Cape Royds Nest Check 2009-2010

Cape Royds is a small colony of about 2100 nests. It has declined in size since 2000, when there were 4000 nests. The decline was due to a large iceberg that grounded about 60 km (40 miles) north and caused McMurdo Sound to be completely ice covered. This made it difficult for Royds penguins, who had to walk much longer distances than they like. Therefore, many penguins left Royds to find nests in colonies closer to open water. In 2007 water was much closer, only a few kilometers away, penguins started to return to Cape Royds. Last season, open water was again about 75 km away and the penguins had to walk further to get here, many decided not to, and there were fewer nests. About half of the nests that were started were lost as the brooding parent could not wait for the foraging parent to return. Hunger forced them to abandon the eggs. This year open water is about a 2km from the colony and we are eager to see how this breeding season will progress.

Cape Royds Nest Check | Bird Biography-Nest History

DATE TEMPERATURE WIND SPEED CONDITIONS NOTES
Nest Check is over for the 2009-10 season. Our tents are down and we have returned to McMurdo
01-18-10 -4oC 35 mph from S snowing ice has left the sound, cold day
01-17-10 -1oC 6 mph from N clear sea ice has filled the sound
01-16-10 -2oC 18 mph from N cloudy sea ice has filled the sound
   Click here to see weather data archive. 

Click on the Nest # to learn more about each breeding pair and see the entire season's pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Nest Check 2009-2010

Nov 17. We have finally arrived at Cape Royds field Camp. This year the birds are late in arriving at the colony and not many eggs have been laid. Not all the penguin families we will showcase this year have bands. We will have to identify the male and the female by subtle yet distinct differences in their beaks.

Oct 31. Adleie Penguins are returning to their breeding colony at Cape Royds. We are eager to see if the same breeding pairs will come back to their nests. In the coming days we will select several Adelie Penguin families to follow as they raise their chicks. You can follow along on a daily basis by logging in and checking the "picture of the day" at the right. If you miss a day, click on the nest number where you will see all the daily pictures and more about each of the nests. Click on any picture to see a larger version.

Nov 18. The first chick of the season was hatched today, more than a week later than last year.

Jan 18th 2010. Our last day at Cape Royds field station. Of the 8 selected nests in this years study one failed to breed (#8), one failed to hatch their egg (#6), two raised one chick (#3, #5) and four successfully rasied 2 chicks each (#1, #2, #4, #7) Thank you for joining us this year and come back next year ( Nov. 2010) to watch these wonderful birds raise new families. Our group did better than the colony as a whole which averaged less than one chick per nest.

Create your own Cape Royds fieldbook. Keep track of the penguins nest status, just like the biologists do here on Ross Island! Record the date of your observations, weather conditions, status of the nest (chick or egg), and who is the tending adult (male or female). Create a chart or graph to compare the time each adult spends on it's nest. Click here for the Nesting Time Activitiy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nest 1 #1183 Female, 12 years old. This female was in our study two years ago, when she successfully raised 2 chicks. Her nest is in the same place as then and it is likely she has the same mate. Both eggs were laid by Nov 21.

Nest 2. This nest is a neighbor of nest #1, neither bird wears a band, but this pair has successfully raised chicks in the past. Both eggs were laid by Nov 20.

Nest 3 #3735 Female, This nest was in our study the last 3 years and they have never successfully raised a chick. This year their previous nesting site of three years (left below) is covered with snow so they have selected a different one about 12 meters away. Both eggs were laid by Nov 24.
Nest 4. This nest is in our Home Ranch group and has no banded adult. In the picture below the female is currently on the nest, and her mate is standing close by.Both eggs were laid by Nov 21.
Nest 5 A neigbor of the nest above, these birds are not banded. We do not know their age, but the female is currently sitting on the nest. Both eggs were laid by Nov 21.
Nest 6 This bonded pair is in our Lakeshore group. Neither bird wears a band, but the female is currently sitting on the nest. Both eggs were laid by Nov 21.
 Nest 7 This nest is a neighbor of the nest above in our Lakeshore group. Neither bird wears a band, but we know the female is on the nest in this picture. Both eggs were laid by Nov 21.
   
 Nest 8 # 0973 Male,This 18 year old male was in our group last year and failed to raise chicks. He stayed near his nest site for 2 weeks, but on Dec 2 he left Cape Royds, there will be no nest this year. We will look for him again next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is Jan 18, 2010, This is the last day of Nest Check for the 2009-2010 season. Please join us next year.

This is our nest with three eggs featured several weeks ago on the Picture Of the Day. As the adults would turn the eggs over in the nest one seemed to always be out of the brood patch and therefore gettng cold. But it was not always the same one so as the days past, each egg got cold, therefore none of them hatched.
 
Nest #1 male, 2 chicks
 
 Nest #2 There are several chicks standing in the area, this one is from nest #2, but I am not sure where the other one is. There is no adult near by.

 

 Nest #3efemale, one chick, This turned out to be a good nesting site for this breeding pair, they successfully raised one chick. We will be interested to see if they return to their old site or this site next year.
 
Nest #4 two chicks, parents are not around. These are strong healthy chicks and will start to molt soon.

 
 Nest #5 female, one chick
 

Nest #6 female, The egg is gone. We will not know how long the adults will hang around.
 

Nest #7 male, two chicks. These two chicks are fat and healthy and will start to molt soon.
 
Nest #8 Jan 12, This is our last picture of the male, he has left.