Black-Browed Albatrosses

The black-browed albatross is by far the most numerous bird out here at the moment. There are times when there are only a few around but most of the time there are a couple of hundred and there are occasions when the sky seems to be full of them.

Most of the time they are really elegant creatures, soaring through the air in complete command of their movements, able to fly mere millimetres from the surface of the ocean even when there is a swell.

Because it’s easiest to take photos of them when they are gently soaring through the air it is often easy to forget that they can be quite ungainly at times. When the wind becomes turbulent, which can often happen around the ship, they become almost comical in their attempts to stay aloft.

I love watching black-browed albatrosses regardless of what they’re doing, but watching them land can be particularly entertaining. Most of the time they are extremely graceful and land like skilled pilots.

But there are times when they are the drunken pilot who comes in too fast and steep and they seem to waterski for a few seconds before finally sitting with a splash!

When they have first landed they hold their wings high until they have got settled and then they are folded away.

The more you watch them the more interactions you see. There are times when they are unfriendly towards each other and if someone has landed too close to another for comfort they will be chased off. But there are also occasions when they are very affectionate to each other and you can’t help but wonder if the pair-bonds which albatrosses are famous for are maintained at sea as well as on land during the breeding season.