Monthly Archives: December 2011

When people ask me if the albatrosses recognize me and feel comfortable with me, I always answer, “Hopefully they will never feel comfortable with me.  I do not want them to see human beings as their friends because they will … Continue reading →

I have been following the ongoing saga of KP467, the bird whose mate of many years, KP531, left her for a bird he met last season.  On December 22nd, KP467 abandoned her egg after incubating it for one month.  On … Continue reading →

If you check under the December archives, you will see “KP531 makes a big decision.”  I tell the story of a male whose long-time mate, KP467, was sitting on his egg while he sat on the egg of a female … Continue reading →

This week was an important one for the albatrosses of Kaua’i.  The birds sitting patiently on bad eggs which will never hatch have been given a second chance at parenthood.  I have already written about the high number of female-female … Continue reading →

Abandoned eggs hold a great fascination for albatrosses.  I often find one or two birds at these sites, touching the egg, sometimes sitting on it, definitely curious about it.  In the following video, the unbanded bird on the left seems … Continue reading →

The choice of nest locations is an interesting facet of albatross behavior. This nest was in a shady, private spot, not too close to the street.   This nest was under one of the only trees around… While this one … Continue reading →

There are some birds whose nests all look generally the same.  Laysan albatrosses do not fall in that category.  The architecture is a mixture of available materials and personal preference.  Sometimes the couple builds a nice nest before the egg … Continue reading →

As of yesterday there were 30 nests in Princeville. Of these, there are 3 nests on a property where I am not allowed to collect data. I found one egg abandoned on the golf course. There was a bird sitting … Continue reading →

KP531 and KP467 have raised chicks that fledged in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.  Not a bad record.  And now KP531 has chosen not to sit on his mate’s egg, which she has been sitting on now for … Continue reading →