Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research
University of New Brunswick
2023
Crew Lead:
April Kowalchuk-Reid
Aditya Gandhi
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Assistants:
Katie Danyk
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CWS Observer
Tristan Sanford
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Alcid productivity was back up around our long-term average but puffin fledglings were very small and grew slowly
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Terns had low productivity mostly due to gull predation
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Continued puffin and murre GPS deployments
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Began new deployments of GLS tags on Razorbills
2022
Crew Lead/CWS Observer:
Tabatha Cormier
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Assistants:
Joana Romero
Garrett Jenkins
Emily Williams
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Alcid productivity was back up around our long-term average
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Terns came back and successfully fledged chicks!
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Began a new project deploying GPS tags on puffins, Razorbills, and murres to assess foraging behaviour.
2021
Crew Lead:
Sarah Durham
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Assistants:
Quinn Carvey
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CWS Observer
Tabatha Cormier
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Terns and alcids had a dismal year for productivity due most likely to poor prey availability (most failure occurred during the chick stage, chicks grew very slowly and most died before fledging)
2020
Crew Lead:
Sarah Durham
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Assistants:
Quinn Carvey
Melina Watson
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CWS Observer
Tabatha Cormier
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COVID-19 restrictions delayed our start date to July 4, at which time at least 2 gull nests on MSI had successfully produced chicks.
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Terns abandoned the island before our arrival in July, likely due to disturbance and predation by gulls
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Unable to calculate alcid productivity, but fledge success was 81% for puffins and 87% for Razorbills
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Continued collecting data for a study on puffin colouration in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Hanley (George Mason University).
2019
Crew Lead:
Sarah Durham
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Assistants:
Nola Sheets
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CWS Observer:
Michel Vorasane
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No lethal control needed, heavy rain early in the season and during tern hatch resulted in the death of many tern chicks.
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Tern reproductive success was low (25%)
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Puffin productivity was 48%, Razorbill productivity was 50%
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Alcid census found ...
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Began collecting preliminary data for a study on puffin colouration in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Hanley (LIU).
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Collected blood and feather samples from puffins, razorbills, and Arctic Terns for SIA diet study.
2018
Crew Lead:
Marks Dodds
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Assistants:
Mark Baran
Angelika Aleksieva
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CWS Observer:
Mark Dodds
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Lethal control by nuisance control specialist ... XX gulls euthanized.
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Tern census completed June 15-16; estimated 450 ARTE and 26 COTE (highest since 2006)
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5th consecutive year fledging tern chicks (40% productivity)
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20 (69%) puffin and 19 (90%) razorbill GLS tags retrieved
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No nesting attempts by NOGA
2017
Crew Lead:
Mark Dodds
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Assistants:
Mark Baran
(Marie) Colette Lauzau
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CWS Observer:
Mark Dodds
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Three visits for lethal gull control (May 29-June 1, June 14-16, and July 9-10). 14 gulls euthanized.
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Much more productive breeding season than 2016, especially for puffins (nest success 68% vs. 12%) supported by steady food supply of hake and larval sandlance.
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GLS tagging of 29 puffins and 21 razorbills for MSc studies by MB and MD (respectively), and 10 murres.
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Monitoring prey deliveries to murre chicks increased to 69 hr vs 49 in 2016.
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Three NOGA nests built; one egg observed June 11 was found rolled out of nest June 15.
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Ancient Murrelet photographed offshore again.
2016
Crew Lead:
Stefanie Collar
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Assistants:
Angelika Aleksieva
Marla Koberstein
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CWS Observer:
Lucy Smith
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Single visit for lethal gull control (June 9-11). Six gulls euthanized.
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Three NOGA nests, one egg laid, disappeared after 5 days
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Ancient Murrelet photographed offshore
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Weather dry in June, chick diet mainly hake; heavy rain and fog in July, diet became mostly euphausiids and very small fish (many insects for terns). Puffin chick growth and productivity suffered, many became infected by ticks, and nest success was lowest on record (10-12%).
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Arctic Tern hatch success (68%) highest since 2004, but most B chicks lost in heavy rain; 7 Common Tern nests, 5 hatched, at least one fledged.
