A large colony of the Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) lives above the steep cliffs on the southern shore of Espanola (Hood) Island in the Galapagos Islands. The Waved Albatross is quite a large bird, and although they're elegant fliers once in the air, they expend a lot of energy taking off. They use the cliffs as a jumping-off point to make it easier. Our naturalist guide called this area the "landing strip" and indeed it was a lot like plane-spotting at an airport. The birds were easily spotted on their incoming approach, perfect for getting photos.
• Photo taken on 4.29.06 • Filed under: animals birds Galapagos Islands water