Gil and I went for a quick bike ride to check out the albatross (moli) in the hood. Theoretically the chicks should all be hatched by now – the season of extreme cuteness.
Back nest, healthy chick hatched
Front nest, abandoned by jilted mama
Like many American suburbs, love triangles and soap operas play out regularly – we just don’t expect it among the monogamous albatross that “mate for life.” Until recently the front nest and another across the road both had eggs - oops, same father. Seems the male not only mated with his long time companion above, he also decided to wander over and mate a second female and then proceeded to parent that chick instead – within sight of his former nest! The ex could not raise a chick alone and eventually had to abandon her egg in order to go eat. She still visits the nest site and has reportedly been seen at the other nest, clacking her beak at the run-away dad.
Nest of ill repute
Whether this is the dad or the new girlfriend, this parent stood up to stretch and we saw the bundle of joy sleeping peacefully.
Moving on, we noticed in yet another front yard, this parent nudging his/her youngster awake to feed. We guessed the parents had just switched positions and this one re-gurged several times for the little guy while we kept our distance.
Got squid?
Oh yeah!
Check out these wings
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