G’day Mike,
I suspect the first couple of images have been effected by slightly different light or image adjustment in Photoshop as the bill doesn’t look quite as yellow as later shots in the run, but I suspect the dark patch is essentially the same extent for all. The bill appears almost Salvin’s like in the first couple of images, but even the yellower shots reveal a fair degree of dullness in the latericorn in particular, I wonder if this bird is a young adult or if this species has a slightly duller bill when not breeding. A very useful set of images of a slightly duller billed bird shown extremely well. But my guess would be a single individual is involved.
A message to Raja, your Soft-plumaged Petrel photos are by far the best I have ever seen, you are reaching extremely high standards of image quality in you photos. Superb tonal balance and crisp noise free images, looking forward to every new set you post on your website.
Cheers Jeff.
From: Mike Carter [mailto:pterodroma@bigpond.com] Sent: Sunday, 11 September 2011 2:23 PM To: Nikolas Haass; Daniel Mantle; birding-aus@vicnet.net.au Cc: Jeff Davies; Rohan Clarke; David James; david mitford; rob hynson Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Eaglehawk Neck,Tasmania – Pelagic Reports 3&4 Sept 2011 – photos. TWO not one CHATHAM ALBATROSS?
In my opinion the difference is too extreme to be artefact so I’ll be very surprised if only one bird was involved.
Did this/these birds come and go, or once present, stay with the boat? Also check and compare the times on Raja’s images. I can’t do that. Most of the first displayed images have the vestigial dark spot and the later and closer ones show the large spot. Not only is this of interest with regard to how many birds you saw but it helps BARC to assess reports that say ‘bill wholly yellow’. This debate and the new taxonomy has spurned a rash of submissions.
Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136
