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[Lani]

Royal Albatross 8/11
This afternoon Manaaki at 203 days old, was weighed and supplementary feed 600ml of rehydrating fluids and 1 kg of fish and octopus. Yum!

🎥In case you missed it, here is Manaaki's recent GLS attachment with explanations.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jY9IKG-3yEw

8/10
Julia holding an Albatross chick with their GLS device.
The devices are very small and attached to the S-S band with a very small cable tie. Kalinka from Parker Conservation helped with the attachments. Thank you. https://parkerconservation.co.nz
Photos credits: Kalinka Rexer-Huber




Royal Albatross - 8/9
Wind and Wings
Manaaki used the winds to help him with his wingercizes, and strengthen those flight muscles.
He also attempted a jump or two while hopping about.   
Clever chick. 

A Black-billed gull dropped in to look, too.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1684561514903347200

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 7/28
Today was a big day at Pukekura with all 33 chicks banded with a Stainless-Steel band & a unique permanent alphanumeric darvic band.

Manaaki is D36 darvic band, and black for males.
NTF chick is D17 darvic band, and yellow for females.

The bands are large with the internal diameter of 19 mm The Stainless-Steel bands are a height of 12 mm & take careful adjusting to get them on the leg.
In 2/3 weeks the S-S bands will be checked during weigh day to make any adjustments prior to fledging
Thank you Sharyn & Colin

https://twitter.com/i/status/1684850090580873216

What an armful!

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 7/31 World Ranger Day
A time to think about all the wonderful and hard work Rangers do in your part of the world.

Thank you to all the DOC Rangers at Taiaroa Head, looking after the Northern Royal Albatross and their environment here at the colony. Have a great day!

[Lani]

Royal Albatross 8/3

Sharing a recent photo of Manaaki & his neighbours: Image credit: Sharyn Broni.

Left, Upper Quarry chick KD40 (K Black)

South Plateau chick Manaaki in the middle KD36

North Top Flat chick YD17 (Y Yellow) she has moved closer to the cam from her original nest.



Yesterday's weather was a bit of everything, winds, (SW 50 to 68 knots) rain & sleet
Ranger Sharyn "We do not handle the birds over 50 knots. Over 60 knots we do not go onto the hill side. Over 80 knots it is very difficult to stand up."
Safety first!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1686905393900027907

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 8/8
Manaaki is 200 days old today & weighed 8 kg. He will be supplementary fed tomorrow or Thursday.

Data logger attachment (GLS Global Location Sensor)
Also today 20 chicks, 10 males including Manaaki & 10 females were each fitted with a tiny GLS device.
~more info to follow.





8/9  GLS (Global Location Sensor)

Hi everyone, this is the information about the GLS provided by DOC Ranger Sharyn.

Image credit: Sharyn Broni. Thank you.

[Lani]

Royal Albatross 8/11
This afternoon Manaaki at 203 days old, was weighed and supplementary feed 600ml of rehydrating fluids and 1 kg of fish and octopus. Yum!

🎥In case you missed it, here is Manaaki's recent GLS attachment with explanations.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jY9IKG-3yEw

8/10
Julia holding an Albatross chick with their GLS device.
The devices are very small and attached to the S-S band with a very small cable tie. Kalinka from Parker Conservation helped with the attachments. Thank you. https://parkerconservation.co.nz
Photos credits: Kalinka Rexer-Huber





Royal Albatross
Think we've done our dash on the electronic side of things for now How about the latest highlight video:
Wings On Windy Afternoon with Manaaki.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=lzqBjr9a64I

Keep an eye out for the jump!
http://AllAbout.birds.org/Albatross

[Lani]

Royal Albatross -   8/14 15:14
Is that you up there Dad?
Look who the afternoon sun brought in. Dad GLY arrives to feed Manaaki. Great to see Dad & great for Manaaki too. 
Dad was last in July 30, so its really good to see him, hope we see Mum soon too.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1691054600563077121

8/14 8:02
What's up Manaaki?
The very sociable Quarry chick, grubby tum and all, came to see Manaaki this morning.
Even though Quarry gave a great skycall, Manaaki wasn't having it.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1690979196062048256

8/13
Manaaki, yesterday, from his feet to the top of his head.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
https://twitter.com/i/status/1690517387333046273

[Lani]

RoyalAlbatrossCam

Aug 15
8/15 Weigh day
Manaaki is 207 days old today & weighed 9.8 kg.

Here are 2 other chicks weights to compare.
UQ chick, younger than Manaaki, weighed 7.3 kg, he was suppl. fed & a male chick,
similar age to Manaaki, weighed 11.3 kg.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1691428464891760641

8/15
Also Dad GLY was in this morning with breakfast for Manaaki.
Enjoy Manaaki's squeals and yaps ~ mind your ears though.
Thanks Dad, nice to see you again. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1691431122746712065

[Lani]

Royal Albatross 8/19  What did they say to each other?. They're cute 

Yesterday afternoon, Manaaki went down to see UQ chick. They exchanged a skycall or 2, and some yaps and bill claps.
Enjoy your weekend, and thank you.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1692681826773721233

[Linda M]

Royal Albatross 8/19  What did they say to each other?. They're cute 

This was great!  Thanks, Lani 

[Lani]

Hi Linda, glad you enjoy the updates. Manaaki is a hoot, and I'll miss him when he fledges! 

Royal Albatross Cam - 8/23 
8/23 Flight training in progress x3

Hi everyone, there was no weighing yesterday but only for a few chicks like UQ chick
Manaaki was 9.8 kg last week, & he has been fed 7x since Aug 19 including this morning with Mum L.

