Showing posts with label gannets / boobies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gannets / boobies. Show all posts

27 June, 2014

Northern Gannet

Scientific Name: Sula bassana

Range / Habitat: Breeds on offshore islands and inaccessible cliffs in large, isolated colonies in the north Atlantic, including Newfoundland, Iceland, the UK, Scandinavia, and Russia. Winters at sea in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, reaching down to 45 degrees latitude.

Field Notes: Large white waterbird with black wing-tips. Long bill and pointed tail. Head with orange-yellow tinges. Plunge-dives for food.

Personal Notes: First seen on Heimay Island in Iceland and (barely) photographed five years later on the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland.

23 May, 2011

Brown Booby


Scientific Name: Sula leucogaster

Population Estimate: 200K

Range / Habitat: Breeds in sea cliffs and rocky offshore islands in tropical areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Pelagic otherwise.

Field Notes: Large seabird with brown head, neck and back contrasting with white belly. Yellow bill and feet.

Personal Notes: Seen offshore from Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

05 January, 2010

Blue-footed Booby


Scientific Name: Sula nebouxii
Population Estimate: 100K to 500K
Location of Sighting: Galapagos Islands
Date of Sighting: Approx 1995
Notes: Aptly named birds....