2020 Cahow Nesting Season Proving Successful
The 2020 Cahow nesting season has seen 134 breeding pairs produce 68 confirmed chicks, with all but two chicks at good or above average weights.
A spokesperson said, “The 2020 Cahow nesting season has a record number of 134 breeding pairs, which have produced 68 confirmed chicks.”
Jeremy Madeiros, Principle Conservation Officer, said, “After my recent nesting island checks I have the stats at present for this breeding season: 134 breeding pairs with 68 confirmed chicks, hopefully all of which will fledge successfully, although we almost always loose a chick or two in the final month.
“This compares to 131 breeding pairs and 73 successfully fledging chicks in the 2018-2019 nesting season.
“All chicks are also at very good or above average weights, with the exception of possibly two which may need to be taken into care, compared with last year, when almost all chicks were at below average weights and over 12 needed to be taken into care or given supplemental feeding to enable them to fledge.”
Jean-Pierre Rouja, Nonsuch Expeditions Team Leader, said, “This season, the Cahows seem to have found a food source closer to Bermuda as their foraging flights are shorter and more frequent, resulting in chicks throughout the colony growing faster than usual.
“This has led to some interesting interactions when the parents feeding visits overlap as witnessed on the live CahowCams 1 and 2.”
The spokesperson said, “This season has also seen the return of Stormy, the world’s loneliest [and most annoying] petrel, who has once again decided to cohabitate with the Cahows in CahowCam2 where he has been serenading to their chick on a nightly basis.
“This year the chick does not seem to be as patient as the one from last season and has already evicted Stormy a few times; tune in nightly to watch as the saga unfolds.
“During the lockdown due to social distancing restrictions, Jeremy has been going out to Nonsuch on his own and Nonsuch Expeditions team leader/filmmaker JP Rouja has been filming remotely from home by controlling the cameras on Nonsuch through the web to produce video updates and photos.
Health Check video from April 30:
“Over the next few weeks, Nonsuch Expeditions in coordination with the Cornell Lab Of Ornithology and the Department of the Environment and Natural resources will be offering live stream sessions to teachers and their homebound students, both in Bermuda and internationally.
“Interested educators, parents and students should sign up for notification selecting those options through our newsletter form on our website.
“To learn more and watch live, visit nonsuchisland.com.”
- Photos and video above courtesy of Nonsuch Expeditions
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Category: All, Environment
