She’s back!  ACAP Latest News has mentioned the World’s oldest known bird in no less than 25 news items over the last five years.  Now back on Midway Atoll at an estimated age of 66, Wisdom the Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis just keeps going with yet another egg laid, following on from at least nine chicks successfully fledged since 2006 (click here).

Wisdom this month with her latest egg, photograph from the US Fish & Wildlife Service

Wisdom and her mate in an earlier year, photograph by Pete Leary

Click here to see more of this season's photos of Wisdom.  Her current mate, Akeakamai (Hawaiian for “love of wisdom” ), has also been clocked in for the season.

Biologist Chandler Robbins, now 98, first banded Wisdom – as an adult -in 1956.  Among other oldies, ACAP’s Information Officer enters his eighth decade next month – let’s hope Wisdom follows suit in 2020.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 December 2016

Genevieve Jones (FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa) and colleagues have published in the journal Polar Biology on breeding of Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans at South Africa’s Marion Island

The paper’s abstract’s follows:

“South Africa’s Prince Edward Islands support a large proportion (44 %) of the global Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans breeding population, yet most breeding phenology data are recorded from smaller and geographically distant populations. Timing of breeding at Marion Island was remarkably constant across three successive years (2007–2009), providing a good baseline against which future changes can be assessed. Male (but not female) early arrival and presence at the colony during the pre-laying period was positively related to breeding success.  Earlier hatching chicks were more likely to survive, but timing of egg laying and incubation periods did not influence fledging success. Although there was considerable individual variation in breeding phenology, average dates of male arrival, laying and hatching were later at Marion (47_S), Crozet (46_S) and Kerguelen (49_S) than at more southerly Bird Island, South Georgia (54_S).  Earlier breeding at South Georgia may ensure that chicks have time to grow sufficiently to survive harsh winter conditions that set in earlier at South Georgia.”

Wandering Albatrosses - and the author - at Marion Island

With thanks to Genevieve Jones – and for mentioning me in the acknowledgements!

Reference:

Jones, M.G.W., Dilley, B.J., Hagens, Q.A., Louw, H, Mertz, E.M., Visser, P. &. Ryan, P.G. 2016.  Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans breeding phenology at Marion Island.  Polar Biology DOI 10.1007/s00300-016-2042-7.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 December 2016

*** The application period has been extended to 31 December 2016 ***

As part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) GEF-funded Common Oceans Tuna Project (also known as the ABNJ Tuna Project), BirdLife South Africa is looking for a Fleet-based Training Co-ordinator to implement a series of National Awareness and Observer training workshops for countries with tuna longline fleets operating south of 25°S.

BirdLife South Africa is particularly interested in Mandarin-speakers, as much of its future work in this project element will involve close and regular liaison with the Chinese tuna longline fleet.

The position is based in Cape Town, South Africa, and preference will be given to applications from South African passport-holders or permanent residents.  However, other nationalities are welcome to apply, and because the post is administered under the FAO, a UN Laissez Passer passport can be arranged.  Family (including spousal) work permits cannot be arranged.

The closing date for applications is 31 October 2016.

Read more details and how to apply here.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 10 October 2016, updated 16 December 2016

Ryan Carle (Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, Santa Cruz, California, U.S.A.) and colleagues have written in the Spanish-language journal La Revista Chilena de Ornitología on the advantages of keeping breeding ACAP-listed Pink-footed Shearwaters Ardenna creatopus and cattle apart with a fence.

The paper’s English abstract follows:

“With the aim of contributing to conservation of breeding habitat of Pink-footed Shearwater (Ardenna creatopus), in 2011 we established a cattle exclusion system around a breeding colony in Isla Robinson Crusoe, Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. The cattle exclusion system consisted of a metallic fence 1.6 m in height around a polygon 21 000 m².  After three years, we evaluated the vegetation characteristics inside and outside the cattle-exclusion area by plant sampling in 20 x 20 m plots.  Between 2012-2016, we also monitored 100 burrows in the cattle-exclusion area to assess their structural status.  The exclusion area had a greater overall vegetation cover and increased plant height in comparison to the non-exclusion area.  The non-exclusion area had significantly greater cover of bare soil and of the invasive plant Acaena argentea.  The frequency of occurrence of bare soil and trun [sic] was also significantly greater on the non-exclusion area.  On the exclusion area, we detected a significant increase in cover of annual grasses, forbs and plant litter, and a greater occurrence of lichens compared to the non-exclusion area. We found no evidence of regeneration of native flora within the exclusion area, and the cattle exclusion had no apparent effect on the native fern Blechnum hastatum.  After exclusion, none of the monitored shearwater burrows showed evidence of further damage.  The use of cattle-exclusion fences could be an effective tool for restoration of seabird breeding habitat.”

Pink-footed Shearwater, photograph by Peter Hodum

Reference:

Carle, R.D., Beck, J.N., Colodro, V. & Hodum, P. 2016.  Efectos de la exclusión de ganado vacuno sobre la vegetación en el área ocupada por una colonia de Fardela Blanca (Ardenna creatopus) en la Isla Robinson Crusoe, Chile.  [Effects of cattle exclusion on the vegetation at a Pink-footed Shearwater (Ardenna creatopus) colony on Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile].  La Revista Chilena de Ornitología 22: 184-193.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 16 December 2016