Thanks Mum, & Dad too.
http://AllAboutBirds.org/Albatross

Manaaki, UQ chick and friends practice wingersizing! 
https://twitter.com/i/status/1694126802279772388

A few highlight videos & pics to share
Manaaki Visits His Neighbor
https://youtube.com/watch?v=7Hg5Yn1m4zI&t=1s
Chick Practices Hovering Under A Rainbow
https://youtube.com/watch?v=kUuzW_Z3_5w&t=7s
Mum L Drops In To Feed Her Giant Nestling
https://youtube.com/watch?v=c2oa9onmugo&t=2s

This morning at the webcam and Mum L

[Lani]

Royal Albatross Chick "Manaaki" Waddles In For A Close Up | DOC | Cornell Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU1ap4SVjkM

[Lani]

Royal Albatross cam - 8/28
Breaking News: A chick has fledged!

The First Otago Albatross Fledgling A Record Setter
~Please click the link below to read the full press release
https://doc.govt.nz/news/media-releases/2023-media-releases/first-otago-albatross-fledgling-a-record-setter/
Godspeed Gunpit chick

Image credit: Hayden Parsons Gunpit chick 4 days prior to fledging. Gorgeous!


8/27
Up up and away...ok not quite.
A perfect wet and windy morning to practise flying. Manaaki,
UQ chick and NTF chick showing different stages of flight training from jumping into the air to hovering out of view.

Enjoy and thank you.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1695764441223287161

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE for Manaaki and neighbor chick!! Soon they will be gone.

[LORIDAVIS]

Northern Royal Albatross  New Zealand... check out Manaaki!!!💜
So proud Lani!!!




Royal Albatross ~ Manaaki Is Almost Ready To Fly! 💗 Beautiful Wing Exercises & Closeups! 8.28.23

https://youtu.be/GtazvBB2tYc?feature=shared

Manaaki is 220 days old and he is getting close to fledging! We are in the homestretch now with the chicks getting ready to take flight. Today, we had the first fledge of the 2023 season - Gunpit chick at 217 days old.

Manaaki has a gorgeous view of the sea from his nest and we have a gorgeous view of him!! He will also head to the grassy area close to the cam where a small prism of light like a diamond adorns him (just like Pippa, Tiaki & QT Lilibet had their diamonds) Manaaki does some gardening and then heads back and look out over the sea and perform his wing exercises! Thank you for watching!
Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Media release 28 August 2023
First Otago albatross fledgling a record setter! The first fledgling toroa/northern royal albatross to leave Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on Otago Peninsula this season set a record when he spread his wings and set off to spend years at sea. DOC Dunedin ranger Sharyn Broni says the male is the youngest on record to fledge, taking flight on Sunday —Gunpit chick at just 217 days after he hatched. He will spend the next 4-10 years at sea before returning to the colony. “The previous record for youngest fledgling was 219 days and the average is 240 days. We think he fledged so early because he had really regular feeding from his parents, meaning he was in good condition and at a good weight, and perfect fledging conditions on Sunday with strong winds blowing him straight out to the ocean. “The chick is one of 20 which has been fitted with a tracker that will record his movements for about the next three years. Previously the species has only been tracked for up to one year, so we’re excited to learn more about what these juveniles do in their first few years.”The trackers do not transmit the bird’s location but save the data on the unit, which will be retrieved when they return to the colony. He is the first fledgling of 33 toroa chicks at the colony this season. If all fledge successfully it will be the highest number on record to do so in a season. The current best is 30 chicks in 2021. That includes the Royal Cam chick, Manaaki, who has been the focus of the popular 24-hour online live stream, run in partnership with Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology in New York. Manaaki has been stretching his wings in the breeze but is not quite ready to begin his journey.

Sharyn says it’s been a very successful breeding season at the colony so far, though it has had its eventful moments.

“One major event was a female going to the Dunedin Wildlife hospital with acute liver failure near the end of the guard stage, which is the first 30-40 days when parents stay with their chicks to protect them. “Remarkably she pulled through after a two week stay in hospital — a first for a breeding toroa — and is back successfully raising her chick.” However, one unfortunate trend that’s been observed is parents returning to feed their chicks with plastic in their stomachs, which is then regurgitated for the chick, says Sharyn Broni. “Plastic is a serious threat for albatross. It can look like food when it’s floating in the ocean so the birds often catch it, which is a choking hazard for both parents and chicks. It can also fill up their stomachs which causes the birds to effectively starve, as plastic has no nutritional value.

“Easy ways you can help albatross and other seabirds include picking up rubbish when you’re at the beach or near waterways, reducing your plastic use where possible, and carefully disposing of any plastic you do use.” Te Poari o Pukekura chair Nadia Wesley-Smith says, “It’s always pleasing to hear of a successful fledging, and this one beating the record for earliest recorded fledging shows the importance of regular feedings from parents and how that impacts the overall population of toroa at Pukekura. With the tracker attached, we’ll also look forward to gaining new insights on their activity during the years spent away from the headland”. Otago Peninsula Trust and Royal Albatross Centre Ecotourism Manager Hoani Langsbury says, “As a father myself, I always think of the first chick to fledge as heralding in the empty nest concept as the birds start their big OE. This is both a sad and exciting time for staff. We’re looking forward to the first returners for next season.”

[Lani]

Lori, thank you for posting your great gifs and info!
I love this big boy so much. I'm going to miss him very much when he fledges.
But, right now, I enjoy seeing him grow!