Terns

Tern productivity and feeding studies are dwindling. Feeding studies on Stratton Island have ended and few study chicks and fledglings remain on other islands. As studies wind down, teams are focusing their time on data entry, resighting, and vegetation management work. If you have ever battled bittersweet in the hot sun, you know it’s no easy task. With productivity study plots being deconstructed and blinds disassembled, the sun will soon set on another season nesting season.

Alcids

Razorbill productivity checks have concluded on Seal Island NWR, but at-large puffin grubbing continues. They are even finding new burrows! This past week, the team has grubbed at least 80 pufflings. On Matinicus Rock the team discovered Friday that its first puffling had fledged, although diet and feed rate studies were still booming.

Explore.org

It’s Fledge Watch Week, and Ama’s adventuring knows no bounds! The intrepid explorer was spotted from the Puffin Burrow – Exterior camera on Sunday, July 21. Wings eagerly flapping, this little puffin chick gets closer and closer to fledging by the day!

This on-cam puffling is 42 days old today (July 23rd). For this burrow, the fledging age of healthy chicks is 40-43 days, most commonly at 41 days. We have just passed this mark – Ama could fledge any day now, if not tonight!

While this year’s cohort of pufflings are just now reaching fledging age, many tern chicks have already been flying for quite some time. To celebrate these first flights, join us in a virtual Live Chat hosted by Gloria Jin on Friday, July 26 at 7pm/ET. Gloria will be chatting with Kay Garlick-Ott, Puffineer and PhD candidate, about her work in tern aggression and answer live audience questions. Don’t miss this chance to ask a seabird researcher about all the intriguing work she does all season long! Link to the live event can be found here: Tern Aggression | Explore Live Events!

The Use It Up Challenge

At the end of every season, the Use It Up Challenge encourages island staff to use up as much of their food as possible. The more you eat, the less you have to lug back to the mainland! The rules are simple:

1. All food must be edible and not thrown directly into compost after presentation.
2. Extra points are awarded for presentation, taste, innovation, and using the oldest food on the island.

The theme of this year’s challenge was “Leave Room for a Legume,” where one legume must be present in each dish. Some of this year’s highlights include black bean hotdogs that were hand crafted on Eastern Egg Rock, a Swedish smorgasbord complete with Pyttipanna on Jenny Island, and a single bean, lemon Jello from Stratton Island. The oldest ingredient was a cream of mushroom soup, circa 2020, used in the mainland office’s Seaweed Slurry.

With all eyes on the end of the season one challenge remains. Which island will have the fastest egress?

For additional news, please visit the Seabird Island News index page.