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[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ Update On Fledges!! Two Of The Four chicks Still Here In View! ♥ 9.27.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AiRHfNEK9M

Sep 27, 2023
Ranger Sharyn Broni has reported: "There are now only 4 chicks left on the headland. I missed seeing one fledge by moments this afternoon and the one we picked up from the Aramoana salt marsh on Saturday has gone again."

We were lucky to see two of the chicks up on the track. One could be SSF Signal Station Flat chick. With new albie arrivals and returnees starting to come in, the new season will start to pick up in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for watching!
Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Royal Albatross ~ Female Chick Jumps Down & Lands On Manaaki's Nest! Practices Hops & Hovers 9.28.23SSF practicing on Manaaki's nest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIX__aXCj4k&t=4s

Sep 27, 2023
We now have only 4 out of 33 chicks left to fledge on the headland ♥ This female chick jumps down from Top Flat and lands on His Royal Roundness's nest!! 😊 It may be the SSF (Signal Station Flat chick) since her nest is up on the hill. She picks some of the grass around Manaaki's nest, rests briefly and then she is up to hop and flap to the edge of the hill.

Looking out over the hill, she stretches out her wings, feeling the wind and deciding if it is a good day to fledge. She hovers with paddles up and lands to the right just out of view of the cam. She will be fledging when the winds are the most favorable and she may continue further down the hill (just like Manaaki and UQ did). We are getting down to the final four chicks left to take flight. New arrivals and returning albies are starting to come in for the new breeding season. Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

SSF chick

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ Update On Fledges!! Two Of The Four chicks Still Here In View! ♥ 9.27.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AiRHfNEK9M

Sep 27, 2023
Ranger Sharyn Broni has reported: "There are now only 4 chicks left on the headland. I missed seeing one fledge by moments this afternoon and the one we picked up from the Aramoana salt marsh on Saturday has gone again."

We were lucky to see two of the chicks up on the track. One could be SSF Signal Station Flat chick. With new albie arrivals and returnees starting to come in, the new season will start to pick up in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for watching!
Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Royal Albatross ~ Female Chick Jumps Down & Lands On Manaaki's Nest! Practices Hops & Hovers 9.28.23SSF practicing on Manaaki's nest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIX__aXCj4k&t=4s

Sep 27, 2023
We now have only 4 out of 33 chicks left to fledge on the headland ♥ This female chick jumps down from Top Flat and lands on His Royal Roundness's nest!! 😊 It may be the SSF (Signal Station Flat chick) since her nest is up on the hill. She picks some of the grass around Manaaki's nest, rests briefly and then she is up to hop and flap to the edge of the hill.

Looking out over the hill, she stretches out her wings, feeling the wind and deciding if it is a good day to fledge. She hovers with paddles up and lands to the right just out of view of the cam. She will be fledging when the winds are the most favorable and she may continue further down the hill (just like Manaaki and UQ did). We are getting down to the final four chicks left to take flight. New arrivals and returning albies are starting to come in for the new breeding season. Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

SSF chick

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ A Chick Continues Its Flight Practice & Hovering Skills! 9.28.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ROTJtFPUo&t=38s



Sep 28, 2023
One of the chicks is seen working on its pre-flight & hovering skills! Enjoy watching their efforts as they make their way down the track and just below the hill. This chick may be fledging in the morning with favorable winds! It is  one of the four remaining chicks left on the headland. Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 10/3 All 33 chicks of 2023 have fledged 
The remaining 3 chicks fledged yesterday in the strong winds. Godspeed Albatross chicks!

This is the highest number of chicks to fledge from the colony. A big congrats to all their parents, Sharyn and the Rangers👏
http://AllAboutBirds.org/Albatross

[Lani]

Royal Albatross discussion thread today!
Some chatters think the video and photos may be from the location or area around Quarry 23, UQ and Manaaki's nests today! 
And they are wondering about the 33 chicks from this past season and are they direct descendants.

Royal Albatross and chick at Taiaroa Head, 1939

Royal Albatross with newborn chick at Taiaroa Head, 1939. Includes footage of Agnes Richdale [?] and Lance Richdale.
From the Lance Richdale collection, Hocken Archives MS-1260-053/004. Our thanks to Maurice Hayward and the Film Heritage Trust for digitising this film.[/size]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roCXhVtxanc&t=124s

[Lani]

10/9 an update from Sharyn.

