This weeks 'Bird of the week' is the not so shy
'Shy Albatross'
In 2019 I had the chance to do some Guiding for Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmania. During my 7 month stay in Tassie, I had some specific birding plans. Most of my life has been spent in Northern Australia, so there were some missing pieces to my birding puzzle. The number one priority was to get myself on a pelagic birding trip.
Together with my partner Winnie and friend Paul Fraser we booked the pelagic trip, leaving from Pirates Bay, on the South East Coast.
Not far from shore, we started to see some Shy Albatross, my heart was pounding. As we steamed further east, more followed. Eventually we stopped and started to burley. The Shy Albatross grew in numbers and boldness, soaring a couple of metres above our heads. Binoculars and long camera lenses not needed for this bird. With a wingspan of 2.5 metres (over 8 feet), not the largest by any means, but an amazing sight for anyone who doesn't see these birds often.
The Shy Albatross is the most common of the Albatross seen in Australia. All the Albatross species throughout the world are under significant threats from feral pest predation, fishing pressure, floating plastics (they pickup bits of plastic and feed to their young) and habitat destruction.
A diagnostic of this species is the black notch where the leading edge of the wing meets the body. The only Albatross to breed in Australia on some islands in Bass Strait and southern Tasmania
Whether you are a birder or not, you will get immense satisfaction seeing these giants of the oceans.
Note: On this particular day we saw 7 species of Albatross (Wandering, Antipodean, Southern Royal, Northern Royal, Black-browed, Shy and Buller's) and other pelagic species
We will be developing a Tasmania Birding Safari, so follow our blog and facebook pages for future developments. Enjoy! All photos and story by Steve Grainger
Stunning birds! Thanks for sharing Steve.
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