I’ll admit it. I have a thing for Boobies. Apparently, that’s genetic – my grandparents once traveled to the Galapagos Islands to see them. Of course, I’m talking birds, here.

Of the seven species of Booby found globally, three have been seen on Bonaire. The most frequently sighted among them in these parts is the Brown Booby. Hundreds of them roost at the northern end of the island, in Washington Slagbaai National Park. Occasionally a Red-footed Booby, the smallest of the genus Sula, has been seen mixing in with the Brown Boobies there, or nearby.

The Masked Booby is the least-frequently recorded of the three Booby species reported on Bonaire, and yes – it is the world’s biggest Booby at 29-34 inches long, with a wingspan of 63 inches. For the past several years I’ve been on the lookout for this rare visitor, which is seen infrequently in the ABC islands, and had been reported on or near Bonaire just 11 times, always in flight – until recently.

During a mid-June morning outing to Washington Slagbaai National Park I had seen over 100 of the more numerous Brown Boobies, as well as several Magnificent Frigatebirds atop the cliff during a half hour of exploration when an intense morning downpour of rain arrived. After briefly taking shelter from the storm, I thought about moving on to other habitat, but had a strong urge to stay in the area and explore further along the cliff top. And I am very glad to have followed up on that urge. After walking several hundred yards further along the treacherous lunar-like landscape of sharp rock, I saw an unusual break in the pattern of the rocks.

At first glance it didn’t look like a bird. Tucked into a ball shape to rest alongside a small boulder 100 yards away, amidst 20 mph steady winds, it looked like a white lump atop the dark, craggy lunar-like landscape of Bonaire’s northern cliffs. As I slowly crept closer, my binoculars confirmed it was a bird – alive, well and not too shy about my approach. And it was indeed a Masked Booby – the world’s biggest! Figuring it would get spooked and fly away quickly, I double-checked my exposure settings to make sure I would at least get a decent shot or two of this bright white beauty.

Fortunately, this particular Masked Booby had the instincts of a supermodel, graciously posing from all sides to show off its namesake mask, then spreading its wings to show off the beautiful black stripe along the trailing edge.

After capturing all the characteristics I could from a birder’s point of view, I was then able to think more creatively about the setting and surroundings, and with the Booby’s cooperation, was able to compose some shots with the remains of the Malmok lighthouse and research center. After 80+ marvelous minutes together, I left with the deep satisfaction from persistence rewarded by nature, in the form of a few good shots, and a Biggest Booby memory for a lifetime. Enjoy!