As of yesterday, I had seen 20 albatrosses in Princeville.

The great majority were in my neighborhood:  13.  Six are on the golf course, I saw another one just once in another residential neighborhood where they nest.

It always starts with a trickle, then the numbers seem to increase exponentially.  Some of them disappear periodically, perhaps to grab a bite to eat.  Or they may have met up with their mates already.  Unless an observer can watch them every minute of the day, it is very likely that nesters could have met up, mated, and left on their “pre-egg laying exodus,” which generally takes about 10 days.  When they return, the egg is laid and incubation begins.

It looks like we will have a good year!