Helen FieldsScience Writer

Today there was a sediment trap deployment, and it was exciting and there was heavy equipment and everything was cool and all, but much more exciting: a Laysan albatross, the first albatross of the trip, kept flying by. So Chris and I were watching the albatross and agreeing, yeah, you could take a picture, but then you just have to say, “trust me, it’s really big.” And I said, you’d have to get it next to a gull (although they’re actually pretty big, too, so it wouldn’t give you the full effect).

Then, 15 minutes later, the sediment trap is out there with its giant orange buoys. And then we’re like, hey, wait, that’s the albatross sitting next to it. And then a gull lands next to it. Thanks, buddy!

Ok, my picture only has the albatross in it. But take my word for it: that’s a big bird. This actually rises above my usual wildlife pictures, which are of the “see that speck? that’s a [thing]” variety. You can actually tell this is an albatross – see that giant beak? That beak is alllll albatross.