Buller's Albatross

A member of the Mollymawk group, Buller's is a medium-sized albatross ranging through the Southern Pacific Ocean. They breed on islands around New Zealand, and I caught up with this representative on a boat trip from Stewart Island. The sun was a bit high in the sky at this point in the late-morning, but I was able to get some nice color on that incredible yellow-edged beak. Set against the blue water, I thought the color combination perfect. I would have loved an action shot showing his seven-foot wingspan, but there wasn't much wind to aid flight on this day.

Stewart Island, Southland, New Zealand, 3/6/19
Canon 600mm f/4 IS II on EOS 5D Mark IV
1/4000 at f/5.6, ISO 640