The only way to photograph Shearwaters and Petrels is to go on a boat. The sea was relatively calm when we set off around 9 AM from the port of Tarifa and a little pill against seasickness made sure we were not going to have too much trouble.
It was the first time I went on a long boat trip to photograph seabirds. I soon learned that using a telephoto lens on a small boat that goes up and down on the waves to take photos of fast flying birds is a difficult task. However, I am more than happy with the pictures I ended up with. And even happier that I was able to take a decent shot of a Gannet, a species I had never seen before.
Pretty soon after sailing out of the port, we witnessed a true spectacle. A lot of flying fish were trying to escape a shoal of dolphins below the water. But the danger was not only coming from the deep! Above the surface there were tons of Shearwaters and Gulls eagerly waiting to feed on them too. A perilous situation for the fish, but great news for a photographer in search of spectacular images.
The Shearwaters are great at catching flying fish, but there is a lot of competition. And Gulls are very bold opponents, as the photos below prove...
You don't come across so many seabirds every day, so I didn't hold back on the camera. The last time I photographed Shearwaters was from Tarifa Island, at hundred metres away from them. I took full advantage of today's opportunity and fired away!
However difficult they are at times to identify, there is something about gulls that I like a lot. Is it their boldness, curiousness or variety in plumage? Who knows …
Apart from the gulls and the shearwaters, some other sightings are worth mentioning. Among others, we also observed Avocets, Swallows and a single Wilson's Storm Petrel.
I should also mention that we didn't spot any orcas. We did sea some sea mammals: a few dophins happily dived out of the water.
A very pleasant morning at sea in good company, what else can a keen birder wish for?
Comments