Author Archives: tradewindsla

I took this photo of Princeville’s first chick yesterday.  Mom was spending most of her time sitting on the chick to keep him warm.  A chick cannot thermoregulate when he first hatches. The first egg in Princeville was laid by … Continue reading →

I went to check on a nest in an empty lot.  In the front yard next door, a scene from the never-ending  albatross soap opera was playing out. Some people see albatrosses as being like perfect little people.  They mate … Continue reading →

I stopped by Bad Mama’s nest yesterday to see what was happening.  When I got there she was sitting about 6 feet from the nest.  As soon as she saw me, she ran over to the nest, like a naughty … Continue reading →

This is the Bad Mama Technique.  It never seems to result in a chick. A young male built this beautiful nest, then abandoned it.  In his defense, he had never nested before.  With some of these birds it takes a … Continue reading →

As of today, I have seen about 150 albatrosses in Princeville, and we have 45 nests. Of these 45 nests, 19 are female/female.  That is approximately 42%. How do I know that some of the couples are two females?  Either … Continue reading →

When bluKP226, Gator, started following half of a female/female couple around my street, this is what she did: She stopped and faced him. She spread her wings out so she seemed to be much larger than Gator. She lifted her … Continue reading →

The albatrosses are drifting in one by one.  The same thing happens every year; it seems as though there just aren’t as many birds as there usually are.  So I sit down and count all of the ones I have … Continue reading →

Just don’t tell HIM that he doesn’t belong! The white bird at the top of the picture is a snow goose who usually hangs out with the local nenes.  No, people, this is NOT an albino nene.  I do not … Continue reading →

We have more of our nesters back.  KP531 met up with his mate, K407.  They have raised chicks in the same backyard where KP531’s former mate now nests with a male who used to return each year to a mate … Continue reading →

KP531 has been nesting in Princeville for at least as long as I have been observing the albatrosses.  His favorite nesting area is not far from where the female with whom he raised several chicks likes to nest with her … Continue reading →