My third encounter with an albatross *
was with this one.
It had preyed upon the wrong fish, an unatttractively prickled pufferfish, which had then lodged firm in its throat.
A stronger soul than me was able to pull it out.
I spread its wings out as a matter of honour, rather than leave it a tangled sorry mess: this seemed the decent thing to do.
One wing stretched from the ground to my nose: The total wingspan was 2 metres, even though it was still a juvenile, as indicated by its chest feathers.
Later I dragged him back out to sea. A sea-bird doesn't belong on the sand, even after its life force has left it behind.
*(Please go to february for the previous albatross post. My link refuses to work.)
8 comments:
great photos fifi....you have captured elegance in the face of death.
how good is it to walk along a beach and come across things that have so much of a story to tell.
i don't know what to say. i always thought albatrosses were like big poems. it's sad to see a dead one. i guess that is a different kind of poem. or the same one, from a different angle. i'll shut up now.
poor worn out thing...
I stuffed an albatross once. It was a fairly huge job. Fully grown and smelt of the sea. I think it lived out its days on a farm in Riverstone. a long long way from the sea. I'm glad you gave it a burial at sea.
Fifi, I read your previous post, & have left a comment there. I feel you have a due reverence for the magnificent bird, that once lived.
I am sure it's soul salutes your repsect.
So glad you did, too.
A fitting tribute to a magnificent bird.
Maybe you were a flying creature in a previous life?
That was beautiful that you spread its wings wide before returning it to the sea.
Incredible pictures, esp. the last one.
You're a good soul, Fifi. You really are.
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