Ocean Wanderers - Angus Wilson's Archive of Bird Photos

Photo Archive

The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking - and looking. Brooks Atkinson (1894-1984, drama critic and journalist) in 'Once Around the Sun'.

Here are shortcut links to many of the bird and marine mammal photographs on this web site. Unless indicated all photos are by Angus Wilson and all photos are copyright of the photographer. In general, the archive focuses on interesting identification problems, rarities, uncommonly encountered plumages, taxonomic splits and so on.

Loons and Grebes
Yellow-billed Loon Photographed in New York.
Pacific Loon Photographed in New York and California.
Western Grebe Photographed in New York.
Western Grebe Photographed in California.
Pied-billed Grebe Photographed in New York.
Horned (Slavonian) Grebe Photographed in New York.
Australasian Great-crested Grebe Photographed in New Zealand.
New Zealand Grebe Photographed in New Zealand.

Penguins
King Penguin Photographed in Australia
Gentoo Penguin Photographed in Australia
Royal Penguin Photographed in Australia
Yellow-eyed Penguin Photographed in New Zealand
Snares Island Penguin Photographed in New Zealand
Little Blue Penguin Photographed in New Zealand
African [Jackass] Penguin Photographed in South Africa

Tubenoses (albatross, petrels and allies)
Tristan Albatross Photographed off Brazil by Fabio Olmos
Northern Royal Albatross Photographed off New Zealand
Southern Royal Abatross Photographed off New Zealand
Short-tailed Albatross Photographed (sort of) in Japan by Naoko Tanese
Shy Albatross Photographed off California
Chatham Albatross Photographed off New Zealand
Pacific Albatross Photographed off New Zealand
Buller's Albatross Photographed off New Zealand by Lysle Brinker
Gray-headed Albatross Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Black-browed Albatross Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Campbell Albatross Photographed off New Zealand
Black-footed Albatross Photographed off California
Waved Albatross Photographed in the Galapagos
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Photographed off South Africa
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Photographed off South Africa and off Brazil by Fabio Olmos
Light-mantled Albatross Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Southern Giant Petrel Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Northern Giant Petrel Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Pacific Northern Fulmar Photographed off Alaska
Cape [Pintado] Petrel Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Antarctic Prion Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Broad-billed Prion Photographed in New Zealand by Aleix Comas
White-chinned Petrel Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Spectacled Petrel Photographed off Brazil by Fabio Olmos
Galapagos Petrel Photographed in the Galapagos by Tony Pym
Mottled Petrel Photographed in New Zealand by Aleix Comas
Fea's Petrel Photographed off North Carolina and off Desertas, Madiera, Portugal by Fabio Olmos
Chatham Island Taiko Photographed in New Zealand by Rex Williams
Buller's ShearwaterPhotographed off California
Cory's Shearwater Photographed off North Carolina
Pink-footed Shearwater Photographed off California
Greater Shearwater Photographed off North Carolina
Sooty ShearwaterPhotographed off California
Short-tailed Shearwater Photographed in Alaska
Audubon's Shearwater Photographed off North Carolina
Audubon's Shearwater Detailed discussion of an individual photographed off North Carolina
Little Shearwater Photographed on Desertas and Azores by Bernie Zonfrillo and Kermadec Islands by Paul Scofield
Wilson's Storm-petrel Photographed off North Carolina
White-faced Storm-petrel Photographed off North Carolina
Black-bellied Storm-petrel Photographed near South Georgia by Ron Saldino
Fork-tailed Storm-petrel Photographed off California

Frigatebirds, Tropicbirds and Boobies
Magnificent Frigatebird Photographed in the Galapagos Islands
Red-billed Tropicbird Videograbs from North Carolina
Northern Gannet Photographed off New Jersey
Australasian Gannet Photographed in New Zealand
Nazca Booby Photographed in the Galapagos

Figure 1. A snow storm of American Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus smithsonianus) disturbed from a roosting area near the Great Kills Landfill, Staten Island, New York. Copyright Angus Wilson© 1996.

