10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2013

I will never tire of banging Kaikoura’s drum as the best place in the world to see albatrosses, and since albatrosses are the among the best birds in the world it amazes me that none of you have made it out here yet (actually, some of you have, per some of the comments, but Corey hasn’t). At first anyway.

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Albatross New Zealand Seals Fur 165

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Kaikoura, in New Zealand’s South Island, is arguably the best place in the world to see albatrosses and petrels. And the endemic Hutton’s Shearwater, which only breeds in Kaikoura, will keep you entertained for those few minutes till the albatrosses hit. More Albatrosses, this time a White-capped Albatross !

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Albatross New Zealand Dolphins Whales 178

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2017

Black-footed Albatross : The most common albatross off the west coast, virtually all of the world’s Black-footed Albatross also breed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, on the same islands as the Laysan Albatross on Hawaiian Islands NWR and Midway Atoll NWR.

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Albatross Hawaii Alaska Puerto Rico 138

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2012

Soon afterwards a confident shout heralds the sighting of the first albatross of the day… This is usually a Shy Albatross as sweeps in slow and graceful flight over the wake before veering away on motionless wings giving all the opportunity to see the characteristic axillary ‘thumb-print’ on the mainly white underwing.

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Albatross Penguins Dolphins Whales 180

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

And then there are the crazy-awesome Dippers and one should not forget the great diving birds like Gannets and Albatrosses. Looking through some of my photos from my last trip to Thailand, I got to wondering what birds the various fish and creatures would be if they were feathered.

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Sharks Thailand Dolphins Fish 189

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

In Hawaii I stood on a beach as albatrosses fledged and Tiger Sharks prowled for the less successful ones. In California I smelt the breath a Blue Whale as it passed feet beneath my boat. This Laysan Albatross died from ingested plastic. In the Bahamas I swam in a pod of feeding dolphins. I still have that marker.

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Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

Yes, the same Kaikoura I keep banging on about that is a great place to see albatrosses. But mostly it was that I had swam with dolphins a bunch of times already, usually in crystal clear tropical waters, and money was a bit tight after seeing sperm whales and albatrosses, so I decided to enjoy the Hector’s Dolphins from the boat.

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Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 155

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2012

Along with Humpback Whales you have the chance of seeing Antipodean Albatrosses , Wilson’s Storm-petrels and Providence Petrels. Antipodean Albatross ( Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni ) off the continental shelf. Monthly pelagic trips leave from the city, and the nearby town of Wollongong, out to the continental shelf.

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Australia Albatross Birds Pelicans 163

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

Rats had previously preyed on eggs and young of practically every defenseless seabird on the island, and had taken to even attacking adult albatross as they sat on their nests. Albatross chicks will no longer have to endure slowly getting eaten alive, unlike this poor bird.

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Animal Rights Movement Animal Rights Rights Wildlife 206

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2014

Albatrosses. Then I got tired and lied down and when I woke up two hours, a Bridled Tern , a Minke Whale , and a Loggerhead Sea Turtle had went by. Red Phalarope – The last phalarope for me to see, this bird was a long shot as it was a bit too early to expect one. I could dream though! European Storm-Petrel. It was awesome.

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New York Sea Turtles Whales Whaling 178

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

It was somewhere after the Cassin’s Auklets and before the Black-footed Albatrosses that I realized I was doomed to be seasick no matter how many meds and ginger chews I ingest (and, no, the patch doesn’t work either). But, I saw the bird! I even managed to get a single photo. (9) 9) Cory’s Shearwater.

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2016 India Ducks Birds 109

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

At sea there are also New Zealand Sea Lions and Southern Right Whales. Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike) Dunedin You don’t have to go very far to see spectacular seabirds in this southern city, the adjoining Otago Peninsula is home to the only mainland colony of albatrosses in the world.

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New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Seals 157

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

It is acceptable to point out other sea creatures–dolphins or whales or dragonflies–but the main goal is the observation and identification of the birds. Extreme rarities, such as Yellow-nosed Albatross are excluded. It is a challenging activity. No rails or gallinules. There are Eiders, King and Common.

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Ducks Groups Species North America 229