the RSPB to help protect the Albatross. From Findlay

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  22. Gorgeous photos Stewart! I bet Tasmania is fantastic. Just love your Albatross pics.

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  23. Handsome looking bird.

    I'm really taken with shot #4 with the wing almost touching the water.

    Since your visit, has anyone called you a little devil? lol

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  24. Well done! I'm impressed that you got these shots from a bouncing boat!

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  25. Ηallo Stewart!I realy enjoyed reading your post, and waching these amazing pictures of the albatross!! Beautiful birds!I'm waiting to see your photos with the dolfins!Until then,wishing you a lovely day!
    Dimi..

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  26. Stewaert,
    Very attractive series, congratulations ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  27. Great serie of photos of the albatross!

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  28. Stewart, awesome shots of the albatross! They are cool looking birds. I have not been on a pelagic trip, it would be nice to see the sea birds. Thanks for hosting WBW, have a great week ahead.

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  29. Wonderful series of shots, Stewart. Mickie :)

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  30. Wow, albatross! Had to laugh at your comment that some of the pictures you took didn't have one in them. I've had that happen with other critters--and people. Glad you were able to get some to show us.

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  31. An awesome bird for sure. I've never seen one. Thanks for sharing!

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  32. I love the one where his wingtip is just barely above the water. Not impressed with the albatross? I don't understand that, either.

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  33. Lucky you Stewart- each shot of the Albatross is amazing as they glide so close to the sea and soar through the air.

    Well done!
    Thanks for hosting WBW.

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  34. Well, now I know where Tasmania is. I also didn't realize that the Albatross is such a stunning bird. Gorgeous!

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  35. Great post, great photos, great meme. Thanks

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  36. Beautiful images of the albatross.

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  37. Stunning shots of the Albatross Stewart! Absolutely gorgeous. I hope to spot one someday, when I go out on a pelagic trip ;-)

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  38. Stewart, your shots are amazing and I just loved visiting Tasmania with you. Thanks for the wonderful post. Jo. PS I can empathize about Internet problems but it was good of you to visit my post last week.

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  39. that fourth shot is extra special. Thanks for sharing. I enjoy your photos so much!

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  40. Wow, those are super captures. One of my favorites.

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  41. Wow, those are super captures. One of my favorites.

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  42. Well Stewart, you obviously have good sea legs ... super images of an impressive wanderer of the seas.

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  43. Fantastic images! What a great opportunity. That would be a trip of a lifetime for me!

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    --Wally

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  44. How exciting for you to be able to see these large beauties. Wow, what fun that had to have been...hmm wonder where their name shy comes from, not so shy after all;')~

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  45. I had my post up yesterday, but I forgot to sign in! *smacking forehead*

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  46. My goodness, Stewart, I would have been beside myself trying to get both the dolphins and the albatrosses. Your photos are wonderful. You were very fortunate to be able to get out on a boat to see them. (I am linking up to Wild Bird Wednesday for the first time, but don't have anything so exciting as an Albatross :)

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  47. Welcome back, Stewart. What a wonderful set of albatross photos! Like you, I have been on a hiatus while staying with our daughter's family in Illinois. Internet access has been spotty, I'm behind on correspondence and frankly it has not been a priority with all that has to be done out here.

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  48. Oh Stuart, this is just amazing...I was never even sure that there really WAS such a bird (still). How wonderful.. he is beautiful and can I can only imagine that wingspan. Wow. Thank you for sharing. If only I had a magic carpet....

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  49. Beautiful birds and photos! These guys are as big as airplanes!

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