August and December on Midway

This is my 5th time to Midway in the past 6 years but the first time I've been here when the albatross are not here. There are still a very small number of chicks and most days I see 1 or 2 adults but within a week or 10 days there will be no albatross on Midway. From August until November the atoll is a very different place. The following 2 pictures were taken in August and December and show approximately the same area of Sand Island.