These rather pointy looking birds are Brown Boobys (Sula leucogaster). They are resting on and having a small domestic dispute about the ownership of a marker buoy at Mackay Reef on the Great Barrier Reef.
For those of you with an eye for such things you will have noticed how similar they are to Gannets – in fact they are in the same genus.
I tried to sneak up on these birds in the water – but (surprise, surprise) they were rather suspicious of a large wet suit clad object heading towards them.
So in the end I had to be content with taking pictures from a rather rocky boat – oh the joy of digital!
You can find the latest post to my other blog by clicking on the Paying Ready Attention image on the RHS of the screen.
You can add more bird pictures of birds from around the world by clicking the link below and becoming part of the Wild Bird Wednesday 3.
Enjoy the pictures from around the world.
Had to laugh about the ownership dispute comment! I haven't seen many photos of these birds, but I love their plumage!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of some birds that I've only read of. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeletecool birds. i like their close cousins, the blue-footed ones. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures you have taken.
ReplyDeleteHave never seen / heard of these birds.
Hanne Bente
Great post. I was at the Great Barrier Rief in 2008. There were a lot of black terns to be seen in that area.
ReplyDeleteYou did well despite the distance and rocky boat. Seeing them large allowed me to see the details of their squabble better. Kinda cute!
ReplyDeleteInteresting looking birds -- and territorial to boot. :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice shots, I love their color.
ReplyDeleteYou have some fantastic birds down there Stewart.. and to answer your question re the Buzzards yes they are now quite common birds to see.
ReplyDeleteAt least in Cheshire.
Handsome birds! We have to settle for comorants inland.
ReplyDeleteNice captures!
ReplyDeleteStewart, cool sighting of the Brown Boobies. They are neat looking birds. Great shots and thanks again for hosting WBW.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen these birds for myself; interesting!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots ... and thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteIrene
i find most birds to be very territorial, i always wonder why they think they are the boss!!
ReplyDeletethey are interesting looking fellows. thanks for hosting wbw!!
Great birds to get photos of - no matter how you managed it!
ReplyDeleteThey're prettier, but their behavior reminds me of gulls -- all that fighting over ownership!
ReplyDeleteOh and thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots! Have a wonderful WW!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots! Thanks for sharing-and hosting :)
ReplyDeleteNice shots. They're handsome birds
ReplyDeleteWOW! Great birds Stewart! I've never seen or heard of these. I love their plumage... and those pointy beaks!!
ReplyDeleteNever seen these birds before. Nice shots anyway and I love the colour of the water! :)
ReplyDeleteIn this for the first time today with my common birds from Sweden.
Greetings from Pia
Stewart, your brown boobies (snikker, snikker) have such long narrow wings. That seems to be the main difference between them and gannets.
ReplyDeleteWith my post, my first thought was White-Breasted Woodswallow but got confused with the white underside of the tail. Checking up again, it must be the White-Breasted since the whole head is dark and the Masked Woodswallow only has a black face. Identification can be so confusing, especially when one's brain is grazing somewhere on a distant paddock.
I saw Blue Footed Boobies in the Galapagos last year!!! They are funny birds!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of this beautiful bird I never seen. /Susanne
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very nice catch of birds pictures. Thanks for visiting my site and have a nice day:)
ReplyDeleteThose silly birds and them not allowing you to get any closer...I could only giggle when I read about you trying to sneak up on the. In the end, you got some great images. happy rest of the week to you~
ReplyDeleteWow...great images. Now, these I've never seen, ever.
ReplyDeleteHello Stewart! Nice with Wild Bird Wednesday- i have joined you :-) Greetings from Liva - up north in Norway!
ReplyDeleteI love your Brown Boobies. I am impressed with your pictures and the fact that you are out swimming by the reef in your wet suit ... no sharks? You are a brave photographer :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
It must be hard to take pictures rolling about on a boat, but I really like these birds.
ReplyDeleteHi Stewart--first time to visit your blog so scrolled though all your current posts and what a wonderful place you live in and so pleased to see all these treasures of the deep and on the water surface. Beautiful in its variety. I'll be back.
ReplyDeleteI believe you did a wonderful job getting these photos,you got really close!
ReplyDeleteI will probably never see these birds,so it`s so nice to see them here,as well as the others from other countries,thank-you for taking up the job of hosting this for us nature lovers,phyllis in USA
Stewart thank you for visiting us on "Les Fous du Cap";-)
ReplyDeleteWell that's a new one I never considered taking bird pictures while clad in a wet suit. Must try that at high tide Pilling - or maybe not. Your so right about the boobies and gannets of course, one and the same in profile.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have these beauties around here! Nice pics!
ReplyDeletewow, this meme really grew fast. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you can cope. :)
I thought the birds was cormorants at first. :)
Great looking birds and I love how they are posturing!
ReplyDeleteWe have the Blue Footed Boobys here at some of the lakes.
Cool action snhots of the Brown Boobys Stewart! Sneakin' up on water birds is not easy unless you're in a kayak ;-)
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