Gulls
Herring Gull-types from Japan (Vega Gulls?) Series of adults from Honshu, Japan
American Herring Gull Various adults from New York, Massachusetts and California.
Slaty-backed Gull Series of ages from Russia and Japan
Great Black-backed Gull Adult-basic photographed in New York.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1st-alternate plumage, photographed in New York.
Lesser Black-backed Gull Fresh first-basic plumage, photographed in New York by Andrew Guthrie.
Ring-billed Gull 1st year, photographed in New York.
Common Gull Several adults in basic plumage, photographed in Scotland.
Common Gull Adult, photographed in Scotland by Jeremy Barker.
Common Gull 1st year, photographed in New York.
Short-billed or Mew Gull Photographed in California.
Black-legged Kittiwake Various individuals photographed in the Scotland, the Aleutians and Japan.
Common Black-headed Gull Various adults, photographed in Scotland and Japan.
Common Black-headed Gull Various first-winters, photographed in Scotland and Japan.
Audouin's Gulls Photographed in Spain by Jeremy Barker.
Laughing Gull Various ages, photographed in New York.
Franklin's Gull 2nd winter, photographed in Connecticut.
Sabine's Gull Photographed off California.
Black-tailed Gull Adult, photographed in New York by Andy Guthrie.
Swallow-tailed Gull Adult, photographed in the Galapagos.
Lava Gull Adult, photographed in the Galapagos.

Skuas and Jaegers
Great Skua Photographed in Scotland by Jeremy Barker
Brown (Subantarctic) Skua Photograped in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa
Long-tailed Jaeger from California
Parasitic Jaeger from California

Terns
Sandwich Tern Photographed in New York
Arctic Tern Photographed in Alaska
Antarctic Tern Photographed in New Zealand
Bridled Tern Photographed off North Carolina
Brown Noddy Photographed in Monserat by Ben Wilson

Alcids (Auks)
Thick-billed Murre Photographed in New York
Thick-billed Murre Photographed in Alaska.
Razorbill Photographed in Scotland by Jeremy Barker
Pigeon Guillemot Photographed in California
Ancient Murrelet Photographed in Alaska
Tufted Puffin Photographed in Alaska (includes photo by Tony Pym)
Parakeet Auklet Photographed in Alaska by Tony Pym
Least Auklet Photographed in Alaska by Tony Pym
Whiskered Auklet Photographed in Alaska by Tony Pym

