Short-tailed Albatross

So the Short-tailed Albatross or "Golden Gooney" I mentioned earlier was on Eastern Island which is just east of Sand Island (the inhabited island). That bird has been observed there for some time, alone, dancing with some decoys they have placed there to attract more short-tails. On Friday the refuge biologist and another person found that there were two birds, one sub-adult and the adult with the golden head. This is very exciting because it means there is a possibility of short-tails nesting here and possibly expanding their range. They are endangered and their main breeding site is on an active volcanic island near Japan. Probably no nesting this year but it's a promicing start.

The picture is of two sub-adult (because they don't have the golden head yet) Short-tailed Albatrosses, I think they estimated that they are about 5 years old. They were on Sand Island together and we think it is one of these two that made their way to Eastern Island and found the golden headed one.

Here is a picture of the adult and the sub-adult dancing on Eastern Island. A very rare event, not many people get to see Short-tailed Albatross dancing.