Wandering Albatross

With a wingspan which can exceed 11 feet, the Wandering Albatross is the world's longest-winged bird. They are masters of flight, and long-lived birds (40+ years) can fly between 2 and 3 million miles in their lifetimes! They are the true masters of the Southern Ocean, and I was lucky to intersect this giant as he flew down the left side of our boat off Kaikoura on New Zealand's South Island. There are a handful of recognized subspecies (which some consider full species), and I think this individual is either a Snowy or Gibson's. Regardless, there's no way to do this incredible specimen photographic justice!

Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, 3/15/19
Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 on EOS 1DX Mark IV
1/5000 at f/5.6, ISO 640