Australian_Geographic_-_December_2015_AU_

November–December 2015 91

Birding wonderland. Nesting

seabirds are abundant on Lord Howe

Island, such as this providence petrel

scooped up by Dean Hiscox (far left);

the large dappled chick of a red-tailed

tropicbird (above) tucked in its nest

under a bush on Malabar Hill; and the

tiny, fluffy nestling of a white tern

(left). White terns lay eggs in

depressions on bare branches, and

here chicks remain, somewhat

precariously, until fully fledged.

Wanderers return. Sooty

terns return to Blinky Beach

for the spring breeding season

after their annual migration

to the Sea of Japan.

PETREL /

Pterodroma solandri

: LH; RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD /

Phaethon

; WHITE TERN /

Gygis alba

: JOHN PICKRELL (JP)