The Young and not yet Restless

Updated pictures of our birds were sent to me this morning and I thought I'd send them to you. You guys have been following the progress of the species out there while I was there. Let's follow together, as we are now both off island.

I know Mrs. Seale's class at Spring Valley Elementary in Hewitt, Texas were writing down possible dates, and eagerly awaiting (with me and my co-workers) the first albatross to land on Tern I. Now check this next picture out.

These pistures were not taken by me, and not attributed to any specified person on Tern, when sent to me.

Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) with new chick

I feel quite proud, really, when I first viewed these pictures this morning. How proud does the albatross seem? It's work has just begun.

Remember that early Red-tailed Tropicbird(Phaethon rubricauda) egg? Remember, on Christmas day, it was first seen as a successful hatch? I may have talked about how the" too early egg-then-chick "didn't survive last year. We discussed how, in comparison to these other open-ocean seabirds, that RTTR chick survivability was quite low.

Let's keep rooting the kid on, still going....still growing, too.....

Finally, here is a picture of a just hatched Laysan Albatross(Phoebastria immutabilis) chick, looks cold...

Its down will come in shortly. The beginnings you can already see

Hopefully I'll be sent updated pics as they grow.
Lets stay tuned.

Good Saturday morning.

peace.

-mwyork

A Common Sight and Sound on the Atoll in Winter

**Editor's note, and writer's for that matter: I intended to include video of Laysan and Black-footed Albatross video on this post. Perhaps the file is too large, too lengthy, I am not sure. But unfortunately, after allowing ample time to upload yesterday, the videos just were not happening. I didn't post anything, due to that frustration. This morning, I thought I would atleast pull the writing out of the draft bin. My apologies, the videos are great to give you guys a sense of movement and sound to the albatross' dancing.**

Laysan and Black-footed Albatross don't become of nesting age until around ages 7-9. Studies also show they spend their first 5 years at sea. So those on island that aren't yet nesting walk around the island, practicing nest building, as well as their ritual courtship dancing, looking for that lifetime partner.

The Laysan Albatross certainly has a very active dance. The video-mode on my camera can only pick up partial movement of the mandibles of the rapid bill-clacking visual. These guys are quite the percussionists.The Black-footed Albatross might even be one step better as a percussionist.

The BFAL has a few additions and variations to its dance. It certainly performs more aggresively and loudly.

Ihave been asked if I miss the noise. The word noise has a negative connotation, though the questioners certainly didn't intend so. As far as the sounds, personally I did not find the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) ghostly, nearly human moans to be an irritating noise while trying to sleep at night. It was quite an extraordinary experience really.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater pair, light morph, these guys are gone by winter.

The same could be said for the albatross. I didn't find the sound bothersome during the day or at night.One thing I had slight difficulty with was when I was immediately taken away from the atoll. I had heard waves and the tide day and night, every day and night, for 4 entire months. It just was always there, like hearing my pulse in my ears.

There was something comforting in hearing the tides and waves against the seawall outside room windows while I went to sleep.

barracks wing with my room, on bottom left corner

It was a reminder that the world went on, as it always has, even during my slumber. It was the great organism's version of the grandfather clock, the metronome. Nothing revolves around me. It is not dependant on this one short life. I can only help in my small way. I can observe, absorb, and appreciate in a great way. I join hands with others in doing these.

The sudden break away from that comfort caused some tossing and turning during the next few nights of silence. Though at times, I still believe I hear it. I know I still feel it.

-mwyork

Farewell to Companions

Great Frigatebird , juvenile (Fregata minor)

Today is my last full day on Tern Island and the French Frigate Shoals atoll. Tomorrow morning I will be flown out, back to Honolulu.

So this may be my last log entry from this location. It may not be my last log entry about this location.

In Honolulu, I will be away from any computer for a few days.

I have a great many feelings built up inside my heart, inside my soul. I somewhat imagined a "Grand Finale"-type entry for the occassion.

I'm afraid I won't though. Sometimes there are emotions, thoughts, and feelings that we need to keep for ourselves for awhile. I'm at that position at the moment.

Bidding farewell to this atoll, to all the fellow earthlings who truly own this bit of rock, is a deeply personal task for me. I've made my peace to parts of this earth before when a job was on it's final day. I shall do so here as well.

There is a familiarity in this farewell to the land, for it is all one Mother. But different places contain a slightly different shade in response. The response is not verbal, ofcourse. I've found that most responses in this life are not. But it is audible. For the response has been a 4-month long one. My postings only act as a reflecting mirror to it, to the visual. But in the pictures and words I trust you guys could, atleast in the faintest way, hear what I've heard (to be interpreted in your own, personal way), seen some of what I have seen, and taken with you some of what I've taken with me, whether great or small.
White Tern chick, (Gygis alba)

I welcome you to re-read some of my entries for this past 4 months. I plan to.

So as we near the end of our stay at this grain of sand in the middle of the Blue Planet

I would like to thank what has become a readership that has grown beyond any expectations I ever had for this little weblog. The idea, no the fact, that I have anyone reading and enjoying, agreeing with, disagreeing with, and otherwise gleaning something meaningful...anything from my ramblings; to say that it is humbling is far, far too mild.

This blog will not end with my leaving this island.
taxi

It may however slow down until my next job starts. I will be moving to work west of San Diego. What? Yes. West of San Diego. That won't happen for a little over a month.


So as I leave, a question I ask for all of us. What kind of footprint follows your walk through this life, as you trod this planet that so many call home? I ask that of my self every day. I like to think, ecologically speaking it becomes lighter the more I listen to the "response" alluded to earlier in the post. For there are generations, of every species, in waiting. In so many ways, those that count, we are all one in the same.

Faithful readers, well-wishers, family, friends, strangers.....THANK YOU.

Good bye. Wait................

Good bye from Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals atoll, Northwest Island Chain, Hawai'i, USA.

THANK YOU.


-mwyork