Bevs' Albatross Cam
#2

Waiting for little Eggbert to fledge. Is there a naming contest for this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9XN...&feature=ytmp4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9XN...&feature=ytmp4

BEVS must be having a break from BE, I can't contact her through the PM system. I hope she comes back after a much deserved rest, she's very much missed.
A naming contest would be great, hopefully BEVS will be back to do that before the 'little' one spreads its wings.
#4

These are fascinating birds; wings 10' across and they can fly 70 mph. The effort expended to help them survive is incredible as well, but according to the Royal Albatross Centre, they bring in $100 million in tourism dollars.
https://albatross.org.nz/8114-2/
https://albatross.org.nz/8114-2/
#5
Heading for Poppyland










Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 12,048












I became aware of a place I never knew existed a few weeks ago. Gough Island in the South Atlantic. It’s a remote island just a few hundred miles from Tristan da Cunha (which, I guess, is itself fairly remote.)
RSPB are involved in an initiative to eradicate the (invasive) house mouse, which unfortunately eats birds eggs and actually nibbles at, and kills, nesting birds & chicks including albatrosses. Apparently Gough Island has a wonderful avian fauna, including a couple of species found nowhere else.
Gough Island sounds like a wonderful place to spend a year - which you can do, if you work for the South African Meteorological Service! Anyway, for the next year or two, there’ll be more folks than usual there, since the ornithologists will be in residence, catching mice.
https://www.goughisland.com/
RSPB are involved in an initiative to eradicate the (invasive) house mouse, which unfortunately eats birds eggs and actually nibbles at, and kills, nesting birds & chicks including albatrosses. Apparently Gough Island has a wonderful avian fauna, including a couple of species found nowhere else.
Gough Island sounds like a wonderful place to spend a year - which you can do, if you work for the South African Meteorological Service! Anyway, for the next year or two, there’ll be more folks than usual there, since the ornithologists will be in residence, catching mice.
https://www.goughisland.com/
#6

Otherwise know as Pip Paddles or Paddles Pip , hatched to the York family YRK and OGK on flat track.
Not know yet if male or female.
If there is a naming comp it will happen late Spring I should thing with official naming ( very important) July/Aug.
Much of the tourism dollars goes towards the peninsula trust . That cares for not just protecting the peninsula and albatross but also other wildlife and heritage out on the headland itself. That includes efforts for the endangered yellow eyed penguins and sea lions.
DoC is very underfunded so there is a need for visitor $ as donations simply would not bring in enough to do the work. It also helps stop people just walking on out over the headland and interfering with the albatross and eggs as has happened in decades past.
The colony itself really needs a de-salination plant as all fresh water , which helps cools the birds in these years of rising temps, has to be trucked in. Warm weather means flies which means ughs for the chicks.
It is the only mainland albatross colony in the world. The only one. I've walked there among those birds.
Oh and they smell of....albatross.

Not know yet if male or female.
If there is a naming comp it will happen late Spring I should thing with official naming ( very important) July/Aug.
Much of the tourism dollars goes towards the peninsula trust . That cares for not just protecting the peninsula and albatross but also other wildlife and heritage out on the headland itself. That includes efforts for the endangered yellow eyed penguins and sea lions.
DoC is very underfunded so there is a need for visitor $ as donations simply would not bring in enough to do the work. It also helps stop people just walking on out over the headland and interfering with the albatross and eggs as has happened in decades past.
The colony itself really needs a de-salination plant as all fresh water , which helps cools the birds in these years of rising temps, has to be trucked in. Warm weather means flies which means ughs for the chicks.
It is the only mainland albatross colony in the world. The only one. I've walked there among those birds.

Oh and they smell of....albatross.

#7

Otherwise know as Pip Paddles or Paddles Pip , hatched to the York family YRK and OGK on flat track.
Not know yet if male or female.
If there is a naming comp it will happen late Spring I should thing with official naming ( very important) July/Aug.
Much of the tourism dollars goes towards the peninsula trust . That cares for not just protecting the peninsula and albatross but also other wildlife and heritage out on the headland itself. That includes efforts for the endangered yellow eyed penguins and sea lions.
DoC is very underfunded so there is a need for visitor $ as donations simply would not bring in enough to do the work. It also helps stop people just walking on out over the headland and interfering with the albatross and eggs as has happened in decades past.
The colony itself really needs a de-salination plant as all fresh water , which helps cools the birds in these years of rising temps, has to be trucked in. Warm weather means flies which means ughs for the chicks.
It is the only mainland albatross colony in the world. The only one. I've walked there among those birds.
Oh and they smell of....albatross.
Not know yet if male or female.
If there is a naming comp it will happen late Spring I should thing with official naming ( very important) July/Aug.
Much of the tourism dollars goes towards the peninsula trust . That cares for not just protecting the peninsula and albatross but also other wildlife and heritage out on the headland itself. That includes efforts for the endangered yellow eyed penguins and sea lions.
DoC is very underfunded so there is a need for visitor $ as donations simply would not bring in enough to do the work. It also helps stop people just walking on out over the headland and interfering with the albatross and eggs as has happened in decades past.
The colony itself really needs a de-salination plant as all fresh water , which helps cools the birds in these years of rising temps, has to be trucked in. Warm weather means flies which means ughs for the chicks.
It is the only mainland albatross colony in the world. The only one. I've walked there among those birds.

Oh and they smell of....albatross.
And....

#8
#10
#11
#12
#14

I'm used to seeing the usual mom sitting on the nest and occasional look at the chick, or at night nothing but wind and vigilant mom, so it was interesting to see so much interaction and grooming (which I take for affection) and the vocalisation that's absent on the day to day cam.
#15

I'm used to seeing the usual mom sitting on the nest and occasional look at the chick, or at night nothing but wind and vigilant mom, so it was interesting to see so much interaction and grooming (which I take for affection) and the vocalisation that's absent on the day to day cam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e60fk2KvToY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e60fk2KvToY
