Now is the time of year when parents start leaving their chicks alone in the nest.  Take this little guy:

515 and 494's chick

Chick alone

People in Princeville will start to see this sign:

Parents are searching for

food and leaving chicks

alone.

 Please don’t scare chick by

getting close !

I always worry that if a parent comes back to feed a chick and finds humans standing near the nest, he or she may be afraid to come close.  Every meal is important to albatross chicks, that is why they need both parents to feed them.

I also worry about cats.  If you are someone who believes that killing one of these chicks would just be part of nature for domesticated cats who did not evolve anywhere near albatrosses and who were bred to live WITH humans, then you will not relate at all to this post.  These little chicks are so vulnerable.  They need protection from predators.  An adult albatross can defend himself from a cat, but a chick who has just been left alone by Mom and Dad (or Mom 1 and Mom 2) for the first time is at a big disadvantage.