The CahowCam2 chick seen in screen captures from the Nonsuch Colony A SurfaceCam.
“I was finally able to get out briefly to Nonsuch Island on Monday, 13th March, to check out how many Cahow chicks had hatched at the two nesting colonies on the island and see if we had in fact exceeded last year's record of 15 fledged chicks. I can now report that I confirmed 18 hatched chicks on Nonsuch, with an additional "wild card" possible chick in a natural deep soil burrow dug under the roots of native Buttonwood trees at the "B" colony. (I cannot see the nest chamber to confirm a chick, and will have to see if adult visits continue until April to do so).
Most chicks have had recent feeding visits from adults, and the oldest have already increased from their hatch weight of 30-40 grams to almost 200 grams, indicating that the stormy North Atlantic Ocean is providing adequate food for the adult Cahows to gather on their multi-thousand-mile foraging trips to provision their chicks. Now, I just need a few more calmer periods to get out to the other nesting islands!”
Jeremy Madeiros, Chief Terrestrial Conservation Officer
Meanwhilst the failed egg in the CahowCam1, which if it had been fertile would have hatched in late February, ruptured whilst still being incubated by one of the parents. It then stuck to its plumage and was dragged out of the burrow with the parent retuning an hour later to rest before fully abandoning the nest the next day. This pair have on average produced a chick every other year which is on par for the species, and will now head back out to sea a few months early, which should give them more time to recharge and build up their fat reserves in time for next season.
