Royal Albatross Centre - Dunedin NZ

When we visited Dunedin via cruise ship last November we discovered the existence of the Royal Albatross Centre http://albatross.org.nz/. It would have been expensive to visit as a cruise ship shore excursion. There wasn't going to be much bird activity in November anyway as incubation is just starting then. So, we decided to give it a miss and make a special trip back for a visit in January when it's usually possible to see some chicks. Unfortunately, when we visited, in mid-January, the chicks were still about a week away from hatching, so, we missed them. It was still a fascinating visit nonetheless to learn about and view these magnificent creatures. The first chick was hatched on January 28 and a webcam has been installed, so, you can have a look! www.doc.govt.nz/royalcam

The colony at Taiaro Head (Pukekura) is the only mainland breeding colony in the world of the Royal Albatross. They have been intensively managed, by a charitable organisation, since 1951 and there are now about sixty breeding pairs at Taiaro Head. In 2014, the 500th chick made a first return to the Head.

Access to the nest site is strictly controlled and your admission fee gets you entry into a soundproof building with large glass viewing windows very close to the birds. We went late in the day so the winds would be up and we could see the birds at their best. We were rewarded with wonderful views of about 15-20 albatrosses soaring, gliding, diving and landing right in front of us.

There were a few birds sitting on nests and there were many juveniles about, having a gam, in the long grass.

We stood transfixed for an hour, just watching this rare spectacle. The birds are generally solitary when you see them at sea, far offshore, but, here we were privileged to see a large group interacting with each other.

If you're not familiar with albatross, they have an amazing life cycle and physiology. Albatross are the largest of the world's seabirds with the Royal being the largest of all. It can measure 1.2 metres from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail and up to 3.3 metres in wingspan!  In the pictures here, you'll note that the wings are very long and narrow and have a third joint in them to support this incredibly long reach.

They can fly at speeds of around 120kph (75mph). They have a special gland in their cheeks that allows them to drink salty sea water. This is a good thing as the only reason an albatross ever comes to land is to breed, the rest of their time is spent at sea.

Each breeding pair only has one egg to raise every two years as it takes a full year, from September to the following September, for the entire cycle to result in just one chick. Once the chicks fledge they are at sea for 4-6 years on average. Parents leave the colony to spend a year at sea before returning to breed again the following year. When they are not breeding, royal albatrosses undertake circumpolar flights in the southern oceans, and in particular like the Humboldt Current and the Patagonian Shelf.