The Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. Adults are mostly white, with black flight feathers at the wingtips and the trailing edge of the wing. The central tail feathers are also black. The head is tinged with buff-yellow, with a pale blue-grey bill edged in black, and blue-rimmed eyes. Young birds have mottled plumage in their first year, dark above and light below, gradually acquiring more white until they reach maturity after five years. The species ranges over water above the continental shelf along the southern and eastern Australian coastline, as well as the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. Nesting takes place in colonies along the coastlines of New Zealand, Victoria and Tasmania. The birds plunge into the ocean at high speed, catching mainly squid and forage fish. The species faces few natural or man-made threats.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_gannet

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1949:

Mildred Gillars, nicknamed "Axis Sally", was convicted of treason for working with the Nazis as a broadcaster. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mildred_Gillars

1967:

British progressive rock band Pink Floyd released their first single, "Arnold Layne". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd

1975:

Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnam began its final push for victory over South Vietnam with an attack on Ban Me Thuot. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ban_Me_Thuot

2006:

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter attained orbit around Mars (artist's impression shown). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Reconnaissance_Orbiter

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

audiation: (music) The comprehension and internal realization of music by an individual in the absence of any physical sound. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/audiation

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Wit is the appearance, the external flash of imagination. Thus its divinity, and the witty character of mysticism.   --Friedrich Schlegel https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schlegel