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Puffin census found 10% more than in 2015; razorbill census 14% fewer, focused on area with heavy egg predation by gulls.
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GLS tags deployed in 2015 retrieved as follows: 10 of 17 puffin, 7 of 10 razorbill. Much kleptoparasitism of puffins by razorbills, especially in July
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AA collected web and blood samples of known-age puffin chicks and adults for MSc study (McGill) and LS collected feather samples from puffins for MSc study of dispersal.
2015
Crew Lead:
Stefanie Collar
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Assistants:
Stephanie Symons
Jennifer Symons
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CWS Observer:
Michelle Valliant
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Lethal gull control by nuisance control specialist May 29-30, June 6-7, and June 13-14.
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Turbine broken, not deployed.
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GPS tracking of breeding razorbills and puffins.
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GLS tracking of breeding razorbills, puffins, and Leach's Storm-petrels (with BSC help)
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Nano-tagging of razorbills at end of season; BSC MOTUS sensor gnome & aerial deployed on house.
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ARTE breeding success equals 1995 value (0.65) for first time since then.
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Five ARTE nests fledge 2 chicks!
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Late season for puffins (4th latest ever)
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Sandlance dominates all diets
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Censuses of puffins and razorbills; razorbills up markedly, puffins down ~20%
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Take-over of puffin productivity burrows by razorbills continues
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Several adult-plumage NOGA loafing among auks all summer.
2014
Crew Lead:
Linda Takahashi
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Assistants:
Kate Shlepr
Stephanie Symons
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CWS Observer:
Jared Ketchum
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Lethal gull control by nuisance control specialist June 8-9 and June 20-22.
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ARTE colony bred successfully!!!
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Turbine broken, not deployed
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GPS tracking of breeding razorbills and puffins
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Highest July rainfall recorded
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Tufted Puffin (new to MSI and eastern Canada) seen 4 times in June & July, ashore as well as at sea
2013
Crew Lead:
Lauren Scopel
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Assistants:
Sydney Sheedy
Caitlin Smith
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CWS Observer:
Lauren Scopel
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Lethal gull control by nuisance control specialist June 21-23
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UNB operated CWS Observer role on contract
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Turbine not deployed in most of season
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2nd highest rainfall recorded (397 mm)
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Lowest puffin productivity ever (15%)
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Latest puffin laying (May 27).
2012
Crew Lead:
Kevin Kelly
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Assistants:
Alys Granados
Brian Koval
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CWS Observer:
​
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1st NOGA nest (failed)
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UNB operated CWS Observer role on contract
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Puffin condition project continued
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Gull fecal samples collected for genetic screening for auk DNA
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Turbine not deployed in most season (up in May)
2011
Crew Lead:
Kevin Kelly
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Assistants:
Erin Whidden
Rebecca Standen
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CWS Observer:
​
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Tern colony abandoned
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Turbine not deployed in season
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UNB operated CWS Observer role on contract
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Auk condition project continued
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Gannets on land
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1st records (?) of Manx Shearwater on land at night; Prothonotary Warbler collaboration with Daniel Hanley
2010
Crew Lead:
Kevin Kelly​
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Assistants:
Catherine Jardine
Bryan Martin
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CWS Observer:
​
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Tern colony abandoned
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Turbine not deployed in season
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US cell phone used; wireless internet installed
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UNB operated CWS Observer role on contract
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Auk condition project continued
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Lyme disease-like symptoms in Bryan Martin; treated in Grand Manan
2009
Crew Lead:
Kirsten Bowser
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Assistants:
Emily Tompkins
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CWS Observer:
Joel Davey
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Tern colony abandoned
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Turbine non-functional (winter damage)
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Auk condition project begun with Becky Holberton
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Water system finally fully functional in house
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Phone service removed by conversion to digital
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Confirmation of Borrelia in island ticks
2008
Crew Lead:
Kirsten Bowser
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Assistants:
Manuel Ballasteros
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CWS Observer:
Darren Ogden
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Tern colony abandoned
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1st nest of Black Guillemot
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2x/day gull counts begun
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Weekly reports begun
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Turbine operated throughout season
2007
Crew Lead:
Travis Clarke
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Assistants:
Emily Hines
Robin MacNearney
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CWS Observer:
