That's what the sailors called the Southern Giant Petrel, AKA Stink bird. With days at sea and birds around the ship we had several fantastic opportunities to capture these big birds as they sailed by. In this case the opportunity arose as we approached Carcass Island, West Falklands. Making images of seabirds from a ship can be very challenging with the wind buffeting you and the camera, and the ship pitching up and down. I wait for opportunities when the wind and light are both right and the birds are close.
You can tell this is a Southern Giant Petrel because of the greenish tip to the bill. Northerns have a pinkish tip. The dark-brown colouration indicates a relatively young bird. The eyes are extremely variable from light to dark but I am taken with them all. Petrels often show a little "dew drop" at the end of the bill from the nasal gland.
This is almost full-frame with a some crop from the left and a bit off all sides. Not much else done except some NR on the BG and sharpening.
Date: 7 November, 2011, Time: 1121h
Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens: EF70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM, @ 300 mm
Program: Manual
ISO 800, 1/1250s, f/7.1
Exp. comp.: 0.0
Flash: no flash
Excellent close up view with great details. Love the comp too. If this is an almost FF shot of a bird in flight, then it's even more impressive.
Thanks for sharing the facts on this bird. I enjoyed reading them. I was curious to know why is it AKA Stink bird. First few hits on a google seach on stink bird pointed me to another bird named Hoatzin.
Thanks Sidharth and Grace. "Stinker" is yet another name for the Giant Petrels. I have not read a definitive etymology of the name but one explanation could be that GEPEs are scavengers and are notorious for burying their heads in rotten seals and whales dead on beaches. Petrels have a strong smell to their feathers but it's not unpleasant so I doubt this is where the name comes from. The Hoatzin is indeed called the Stinkbird too. It is unique in the bird world for fermenting vegetable material in its crop giving it the smell of cow manure.
TFS John and thanks for the info about the bird. I love the bill. Great profile shot. I once tried to shoot puffins from a "rockin and rollin" boat, you forgot to mention the nausea! (in my case anyway)
Thanks all. Yes the bill is amazing with all those complicated plates fitting together. Penguins and petrels are distantly related and many penguins also show plates like this, particularly the crested species (e.g., Rockhopper, Macaroni).
John: I love this image! But of course you knew I'd say that. Up on the 7th deck those birds would be almost at eye level and at the speed of the boat. It was a wonderful experience! Great image. I think I managed to get an image of a Northern one in that same area.
Hi John, you can keep your ship and sailing as I get very sea sick The shape and detail of that beak is incredible, and impressive shooting to get this FF. Before reading your introduction, I thought he may have perched on one of the ship's railings.
Thanks everyone. As a matter of interest I thought I would post an optimised full-frame version. The bird was indeed flying! It shows some wing parts including how the right wing attaches to the body- this is so reminiscent of an aircraft.
I think I like this one better because it shows the bird in better context and I like the extra detail from the feather edges under the wing.