Phoebetria palpebrata (Light-mantled Albatross)

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Preparing this image for publishing, I couldn’t avoid romantic reflection on the world this bird has seen. This species is a global wonderer. They are circumpolar, travelling throughout the Southern Ocean. In the winter months they move north towards the continents. In summer they shift back south to the Antarctic pack-ice, fishing down to surprising depths. The urge to breed is the only force strong enough to overcome their wondering and bring them to land. Even then they return to young surprisingly infrequently, delivering the catch from two or three days at sea.
Saw this individual on a pelagic birding trip from Tasmania in September 2021 in the midst of systemic lock-downs, travel restrictions and general anxiety cause by the pandemic. It’s a stark contrast to timeless wondering.