2000 Miles from Anywhere...: The Great Tristan Albatross Count (Part 2)

Our route around this wonderful island (Gough archive)

Em and I have just returned from an island-wide count of our incubating Tristan Albatrosses. One of our first jobs when we arrived in September was to do a similar count to record how many Tristan chicks had survived to fledgling age in the 2015-16 season. And we will do the same with the Gough 63 team in eight months time, to teach them the routes around the island (as we were taught) and to count the number of large Gony chicks for the 2016-17 season.

These two counts enable us to calculate an overall productivity for our Tristan Albatrosses each year and to see how different areas of the island compare with each other. We were both struck by the fairly grim realisation that three of every four nests we counted will most probably fail due to mouse predation, and it may be even higher. Yet another sobering reminder of why a successful eradication is essential to ensure the survival of this truly magnificent species. But on a more positive note, the UK government has committed £1.75 million towards the Gough Island Restoration Programme making this ambitious eradication more of a reality (Please read here: https://acap.aq/en/news/latest-news/2682-saving-albatrosses-from-mice-in-2019-the-uk-government-has-committed-1-75-million-to-support-the-gough-island-restoration-programme).

Crossing the Rowetts - right: Gonydale (David Kinchin-Smith)

And left: Albatross Plain (David Kinchin-Smith)

One of over 1000 birds we counted (David Kinchin-Smith)

Hatching in 2 months! (David Kinchin-Smith)

Returning home after 4 days (David Kinchin-Smith)

There are still a number of Gonys around that aren't nesting, and probably won't this year. However, pairs continue to court each other with wings spread wide and wailing sky-calls in a strange and wonderful dance. Dancing albatrosses........we are so privileged!