Colin Buhariwalla
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"Patriots' Day Storm" 19 April, washed over North end of island
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Tern colony abandoned
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Gull-hunting May 5-15
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Radios deployed on razorbills
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Collaboration began with Becky Holberton
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New boardwalks to blinds
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Turbine operated throughout season
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Borrellia garinii (European Lyme disease) identified in 7% (2/28) of ticks Ixodes uriae on MSI
2006
Crew Lead:
Alex Bond
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Assistants:
Travis Clarke
Gabrielle Bouchard
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CWS Observer:
Peter Bohan
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New jetty in place
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Satellite transmitters implanted in razorbills
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Tern colony abandoned
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Turbine tower installed, no blades
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Highest rainfall recorded (469 mm)
2005
Crew Lead:
Amie Black
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Assistants:
Alex Bond
Sara Fraser
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CWS Observer:
Peter Bohan
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Tern colony failed
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2 Black Tern nests - failed
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2 Laughing Gull nests - failed
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Roseate Tern restoration attempted
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Red-billed Tropicbird seen
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Solar panels in place
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Began recording depredations
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Report Appendix IV summarizes murre nesting to date
2004
Crew Lead:
Laura Minich
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Assistants:
Amie Black
Katie Pindell
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CWS Observer:
Keith Galbraith
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Very poor tern success
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Roseate Tern restoration continued
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2 Black Tern nests - failed
2003
Crew Lead:
Kate Devlin
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Assistants:
Mathieu Charette
Amie Black
Sarah Dauncey
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CWS Observer:
Chris Novak
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Roseate Tern restoration attempted
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First mass laying of Murres
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2 Black Tern nests - failed
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2 Laughing Gull nests - probably fledged
2002
Crew Lead:
Kate Devlin
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Assistants:
Amie Black
Sarah Dauncey
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CWS Observer:
Chris Novak
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Landed by helicopter
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Alcid tower counts discontinued
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1 Roseate Tern nest - failed
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2 Black Tern nests - failed
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2 Laughing Gull nests
2001
Crew Lead:
Kate Devlin
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Assistants:
Dedreic Grecian​
Becky Manley
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CWS Observer:
Andrew Macfarlane
Andrew Kennedy
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1st year with no CWS Observer; succession of CWS technicians instead
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1 pair Roseate Terns nested, chick hatched - probably fledged
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1 pair Laughing Gulls probably nested
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4 Herring Gull nests destroyed on MSI
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Alcid tower counts reduced to morning only
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Jetty/Tramway destroyed in fall
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Helicopter flyby with Minister John Manley
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Report contains Appendix on puffin relighting effort by Andre Breton
2000
Crew Lead:
Kate Devlin
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Assistants:
Dedreic Grecian
Chantal Gagnon
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CWS Observer:
Nick Maclellan
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Lethal gull control discontinued by CWS
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Puffin burrow survey completed
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Razorbill nest survey completed
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Intensive Honours study of impact of disturbance on tern breeding success, by Chantel Gagnon
1999
Crew Lead:
Kate Devlin
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Assistants:
Laurel Bernard
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CWS Observer:
Jason Hudson
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Start of puffin burrow census
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Leach's Storm-petrel burrow census concluded
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Tourist Questionnaire
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ARTE metapopulation study began
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Metal field-readable bands first used on puffins
1998
Crew Lead:
Julie Paquet
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Assistants:
Sue Tattersal
Kate Devlin
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CWS Observer:
Jason Hudson
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Leach's Storm-petrel burrow survey started
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Dry summer (121 mm rain)
1997
Crew Lead:
Julie Paquet
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Assistants:
Krista Amey
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CWS Observer:
Jason Hudson
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Started recording "hits" from terns
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Dry summer (122 mm rain)
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Plant survey by Hal Hinds 13-14 August
1996
Crew Lead:
Krista Amey
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Assistants:
Adam Webber
Kim Lambe
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CWS Observer:
Jason Hudson
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Colour aerial photography flown
1995
Crew Lead:
Krista Amey
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Assistants:
Bridget Morrison
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CWS Observer:
Jason Hudson
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