Four Years Ago (06-March-2016) — Indian Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 61: Neptune Day while crossing the Indian Ocean.

Neptune Day celebration. Time-lapse video of the shellback initiation for those crossing the equator their first time. Over 50 of the students and life-long learners had their heads shaved.

I feel for the Semester at Sea voyagers this year as they miss several ports to avoid the COVID-19 virus. I wish them well, and hope the program is able to continue in the future.

 

Four-Years Ago (30-January-2016) — At Sea

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 25: At Sea, Traveling from Kobe, Japan to Shanghai, China.

There were a lot of fishing boats out in the East China Sea as we proceeded to Shanghai. Along with the fishing boats many Seagulls followed our ship. I think that I was able to identify Black-tailed Gull and Black-legged Kittiwake. I previously miss identified some Black-Tailed Gulls as Slaty-backed Gull. I admit gulls are difficult to identify since they go through several morphs over four years before getting to their adult state. I look at images in several books and internet sources.

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Black-tailed Gull viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 149 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-tailed Gull viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-legged Kittiwake viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-legged Kittiwake viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-legged Kittiwake viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-tailed Gull viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-legged Kittiwake viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black-legged Kittiwake viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Group of Black-tailed Gull viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (27-January-2016) — Japan

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 22: Overland Field Trip. Miyajima.

We took the ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima. We spent the morning and afternoon walking about. I noticed a large Crow or Raven in a pine tree. Later on a Rock Pigeon on the ground, and a Black Kite flying overhead.

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Raven or large Crow in Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 186 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Rock Pigeon in Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 70 mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black Kite flying over Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 215mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Black Kite flying over Miyajima Island, Japan.Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (17-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 12: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

At least three of the Masked Boobies remained with the ship overnight. At dawn one was up on the mast. Once the sun rose, they flew above the ship for a while, then flew away.

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Masked Booby on the Mast at Dawn. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Masked Booby on the Mast at Dawn. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Masked Booby in flight just after sunrise. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 560, 116 mm, f/5.6 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Three Masked Boobies in flight just after sunrise. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO250, 149 mm, f/5.6 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (15-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 11: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

As soon as the sun was up there were a number of Brown Boobies using the thermals above the MV World Odyssey as they searched for flying fish. As the sun was setting a Brown Booby landed on one of the ship’s mast and started preening. Later in the evening I came across a Masked Booby on the deck of the ship. We finally had close up confirmation that there were Masked Boobies following the ship. There wasn’t room for the large bird to take off from the deck. Crew members from the ship covered it with a blanket and brought it to an area that was windy and clear of obstructions so it could take off.


Brown Boobies soaring in the early morning sun viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

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Brown Booby preening on a mast. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)


A large Masked Brown Booby Stowaway on the desk of the MV World Odyssey. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery. (David J Mathre)