English and Scientific names:	Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos)
Number of individuals:	1 unsexed, appeared to be in adult plumage
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Holly Beach, Cameron Parish
Specific Locality:	ca. 2 mi. W of Holly Beach proper
Date(s) when observed:	September 21, 2006
Time(s) of day when observed:	ca. 1010
Reporting observer and address:	James W. Beck Broussard, LA
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	Michael Musumeche
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	heavily clouded, severe storm approaching from the south
Optical equipment:	Swarovski 10x42 EL binoculars
Distance to bird(s):	ca. 200 yds.
Duration of observation:	ca. 15 seconds
Habitat:	open Gulf of Mexico
Behavior of bird:	bird initially observed gliding tightly over the ca. 3-4' waves caused by the ca. 20 mph s winds. bird then banked towards the east, fly e-se for ca. 10 yds., then turned due south. after about a 15 sec. observation, the bird disappeared behind the waves.
Description:	large bird with long, narrow stiff wings. dark back with contrasting white body and head, darkish bill. white rump contrasted well with dark back and upper wings. underwing pattern white outlined with narrow black borders. wingspan seemed to exceed 7' in length. bird was gliding neatly over the wave crests and banked twice, never observed to flap it's wings. behavior reminicent of a LARGE shearwater.
Voice:
Similar species:	dark-backed gulls/terns- sheer SIZE of this bird made it clear that we were not dealing with ANY gull or tern. bird was also seen in close proximity with a Caspian Tern, which it DWARFED. also the narrow shape and overall length of the wings (plus underwing pattern) ruled out any gull/tern. black-and-white shearwaters (Manx/Audubon's)- again, sheer massive size of the bird spoke for itself. Black-browed Albatross- no experience with any albatrosses, but underwing pattern seemed to be a bit too thinly outlined to match BBAL. color of bill not used as a selling point because imm. BBAL's can appear dark at a distance (Dittmann pers. comm.)
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?
Previous experience with this species:
Identification aids:	at time of observation: National Geographic's North American field guide (4th edition), pers. comm. with Donna Dittmann. after observation: above mentioned book, several online references/images.
This description is written from:	notes taken at time of observation/sketching by JWB.
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	I am 100% positive of this bird's i.d. as AN albatross, and am heavily leaning towards YNAL due to the above mentioned field mark(s).
Reporter:	James W. Beck
Date and time:	October 31, 2006 11:39