Hello to you from Sammi and me.

Sammi the owl, who is the star of Hello from Sammi and Aloha from Sammi, thought you might like more information on the birds in my books. But where do we start….?

If you were with us right now, you’d see all the characters are flapping their wings wildly to get Sammi’s attention. But Sammi has decided this first entry should feature Albert the Albatross.

 In Aloha from Sammi, Albert and his Albatross Air Service safely transport Sammi from California to Kauai’i for Patti Pueo’s birthday party. Without Albert, Sammi would not have had the Hawai’i adventure. So . . . here are some interesting facts about Albert the Laysan Albatross:

A Laysan Albatross lives most of his life on the open ocean, coming to land only for breeding season. The Hawaiian Islands are the primary nesting spot for the Laysan Albatross. When an Albatross couple gets together, they make a nest of grass and bushes where the female lays one precious egg. If you are in Hawai’i in winter, you might see the parents with their Albatross chick.

This amazing world traveler has a wingspan of over 6 feet — not many birds have a wingspan that long! The Albatross holds its wings out like a glider, taking advantage of the strong gusts of sea winds. These birds can soar many miles without needing to flap their wings.

Did you know that many birds don’t have a sense of smell? The Albatross, however, has an excellent sense of smell. It has tubular-shaped external nostrils and a sharp hooked beak. These characteristics help this bird find and catch jellyfish, fish and small crustaceans and “eat on the fly” as it travels.

And Sammi is giggling about this last fact: The Albatross is a graceful and skilled flyer yet stumbling and clumsy on land. Watching these birds land, the Hawaiians gave this Albatross the name “gooney bird”.

Sammi says…come back so we can tell you about another bird friend.