Black-browed Albatross
Albatross are supremely graceful in the air.
Albatross are supremely
graceful in flight.
Around this colony on
Saunders Island, you can see hundreds of birds
soaring at a time.
Albatross are long-lived
birds with slow reproductive rates. A pair builds and
maintains a beautiful mud-cup nest.
Pairs commonly sit
together with one on the nest and another at hand.
You can see the heads of some resting Rockhopper
Penguins in the corner of this picture.
The birds spend time
resting when not hunting, preening, or feeding the
young.
The prominent stripe
makes nestlings look like they're grinning.
The birds place their
nests near each other, but out of a pecking
distance.
Behind this nest, you
can see a rocky platform near the water's edge with
Rock Cormorants and Rockhopper Penguins resting after
returning from the sea.
Adult plumage protects
the bird perfectly from rain and sea water.
This youngster is wet
from the rain and needs looking after.
Preening is a constant
part of bird life.
The adult birds are very
attentive to their young.
Here both adults are in
attendance at feeding time.
This nestling is getting
a nutritious feed.
This portrait shows the
bird's black brow.
It's impossible not to
fall in love with these creatures.