Snow Petrel seemed to embody the mystique of Antarctica for us....
 |
| Snow Petrel - Pagodroma nivea |
But there was plenty of other stuff to look at, too.
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae |
 |
Gentoo Penguins - Pygoscelis papua
You'd think they would have seen enough cruise liners by now, but it seemed that all the penguins on the icebergs we approached were duty bound to scuttle for cover...
 |
| Scuttling Gentoos |
Seals tended to just lounge around...
|
 |
| Crabeater Seals - Lobodon carcinophagus |
Conscious that time was running out, perhaps, the most dedicated observers and photographers huddled at the front of the ship, seeking the next dark lump on the ice, and hoping it would be a “lifer” of some sort.
 |
| "What's that lump on the ice floe ?" |
Heading north, the volume of ice in view on the islands and the seas dwindled, but there was still plenty to look at.
 |
| Gentoo Penguins - Pygoscelis papua |
Feeding whales attracted seabirds, mainly because of the numbers of small prey fish they disturbed.
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae |
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae - with Fulmars |
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae - with Fulmars |
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae - with Fulmars |
 |
| Humpback Whale- Megaptera novaengliae |
 |
| Wandering Albatross - Diomedea exulans |
 |
| Southern Giant Petrel - Macronectes giganteus |
 |
| Southern Giant Petrel - Macronectes giganteus |
 |
| Light-mantled Albatross - Phoebatria palpebrata |
 |
| Light-mantled Albatrosses - Phoebatria palpebrata |
 |
| Southern Fulmars, Cape Petrel |
 |
| Antarctic Prion - Pachyptila desolata |
 |
| Antarctic Prion - Pachyptila desolata |
 |
| Great Shearwater - Puffinus gravis |
 |
| Southern Royal Albatross - Diomedea epomophora |
 |
| Southern Royal Albatross - Diomedea epomophora |
 |
| Wilson's and Black-bellied Storm-petrels |
The Drake Passage remained very calm - described as “Drake Lake” by the staff ( a joke we passengers hadn’t heard before ). We arrived off Cape Horn earlier than scheduled, with a host of Black-browed Albatrosses circling.
Black-browed Albatrosses near Cape Horn
 |
| Chilean Post at Cape Horn |
 |
| Black-browed Albatross - Thalassarche melanophris |
 |
| White-chinned Petrel - Procellaria aequinoctialis |
 |
| Black-bellied Storm-petrel |
 |
| .Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel |
Then back to precisely where we had started....Ushuaia
We took a gazillion shots during our 19 days at sea, and I couldn’t show them all here.
Snow Petrel and Wandering Albatross are 2 truly iconic species..............
ReplyDeleteMust have been an awesome trip, wonder how it ranks against some of the other great places you've been? Pretty near the top I'd say..........
Stu. - great scenery, and some fine birds...hard to make comparisons, though, as usual.
DeleteMagnificent. So many albatross. I'm yet to see one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Russell !
DeleteI agree that Snow Petrel would embody the mystery of the Antarctic, although there is much more to delight the senses also. Actually when I was at the southern tip of Patagonia in Chile a couple of years ago a Snowy Sheathbill had been seen, but we were never able to find it. I think that would have given a kind of Antarctic satisfaction too.
ReplyDeleteYes....Sheathbills - if only for that association with seals and penguins - pass the "charisma test" !
Deletehank you for these wonderful photos and fascinating narration. Like Russell; I have yet to see an albatross.
ReplyDeleteThanks, John - but still, plenty of good seabirds around Alaska!
Delete19 days of birding paradise. I envy you, John. It is a a whole different world there. Wonderful images, as usual.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mun! Very different to HK, that's for sure....( although we did have a Humpback Whale here in 2007 or 2008! )
Delete