The new season of 2023/24 is building up momentum. Nearly 40 individuals having been sighted, and some pairs have been sighted together.
A pair of Toroa. Pic by Sharyn Broni, DOC

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ New Arrivals Update 💗 YRK Is Home! WYL Is Back Skycalling & Waiting 💗 10.10.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE0SOXS0cn4

Oct 11, 2023
The new season arrivals are coming in every day! We have 40 individual albatross seen and some pairs are finding one another again. YRK (yellow red black) has been seen which is great news! If you recall, YRK is the mate to OGK and parents of RLK, Atawhai & Lilibet. Paddles are crossed that OGK will return and be reunited her with again after he went missing during Lilibet's season. ♥ Also in is RBL (red blue lime) male and WYL the male who is coupled up with BOK last season and she laid her first egg. First time breeders are not always successful so let's hope that BOK returns and they try again this year!

The coverage begins with WYL in with some beautiful and loud skycalls! Another returnee flies in - I can't be sure on the bands but it could be WKW (white black white) the widowed female who was looking for love last season. Let's hope she finds it this year! Enjoy some of the beautiful scenery  and a couple other albies coming in! Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - Oct 13, 2023
As the new season is beginning to get underway, we were fortunate enough to see some of the returnees on the hill at sunset. There were five albies that were seen socializing at one point. How exciting to see them all back- maybe for the first time to try and make a connection! At the last count, there were 40 new new arrivals back to kick off the season. These are a mix of prior breeding adults. juveniles and first time returnees.
Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Royal Albatross ~ Albie Party At Sunset! 💗 New Arrivals Socializing! 10.13.23https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVPZzgAkXWI

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

Royal Albatross ~ Mid-Air Kisses Between Albies 💕 More Returnees Including OLY! 10.14.23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lJy8gd4iE4

Oct 14, 2023
This was a magical moment when one returning albatross was on the ground and a second one hovers right overhead and & they reach out and try and touch bills like they were giving one another a kiss! The kisser circles around several times and offers up some more affection before landing and interacting with another albie. Such an enchanting time for the toroa as they return now to meet up with their mate or to find new love!

It looks like maybe LKO has returned as well and then we get to see OLY flying in and get a good look at his band. LKO will be looking for a mate and OLY and his mate did have an egg in 2022 but were unsuccessful. Lots of albies flying in and around the headland now - very exciting!

To see the highlights below, please click on the timestamps to advance to that portion of the video.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Opening albies flying
01:25 1st mid air kiss
02:13 One albie lands
02:17 2nd mid air kiss
02:30 3rd kiss attempt
03:10 Three albies socializing
04:33 Possibly LKO seen
05:31 OLY flying in
06:25 OLY closeup and band seen
07:01 More returnees in view

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

This happened near Lilibet-QT's nest before the Royalcam was moved to South Plateau!

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 10/19
10/19 Do you know who Button is?

The Ranger team is pleased to announce that the legendary Button and his mate OYW have returned to Taiaroa Head for another attempt at breeding this season.
Please read Sharyn's update below.
Image by Chris McCormack of Button's return in 2021

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ Albies Socializing & Courtship Displays! 💗 10.25.23

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

Oct 25, 2023
The adolescents continue to arrive and search for a mate for the upcoming season. I could not read any of the bands on these returnees but the one with the nice tiara on its head  is back and at one point we see five albies. They will continue to socialize and engage in courtship displays for the next few weeks. There is one albatross that continues to wait for their mate in the same spot for the past week. ♥ As soon as there is an update from Sharyn on the colony new arrivals I will pin to the comment section. Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Royal Albatross 💗 Beautiful YRK Flies In & Socializes With Other Non Breeders 💗 10.26.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P79EFau6lAo
 
Oct 26, 2023
YRK has been back for two weeks looking for her mate OGK to return. She flies in and lands right next to a non breeder male albie! The albie has a black darvic band which signifies he is a male and it appears the letters are A87. The A series is for all birds fledging between 2010-2019 - most likely this one is a young non breeder. They exchange skycalls and socialize for a few minutes. A couple more non breeding adolescents show up - a blue banded albie will fly off. You can recognize YRK right now by her bright bands of Yellow Red Black and on her head she has a tiara of some dark feathers. The feathers darken during the winter months and will bleach out to white while albies are incubating their egg over the summer months.

