Prion Island, The Bay of Isles, South Georgia
Albatrosses: birds of the wind. They invite superlatives. Prion Island is one of the few remaining nesting islands for wandering albatrosses. Together with their close relatives, the royal albatross (a species which we also saw on our southbound crossing of the Drake Passage) they have the longest wingspan of all birds: up to 350 cm / 11 plus feet. Adults breed only every other year. The result, if they have done their job well, is a single fledged chick. British Antarctic Survey ornithologists have documented wandering albatrosses leaving the chick waiting on the nest at South Georgia and traveling to the coast of Brazil, returning in eight days after a journey of 8,000 km / 5,000 miles with a single meal of squid for the chick. And then they go out and do it again! This is possible only because they can glide, seemingly without effort, on fixed wings using the energy of the wind for propulsion.
After our visit to Prion Island Endeavour entered the bay of Elsehul for our final experience at South Georgia ... at least for this trip, for some will be tempted to return. There we encountered three more albatross species: black-browed, gray- headed, and the magnificently elegant light-mantled sooty albatrosses. All nest in the tussock grass that grows on steep slopes above the bay. Four albatross species in a single day: Life is Good!
But there is a troublesome part of the story, for the albatrosses are in trouble. Loss of nesting habitat to invasive rats (and, in other places, feral cats) has limited recruitment of new birds into the populations, and mortality is high due to birds killed in long-line fisheries. Albatross populations are declining. Hopefully, we can encourage changes in fishing practices to reduce this mortality, and albatrosses will continue to soar over the oceans to the delight of future travelers, as they have delighted us.
Albatrosses: birds of the wind. They invite superlatives. Prion Island is one of the few remaining nesting islands for wandering albatrosses. Together with their close relatives, the royal albatross (a species which we also saw on our southbound crossing of the Drake Passage) they have the longest wingspan of all birds: up to 350 cm / 11 plus feet. Adults breed only every other year. The result, if they have done their job well, is a single fledged chick. British Antarctic Survey ornithologists have documented wandering albatrosses leaving the chick waiting on the nest at South Georgia and traveling to the coast of Brazil, returning in eight days after a journey of 8,000 km / 5,000 miles with a single meal of squid for the chick. And then they go out and do it again! This is possible only because they can glide, seemingly without effort, on fixed wings using the energy of the wind for propulsion.
After our visit to Prion Island Endeavour entered the bay of Elsehul for our final experience at South Georgia ... at least for this trip, for some will be tempted to return. There we encountered three more albatross species: black-browed, gray- headed, and the magnificently elegant light-mantled sooty albatrosses. All nest in the tussock grass that grows on steep slopes above the bay. Four albatross species in a single day: Life is Good!
But there is a troublesome part of the story, for the albatrosses are in trouble. Loss of nesting habitat to invasive rats (and, in other places, feral cats) has limited recruitment of new birds into the populations, and mortality is high due to birds killed in long-line fisheries. Albatross populations are declining. Hopefully, we can encourage changes in fishing practices to reduce this mortality, and albatrosses will continue to soar over the oceans to the delight of future travelers, as they have delighted us.
