Suburban Laysan Albatrosses in Princeville, Kauai by Cathy Granholm

"Kauai albatross father returns to Princeville to meet his new chick"

"On 2 February, 2015, Dad returned to the nest to see his chick for the first time. Mom was very reluctant to leave her little one, but finally allowed her mate to replace her so she could fly out to sea to get more food for the baby. She came back one last time before finally leaving."

"Kauai albatross: first day on land after six years at sea"

"This is a Laysan albatross who hatched in a nest on my lawn in Kaua'i. He fledged and stayed at sea for 6 years. I filmed him on his first day back on land, on a golf course. He had to relearn how to walk and how to speak albatross, and started by trying to copy nearby birds. The "eh,eh,eh" descending notes are what his parents would have called to him when they returned with food, that is the vocalization he would have remembered from when he was a chick. You will see his first clumsy attempts at displaying with other albatrosses. You can see clips from this long film and read more about him at albatrossdiary.com. Enjoy his first day back!"

Videos by Cathy Granholm of "My Albatross Diary" - with thanks.   Cathy lives in Princeville on the north shore of the Hawaiian island of Kauai where she follows the fortunes of a small banded  population of globally Near Threatened Laysan Albatrosses Phoebastria immutabilis, which breed in domestic gardens (yards) and on the golf course.

Posted by 28 April 2020