White-faced Herons (Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae) captured a wide variety of prey from pastures with transitory surface water. A total of 357 prey items were recorded, mainly from regurgitated pellets but also from observations of birds feeding. Major prey groups were insects, tadpole shrimps, earthworms, tadpoles and frogs. The diet depended on the seasonal availability of prey. In spring, earthworms, cosmopolitan diving beetles, tadpole shrimps, tadpoles and frogs were major prey. During the drier conditions of summer and autumn, terrestrial insects such as flies, damselflies, and grasshoppers became important. Earthworms and tadpole shrimps were the main prey in winter.
A survey of Banded Dotterel on Adams, Enderby, Ewing, Rose and part of the main Auckland Island was made in November 1989. Nesting was recorded for the first time on Enderby Island (8 nests) and 11 nests were found on Adams Island. The behaviour of dotterels on both islands indicated the presence of many more nests. Some dotterels moved at night from fellfield and moorland breeding grounds to the beaches of Adams, Rose and Ewing Islands. A total of 730 birds was counted, most on Enderby Island (440) and Adams Island (273). Previously, the total was considered to be 100-200 birds. Our high count is probably the result of an increase in breeding habitat following drastic vegetation modification by fire and introduced mammals on Enderby Island during the 19th century. The population has probably been rising for at least 20 years, but this has been overlooked because there has been no previous opportunity to count dotterels during their breeding season, when they are sedentary.
The first known breeding of the Black-winged Petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis) on Mangere Island was studied in 1987-88 from the pre-laying period to part way through the chick rearing period. The first returning bird was noted on 30 November; eight incubated eggs were found, calculated to have been laid in mid-January. The eggs hatched in late February – early March; fledglings were calculated to have left in late May. The breeding cycle was about 2 weeks later than at more northerly breeding sites. The approximate mean incubation shift was 13.5 days. The colours of chicks are described in detail. Only two of the five chicks that hatched were still alive by the end of the study. Interference at the nest site by other petrel species apparently caused some nesting failures. No birds were found undergoing active wing or tail moult. The brood patches of most adults examined were largely bare in late January and February and were refeathering in March. The birds were active only at night.
Please note: This newsletter is a Supplement to Volume 37 (4) of Notornis, not a Supplement to Volume 37 (3) as shown on the cover page. We apologise for this error.
A subantarctic population of the Fairy Prion (Pachyptila turtur) was studied at South Georgia in 1982-83. Full measurements of breeding birds are given, together with details of breeding habitat, the timing of the main breeding cycle events, and chick growth (weight and wing, culmen and tarsus length). Regurgitated food samples showed the diet to be mainly Crustacea (96% by weight), fish and squid comprising the rest. Of crustaceans, Antarctic krill made up 38% of items and 80% by weight. Copepods (four species, mostly Rhincalanus gigas) made up 39% of items but only 4% by weight; amphipods [three species, principally Themisto gaudichaudii made up 22% of items and 16% by weight. Diet and frequency of chick feeding are compared with those of Antarctic Prions and Blue Petrels at the same site; Fairy Prions are essentially intermediate.