Rising Tide Images
Watching and Waiting
After months of solitary wandering over tens of thousands of miles of the north Pacific, male Laysan albatrosses (mōlī) return to the breeding colony ahead of the females every season. With strong site fidelity, this male mōlī works on a nest in the same location as the previous year and appears to scan the sky while waiting for the return of his monogamous mate. The nest is a simple scrape. This bird was banded O390 as a nestling in 2008. His mate for at least the past five years was banded O052 in 1993, making her one of the oldest birds in the Ka’ena Point colony. If she has survived the year, I hope to see her return soon and reestablish their bond.
Watching and Waiting
After months of solitary wandering over tens of thousands of miles of the north Pacific, male Laysan albatrosses (mōlī) return to the breeding colony ahead of the females every season. With strong site fidelity, this male mōlī works on a nest in the same location as the previous year and appears to scan the sky while waiting for the return of his monogamous mate. The nest is a simple scrape. This bird was banded O390 as a nestling in 2008. His mate for at least the past five years was banded O052 in 1993, making her one of the oldest birds in the Ka’ena Point colony. If she has survived the year, I hope to see her return soon and reestablish their bond.