Lying nearly 1,500 miles northwest of the main Hawaiian islands, Midway Atoll packs quite a bit of interest in its miniscule area. Equal parts national wildlife refuge and battlefield memorial, Midway is tightly controlled by US Fish & Wildlife personnel who limit public access to protect the millions of Laysan albatrosses that nest and breed there. Visiting the island in June for the anniversary of the Battle of Midway, as we did, is one of the only ways to be able to set foot in this paradise.

The flight from Honolulu to Midway went directly over the remote northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Below is a shot of Pearl & Hermes Atoll that I took from our plane window. I can only imagine how spectacular the snorkeling and scuba diving would be here!

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First view of Midway from the air! This shot was taken just after we had flown past the island and were banking back around for landing.

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Before the trip, our only goal was to hope that we'd see some of the Laysan albatrosses that the island is so famous for. We had no idea that they would literally cover every flat surface on the island, up to and including the runway itself (which had to be cleared of birds before we landed). This shot was taken from our plane window as we slowly moved towards the hangar. The big brown birds are this year's chicks, having hatched mostly in January and February. The adults have a coating of white feathers.

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Still in the plane with the hangar now visible. Midway used to be home to a large American military presence; the base has since been abandoned.

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Finally off the plane. Albatross chicks were literally EVERYWHERE! We were instructed to always stay on the concrete foot paths so as not to intrude on their space or trample on their nests. The birds showed absolutely no fear of humans and would stand their ground no matter how close we got. Walking down a path like the one pictured below was an interesting experience because the birds would snap their beaks as you walked by just to make sure you knew they were there and wouldn't intrude on their territory. The cacophony of snapping beaks almost sounded like applause.

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Called "gooney birds" for their clumsiness on land, the albatross chicks we saw often looked like they would rather be in the water themselves. The day was intensely hot, there was little or no shade, and these poor babies had no choice but to sit out in the open in the heat trying to keep cool. Besides panting, one way they try to keep cool is to rest on their behinds and kick their feet up in the air, as shown in the picture below.

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Since the birds were literally everywhere on the island, it was easy to get shots of them with various human-produced props for humor.

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Adult birds were obviously smarter, and most of them could be found in the shade. The chicks had to stay put out in the hot sun waiting patiently for their parents to return with food. Moving to find shade would be unthinkable as the parents would never find them in the millions of nesting birds if they changed positions.

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Close-up of Laysan albatross chick. They always stood their ground and seemed to enjoy posing.

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The official start of the ceremony to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Battle of Midway.

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American veterans of WWII and the Battle of Midway itself lay a wreath at the memorial marker.

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Uniformed servicemen and civilians alike were allowed to travel to the island on this day.

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Inspiring words and sentiment at the base of the battle memorial.

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Looking back towards the airstrip from the military ceremony. Birds have already started to take the road back as our plane shimmers on the horizon in the heat.

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The formal part of the ceremony having finished, we were allowed to freely walk around the island and explore for the rest of the day. Here, a couple shots of another war memorial just a short walk away.

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Art imitating life at the Midway Mall.

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Another example of adult birds finding shade wherever they could. The birds didn't care whether the shade was natural or man-made, they were just happy to have any at all.

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If ever there was a single picture that shows the extent to which the island has been taken over by birds, this is it!

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It looks like it's been years since this fire hose last had any liquid in it, but that doesn't stop this poor soul from seemingly waiting and hoping...

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Deserted beach along the northwestern shore, the sort of stuff that dreams of paradise are made from.

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Adult albatrosses cavort over the open ocean looking for food for their chicks.

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Always on the hunt for unique photographs, I shot one of a bird flying directly overhead, then turned the lens in the other direction to capture one of the shadows skimming over the sand.

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It didn't take long for us to see how Turtle Beach on the far northeastern part of Midway got its name.

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Feeding is one of the most unusual behaviors to watch up close. The chicks sometimes have to wait a full day or two for a parent to return with a full load of food, which is subsequently regurgitated into the chick's mouth. The birds went about their natural business as if we weren't there, and the series of photographs below was taken from near arm's length away -- close enough to "actually hear the regurgitation," as one overheated onlooker remarked.

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Many of the buildings on Midway are abandoned, and the birds have wasted no time taking over.

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Another fascinating behavior to witness up close is the elaborate albatross mating dance, which has to be seen (and heard!) to be believed. Rapid-fire beak clapping and "sky calling" are just two of its many facets.

Click here, here, or here to view my videos of the albatross mating dance on youtube!

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A rare flat surface with no bird on it, though their presence nearby is still obvious!

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North Beach, the only place on Midway where swimming is allowed.

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We had to wait until after sunset before our plane was allowed to leave the island. There was simply too many birds and too much bird activity in the late afternoon to guarantee our safety otherwise. We watched and waited as the sun slowly faded and the birds settled down. A truck was sent out to canvass the runway and make sure it was clear of birds, and then we were off...