Masked Booby with Egg – Clipperton Island
Almost 1,000 miles from anywhere lies the French coral atoll known as Clipperton Island. Although it is not inhabited by humans it is full of life. Frigate birds, booby birds, and land crabs make up the islands fauna and a few palm trees are the only shade. You could walk around the entire island in a couple of hours, but there is so much to see you could spend that same two hours only walking a few hundred yards. This particular masked booby was returning to her egg and chick in the foreground after switching with its mate to forage. Masked boobies usually lay two eggs but only the strongest will survive. This is usually the first hatched (bird to the left) which will out-compete the younger bird for food and space under its parents. Since they nest right on the coral rubble, the adult bird must shade the young through the hot sections of the day or they will die very quickly. On a side note, I think the little chick looks a lot like Gonzo from the muppets!
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Gonzo is beautiful! Great image!
Hey – thanks for checking out my blog. It’s always a nice surprise when folks I don’t know find it. I didn’t know about the Masked Booby – I’ve always been a fan of the Blue Footed Booby; how can you not like a bird with blue feet? It’s great to learn through the blog about places I never heard of – Clipperton Island – who knew?
thanks 4 the visit to my site,hope you enjoyed it…i like your blog and now onward i am following you to know more about photography and the beautiful
places in our mother earth …
wonderful stuff!
Beautiful shot. The landscape is so surreal…it reminds me of the rocky penguin habitat on Isla Magdalena in Chile. http://raxacollective.wordpress.com/2011/10/02/protecting-penguins/
Cheers!
Awesome shot!
What a beautiful photo!
This photograph makes a great canvas for the office or home! I love the bird coming in on top as well.
Reblogged this on Pongola Online.
Thumbs up!
What a rema
Sorry.. “What a remarakable scene”.
I loved it.
Amazing
this is one really great shot!
Wow! Amazingly photography.
Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors.
Hi,
I have not heard of this Island before, but it’s great when a place is set aside as a Nature Reserve.
Fantastic photo.
Wow! Amazing shot!
I really like the contrast between the rocky land and soft clouded sky with the birds in between.
Thanks a lot for your like on my photoblog!
lovely blog you have. thanks for your visit to my site. have a great day… hugs
Totally Gonzo. Absolutely love this photo.
I knew none of this. I like when you educate. Thanks. Nature, she’ll always remain an enigma to me.
S
That picture needs to be framed
Great shot!
wonderful. I knew nothing about this bird till now–what a gift to glimpse this world and read your words.
Beautiful photos – love them!