The chicks are growing and developing quickly. Until recently the only way they could move around was to shuffle along dragging their bellies. There are now more and more that are standing and taking a few normal albatross steps. They are also flapping their wings to strengthen them for their flight off the island. There are also fewer non breeding adult albatross in the colonies so the look of the island is changing. Parents are now flying for many days and thousands of miles for each feeding trip and only stay with the chick a short time and then leave again. It uses so many reserves of the parents that most only breed every other year. Attached are a few pictures of the chicks in my neighborhood.
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