Shorebirds

American Oystercatcher Photographed in New York
American Black Oystercatcher Photographed in California
Variable Oystercatcher Photographed in New Zealand
American Avocet Photographed in California and New York
Black-winged Stilt Photographed in Greece
Black-necked Stilt Photographed in New York
Masked Lapwing Photographed in New Zealand
Pacific Golden Plover Photographed in Japan
Pacific Golden-Plover (adult) Photographed in New Jersey and Hong Kong
American Golden Plover - juvenile-plumage Photographed in New York
Grey Plover [Black-bellied Plover] Photographed in New York
Grey Plover,- Adult alternate-plumage. Photographed in New York
New Zealand Dotterel Photographed in New Zealand
Semipalmated Plover Photographed in New York
Little Ringed Plover Photographed in Japan
Snowy (Kentish) Plover Photographed in Greece
Killdeer - Adult alternate-plumagePhotographed in New York
Piping Plover Photographed in New York
Greater Sandplover Photographed in Hong Kong
Lesser [Mongolian] Sandplover Photographed in Japan
Wrybill Photographed in New Zealand
Black-tailed Godwit (islandica) Photographed in New York
Asiatic [Siberian] Black-tailed Godwit Photographed in Hong Kong
Hudsonian Godwit Photographed in New York
Bar-tailed Godwit Photographed in Japan
Marbled Godwit Photographed in New York, California
Far Eastern Curlew Photographed in Hong Kong, Japan
Long-billed Curlew Photographed in California
Spotted Redshank Photographed in Hong Kong
Common Redshank Photographed in Hong Kong
Marsh Sandpiper Photographed in Hong Kong
Common Greenshank Photographed in Japan
Greater Yellowlegs Photographed in New York
Lesser Yellowlegs Photographed in New York
Eastern Willet Photographed in New York
Western Willet Photographed in California
Terek Sandpiper Photographed in New Zealand, Hong Kong
Green Sandpiper Photographed in Greece
Common Sandpiper Photographed in Germany, Greece
Spotted Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Ruddy Turnstone Photographed in New York
Wilson's Phalarope Photographed in New York
Red-necked Phalarope Photographed in New York
Subantarctic Snipe [New Zealand] Snipe Photographed in New Zealand
Wilson's Snipe Photographed in New York
Short-billed Dowitcher Photographed in New York
Short-billed Dowitcher Photographed in New York
Red Knot Photographed in New York
Semi-palmated Sandpiper (alternate plumage) Photographed in New York
Semi-palmated Sandpiper (prebasic molt) Photographed in New York
Western Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Least Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Little Stint Photographed in Greece
Little Stint Photographed in New York by Rex Stanford
Red-necked Stint Photographed in New York
White-rumped Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Baird's Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Pectoral Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Purple Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Dunlin Photographed in New York
Curlew Sandpiper Photographed in Hong Kong, Greece
Curlew Sandpiper vs Dunlin? Identification issues for birds in basic-plumage (images by several photographers)
Broad-billed Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Stilt Sandpiper Photographed in New York
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Photographed in New York

Herons, Egrets, storks and ibis
Little Egret Photographed in Delaware and Japan.
Great White Heron Photographed in New York
Wood Stork Photographed in New York
White-faced Ibis Photographed in New York
Glossy Ibis Photographed in New York

Waterfowl
Black Brant Set #1, photographed in New York.
Black Brant Set #2, photographed in New York.
Black Brant (and candidate hybrids) Photographed in New York (additional images by Andy Guthrie).
Intermediate and Black Brant Photographed in New York.
Eurasian and American Wigeon Photographed in Scotland and New York.
Hybrid brant x Canada Goose Photographed in New York
Hybrid American Green-winged Teal x Eurasian Green-winged Teal Photographed in New York
Hybrid Tufted Duck x Scaup. Photographed in New York

Pheasants & Grouse
Spruce Grouse in New York Photographed in New York.

Woodpeckers
Black-backed Woodpecker Photographed in New York.

Passerines
Black-backed and Japanese Wagtails Photographed in Japan.
Oriental and European Greenfinch Photographed in Japan and Scotland.
Cave Swallow Photographed in New York.
Mountain Bluebird Photographed in New York.
Northern Wheatear Photographed in New York
Brewer's Blackbird Photographed in New York and California.
Hammond's Flycatcher Photographed in New York
Harris's Sparrow Photographed in New York.
Bewick's Wren Photographed in California
Cassin's Sparrow Photographed in New York
Ash-throated Flycatcher Photographed in New York

Marine Mammals
Humpback Whale Photographed off California.
Clymene Dolphin Photographed off North Carolina by Kristen Mazzaralla.
Juan Fernandez Sealion Photographed in the Juan Fernandez Islands by Martin Reid

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Jeremy Barker, Lysle Brinker, Aleix Comas, Patrick Comins, Shawneen Finnegan, Andy Guthrie, Winty Harrington, Kristen Mazzaralla, Fabio Olmos, Tony Pym, Martin Reid, Ron Saldino, Paul Schofield, Naoko Tanese, Richard White, Rex Williams, Ben Wilson, Bernie Zonfrillo for generously contributing their photographs for use on Ocean Wanderers.