We are still hopeful for OGK's return but if he does not return we wish YRK will have a second chance at love again with a new mate. She will most likely stick around for a few more weeks before flying off. She will return again next year to look for a new mate. ♥ Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Male Albie KA87 with YRK


Lots of socializing! 

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 11/5
New Zealand Bird of the Year & Century

2 Toroa are included: the critically endangered Antipodean Albatross & the Buller's Mollymawk.
https://birdoftheyear.org.nz
Voting closes 5pm Sunday 12 November 2023 NZDT & don't forget to validate your vote.

Albies "rushing off to vote". 
https://twitter.com/i/status/1720983117748666603


11/3 Hi everyone, some sad news to share with you.
Although we do not know for sure, it looks like the much-loved OGK has not returned following his disappearance in the winter of 2022 while raising Royalcam chick, Lilibet.

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ Beautiful Courtship Interaction Between Two Albies! Skycalls & Displays ♥ 11.6.23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ojQ9tOl9mw

Nov 6, 2023
The footage opens up to the far right of the track where the lone albie continues to wait for their mate. H/she has a brief social interaction with another albie and hopefully this will help ease its loneliness with this sweet hello ♥

Then to the left of the track we have one albatross welcoming in an albie with skycalls and displays. The incoming albie is banded but I unfortunately could not read them. The albie has a very distinct tiara on its head and is an active participant in this sweet interaction. Did they meet one another previously? It may be young love as bonded pairs normally don't engage in the courtship displays as we see here. Once they have a mate they tend to just greet with skycalls and get right into preening one another and sitting next to other and of course mating!

These albies may be in the process of forming a bond this season as they both paddled down the hill together! The cam then pans over to the right and we see the lone albie watching their interaction and hoping for their mate to return. Hope springs eternal and may this lone albie feel inspired to reach out and engage in more sweet hellos and skycalls so they will be full of joy again with a partner to love ♥ Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

[Lani]

Royal Albatross ~ Albies Returning & Waiting For Their Mates! YWK Is Home & So Is BWK 💕 11.4.23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUbnV9Ppdc

Nov 4, 2023
The albatross continue to come in and wait for their mates or find a new love this season. 💕 It appears that YWK *Yellow White Black) is back home! For those unfamiliar with his history - he is the older brother of our dear OGK and also the Dad of GLY 💕 He and his mate KGY are the parents of the Royalcam chick Moana back in 2016  - so this is exciting news to see him back safely.
Also BWK flies in and walks past the cam.

There is also an albie that continues to wait in this same spot for it's mate hoping for a reunion. It calls out with skycalls as it waits as other albies fly overhead. It is too far away to see any bands but it is not YRK because it does not have a tiara on its head. As we are now in November, this is the time for the pairs to begin posturing and preening one another and ultimately mating and preparing a nest. Hopefully this albie and all the others that are without a mate will find love and have their dreams come true with the laying of a beautiful egg - the light of the future of the colony! Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

[Lani]

Royal Albatross - 11/9
Preparations for the 2023/2024 season's chicks.

Albatross couples, nest sites, defending territories, eggs & trail cams.

Please read Ranger Sharyn's update below & links provided.

~Royal albatross behaviour on and off Royal Cam
https://doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/albatrosses/royal-albatross-toroa/royal-cam/royal-albatross-behaviour-on-and-off-royal-cam/
~What To Expect On The Royal Albatross Cam November–December
https://youtube.com/watch?v=X_gF2yTa_zc
~Incubating Northern Royal Albatross Maintains Nest
https://youtube.com/watch?v=O1OZR7rNfVA

[Lani]

Royal Albatross 11/23/2023

The flightless takahē is a unique bird, a conservation icon and a survivor.
Population: Around 500 as of October 2023
New Zealand status: Endemic
Conservation status: Threatened–Nationally Vulnerable
Found in: Native grasslands of Murchison Mountains, Fiordland and Gouland Downs, Kahurangi National Park
Threats: Predation, competition for food

Sound recordings:
Takahē song (MP3, 622K)
00:38 – Takahē song.

Takahē song (MP3, 611K)
00:52 – Takahē song.

Species information: Takahē on NZ Birds Online
https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/takahe/

Takahē - return to the wild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG423K3pmQI