Snow queen

Grey-headed Albatross Ridge

The chest plumage of a grey-headed albatross blends into the backdrop of snow on a high ridge on Marion, named after the resident albatross breeding colony there. Like other albatrosses, the grey-headed albatross spends the majority of its long life soaring effortlessly over vast distances at sea, travelling up to 13 000 km on a single feeding flight. Generally, they only return to an oceanic island like Marion every second year to breed. Chris snapped this bird’s portrait during one such breeding season.

HOW? Canon 50D, 70 – 200 mm lens, shutter speed 1/250 second, aperture f5, ISO 400.