Waved Albatross

Among the most incredible sightings I had on Galapagos was when I went to see the world's only waved albatross breeding colony.

These beautiful birds only nest on one island on the archipelago, Espanola. 

The day I visited was breathtaking. We walked
ashore just as dawn was breaking.

The marine iguanas were lined up on
the beach trying to warm up in the early morning sunshine.

Sally Lightfoot crabs, thought to
be named after a nimble Caribbean dancer, were
tip-toeing across the sand.

We left the shore and walked inland through dense bushes. Very soon I could hear the strange sound of albatross' clacking their beaks and emitting a haunting ‘whoo hoo’ sound. We rounded a
corner into a clearing and suddenly there were several pairs performing their elaborate courting ritual right in front of us.

Waved albatross stand at nearly one
metre high and sport waved markings across their breast.

During the breeding season, pairs
greet each other by rubbing their bills together tenderly. 

This is followed by
one or both of the birds standing bolt upright. 

Then they often either stand
with their beaks pointed towards the sky, emitting the strange wailing sound
that I’d heard earlier or pose alert with their beaks wide open, before
continuing to rub bills again. 

Sometimes, they clack their beaks rapidly like a
pair of castanets then stop abruptly to preen over their shoulders or to move
their head fluidly from side to side in a comical manner. Then they might take
a break or attend to their nests before resuming this unusual behaviour once
more.

Albatross are quite cumbersome on
land but up in the air they were majestic. I watched as a male with a 7.4ft
wingspan circled overhead looking for somewhere to land. Finding a space big
enough for that vast shape took some planning!

My video footage of albatross
performing their elaborate courting display is currently on show at my
exhibition in my gallery at Thixendale until 13th July.

Above is my new painting of waved albatross in acrylics.