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Seabirds found dead on New Zealand beaches in 1983 and a review of albatross recoveries since 1960

Notornis, 32 (1), 23-41

R.G. Powlesland (1985)

Article Type: Paper

In 1983, 4,559 kilometres of coast were patrolled and 5,991 dead seabirds were found. A new record for the Beach Patrol Scheme was a Pomarine Skua (Stercorarius pomarinus). Unusual finds were Yellow-nosed Mollymawk (Diomedea chlororhynchos), Stejneger’s Petrel (Pterodroma longirostris), White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), Lesser Frigate Bird (Fregata ariel) and Grey Ternlet (Procelsterna cerulea). A wreck of Long-tailed Skuas (Stercorarius longicaudus) occurred mainly on Auckland West beaches in January and February. A summary is given of the coastal and monthly distribution for each species and subspecies of the 2,401 albatrosses found during the 1960-1983 period. Of the various coastal regions, albatrosses were found most frequently (number of birds per 100 km covered) on Southland beaches. The most frequently found albatross was the Grey-headed Mollymawk (Diomedea chrysostoma).

Variation within the Redpolls of Canterbury

Notornis, 32 (3), 245-253

J.F.M. Fennell, P.M. Sagar, J.S. Fennell (1985)

Article Type: Paper

The measurements of the Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) in Canterbury, New Zealand, were investigated. Variation in plumage colour are compared with study skins and published data for British Redpolls. New Zealand and British Redpolls are shown to differ and it is suggested that differences may be due to ‘founder effect’ rather than ‘hybridisation’ between two or more introduced races, as had previously been postulated. The occurrence of light-coloured plumage was more common in males. Females showed a much wider range of poll colour.

The distribution of Buller’s Shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in the North Pacific Ocean

Notornis, 32 (2), 109-117

T.R. Wahl (1985)

Article Type: Paper

From available records ranging from systematic surveys to casual observations, the known distribution of Buller’s Shearwater (Puffinus bulleri) in the North Pacific Ocean is described. The birds arrive in subarctic waters in June and slowly expand northward and eastward as far as the Gulf of Alaska by August. The mid-ocean distribution after August is poorly known, but many birds, presumably non-breeders, are along the west coast of North America, at least from British Columbia to southern California, until late October-early November. Numbers observed along this coast have increased since the mid-1960s.

The relationship between riverbed flooding and non-breeding Wrybills on northern feeding grounds in summer

Notornis, 32 (1), 42-50

K.F.D. Hughey (1985)

Article Type: Paper

I investigated the relationship between floods on the riverbed breeding grounds of Wrybills (Anarhynchus frontalis) and the number of Wrybills censused on northern harbours the following summer. For the purposes of the study I assumed that most birds oversummering on northern harbours are first-year non-breeders and that flood flows of the Rakaia River are representative of most other Wrybill breeding rivers. A highly significant negative correlation (r2=0.69; p<0.01) existed for the 1968-1982 period. The study’s findings provide some support for the observation that by the early 1960s the Wrybill population, after many years of growth, had begun to stabilise. Serious flooding in the 1982 and 1983 breeding seasons may have again destabilised the population structure.
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