Gibson’s Albatross weigh up to 11kg and a wing span approaching 3m. There is a huge scientific debate about the genetic relationships between all the Great Albatrosses. In any case they are very difficult to identify!!
These birds have a wig span of 3-3.5m and weigh in at a impressive 6-10kg. They stand 1-1.2m tall. Whilst Enderby Island has a small breeding population, it is Campbell Island that has the majority of breeding pairs: perhaps up to 8600 pairs. They form life-long pair...
This unmistakable, pigeon sized bird has distinctive markings. A very manoeuvrable flyer has stiff and shallow wing beats followed by short glides. They are well known to follow ships.
The vast majority of these birds breed on the Auckland Islands but they will disperse into the Southern Ocean towards the west coast of South America. They are easily confused with the Shy Albatross and young Savin’s Albatross. It ahs a wing span of 2.2-2.5m and...
One of the small albatrosses, breeding is mostly restricted to Campbell Island but they disperse widely in the non-breeding season. They have a wing span of around 2m and weigh in at up to 3.8kg. They are very similar to the Black-browed Albatross. Remarkably little...
These stocky little birds have a wingspan of about 75-95cm and are very similar to the Lesser Snow Petrel. That feed mostly on fish, crustacea and cephalopods by surface diving, surface seizing and contact dipping. They are monogamous and form long-term pair-bonds.
Salvin’s Albatross are medium-sized albatross. They weigh in at 3.3-4.4 kg and have a wing span of about 2.5m.
With a weight of up to 5kg and a wingspan of 1.5-2m Northern Giant Petrels are albatross-sized birds. They can be either predators or scavengers. This bird can be solitary of found in small groups. It is monogamous and forms longterm pair-bonds
The South Polar Skua is large gull-like Skua with very striking white primary flashes. They would glide effortlessly around the ship.
Our almost annual trip to Baja is a highlight of our year. Here is a compilation of some of the highlights from 2017
I spent more than an hour watching these beautiful birds and their chick. The adults worked hard to bring fish to the growing chick. Watching them use the wind currents to approach and land on the nest was an impressive sight.
On our 2017 trip to Baja and the Sea of Cortez, we were amazed to come across huge rafts of Eared Grebes. They would dive in synchrony and then re-emerge together. A most unusual sighting.
On our 2016 circumnavigation of the Falkland Islands, we visited a number of Gentoo Penguin colonies. All had chicks of varying ages. The penguins defend their nests aggressively and noisily so the colony seems to be one mass of squabbling birds.
Watching these amazing birds was a real privilege. A little ungainly on land but adept swimmers. A mixture of Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins can be seen returning from fishing trips.
This sink hole in the Southern Pantanal is one of the most incredible geological features I've seen. Once the grave of assorted criminal gang members and other unfortunates, the sink hole has been restored to its natural glory and is now home to the impressive and...
Some impressive fishing by these assorted Hawks.
Ringed Kingfishers. Although our guide was throwing fish for these birds, their speed made capturing the action on film very challenging indeed.
These Fulmars were filmed from our cabin porthole as they effortlessly rode the sea breeze.
The towering cliffs at Alkefjellet are home to huge numbers of Guillemots nesting in every conceivable nook and cranny.
These graceful and delicate birds were filmed from a zodiac.