Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) - Falkland Islands

One would be remiss when discussing the Falkland Islands not to include the albatross.  The islands are the breeding ground for 70% of the world’s population of Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys).  Several colonies dot the archipelago with the largest colony located on Steeple Jason Island, an isolated island in West Falklands.

LEFT:  Male and female black-browed albatross court to reunite the monogamous lifetime bond that unites the pair.

This species normally nests on steep slopes covered with tussock grass and sometimes on cliffs. They are an annual breeder laying one egg from between September and early November.  Incubation is done by both sexes and lasts roughly 70 days.  After hatching, the chicks take 120 to 130 days to fledge. Juveniles will return to the colony after 2 to 3 years but only to practice courtship rituals, as they will start breeding around the 10^th year.

This delayed time until sexual maturity is one of the reasons that these birds, also called Mollyhawks because of their distinguishing black brow along the eye, is listed on the IUCN Red List as endangered.  The population of albatross in the Falklands has declined 67% since population counts began in 1964.  This decline is attributed to the increase in long line fishing practiced along the Patagonian Shelf and in particular off the coast of South Africa which is one of the regions the birds migrate to when feeding.

During my three weeks in the islands I was fortunate to visit 2 breeding locations and spent several days at one of the colonies.  Sitting quietly along the cliff edge for many hours a day, the birds became very accustomed to your presence and for the most part lost their fear of humans and became increasingly curious.  I had one fellow leave his nest and adolescent chick and waddle toward me to peck at my boot laces, hand and camera lens.  It’s experiences such as this that make the often laborious task of wildlife photography worthwhile.  If more people could appreciate the connection that occurs between species during such occurrences, then perhaps more people would be concerned about protecting habitat and allowing space for wild animals to remain wild.

In the late afternoon when the breeze freshens is when the albatross truly show their grace.  Taxi and liftoff is somewhat ungainly and is final approach and landing, however, in flight their nothing that matches the flight dynamics of the albatross.  Their massive wingspan allows great lift and its possible for albatross to fly distances of thousands of kilometers with barely a wing beat.  Often albatross can be seen skimming over waves and swells flying an almost nape of the earth pattern.  They achieve this ability by harnessing the air pressure that the passing waves produce.

LEFT:  Black-browed albatross looks carefully at its own reflection in the camera lens.

I recall one afternoon when weather conditions were inclement for the best pilots to remain grounded; visibility was reduced to less than 100 meters and winds were buffeting to 40 knots.  The albatrosses were cleared for takeoff and several dozen individuals were flying patterns along the cliff edge.  Sitting on the cliff top was hazardous not for the risk of falling, but by being struck by one of birds diving overhead and making low passes to investigate me.  Often all that was heard was a whoosh as an albatross cleared by head by inches!  This said, the bird is a master in the air and if I kept still there was minimal chance that I would be hit unless a bird was in landing approach, which is very ungainly and would cause concern to the most experienced pilot.

ABOVE: Black-browed albatross sits quietly above sea cliffs waiting to reunite with its mate.

To view other posts concerning the shy albatross, click here.

To view my post on the wandering albatross, click here.

Tasmanian Seabirds Field Trip - Albatross; Post 1

This is the first segment of a series of posts to document a recent trip I conducted with  another photoghrapher to a small uninhabited and remote island in Bass Strait off the coast Tasmania.

The purpose of our visit was to photograph the seabirds on the island; in particular the Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta), Fairy Penguin (Eudyptula minor) and Southern Prion (Pachyptila turtur). 

 LEFT: Succulent & lichen covered rocks.  Two albatross can be seen in the sky.

The island is remote, not frequently visited, has no infrastructure and is out of communication range except when using high frequency radio or satellite phone.  We had to be totally self sufficient for the time spent on the island, therefore, considerable effort went into logistical preparation for the one-week camping trip.  In addition, extra water and food supplies were required to be taken, in case we became stranded on the island because of the unstable local weather patterns, which frequently cause sea conditions to be such that pick up via boat is not possible.  Everything that was needed for the trip, including medical and emergency items,

had to be transferred from the mainland to the island via a 35 foot shark cat.

POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS

As it was, the jumping off date was cancelled due to large swells and 50-knot winds, however, on the following day a lull had developed between frontal systems.  Our skipper decided that today was the day and we made a dash for the lee of the island navigating through 3-meter ocean-going seas.  As we approached the island, we made our first observations of shy albatross; the birds were completely at home in the rough and windy conditions as they skirted on the crests of large swells.

To transfer the gear from the boat to the island was in itself out of the ordinary.  The boat’s skipper had to position the shark cat in such a way that the bow rail was adjacent to a rocky outcrop.  Then the equipment was passed quickly across the bow rail to a person on the rock – this was done to the symphony of the swell and several runs were made until all our equipment was disgorged onto the rock. 

LEFT: Lowering equipment from the ridge to the mouth of the sea cave via rope and shackles.

LUGGING GEAR OVERLAND/ISLAND

The fun part then began as we had to man/woman handle everything to the top of a hill over relatively unstable rocks, along a small ridge, and then lower the gear via a rope to the entrance of a sea cave.  Now, this may sound like an easy operation, but imagine “lugging” several 20-kilogram jerry cans of water, a battery for recharge purposes, tent, cooking equipment and food – not too mention 3 pelican cases of camera and video equipment!  To complete this seemingly easy task involved a number of trips from the cave to the dropping off point and took 4 hours!  Add to this the fact, although wearing copious amounts of sunburnt cream, the high UV still managed to eat through the cream causing us to get sunburnt and more dehydrated than normal. 

BASE CAMP AT MOUTH OF SEA CAVE

It was in this sea cave (at the far entrance) that we established a base camp.  

LEFT: Shark Cat showing rocks that equipment was unloaded.

At first we thought it would be best to actually camp in the sea cave (as sealers had done 200 years earlier during the height of the Tasmanian seal industry), however, several reasons for not doing this were evident.  Nearly every accessible portion of this small rocky island was covered in seabirds, nesting sites and burrows; the remainder was solid rock (for the geologists the rock was Owen conglomerate deposited around the Ordovician period).  The other  reason for utilising the cave was the weather - not so much the rain, but more the gale force winds that regularly buffet this part of the coast.  Despite having an exceptionally well constructed tent, I wasn’t pleased at the thought of being blown off into the southern ocean.   The third reason was we noting several rather large boulders that had already fallen from the cave’s ceiling - and we didn't fancy having sleeping with one!   

LEFT: Base camp at the mouth of the cave.

LITTLE RESPITE FROM WIND, SALT & DUST

Although the cave entrance did provide some respite from severe wind and rain, it offered little respite from humidity, sea salt and dust; within a few days all the gear was covered in dirt and our clothing was mattered with salt and grunge.  My jacket at the beginning of the trip was relatively new and at the week’s completion the jacket reminded me of a unwashed World War Two combat smock that had been worn and used in several battles!

More to follow soon.......