Albatross laying season nears record

Thirty eggs have been laid by the endangered royal northern albatrosses at Taiaroa Head so far this breeding season.

Another female was expected to lay her egg yesterday, bringing this year's breeding total to one short of the record 32 laid in 2002.

Department of Conservation ranger Lyndon Perriman said so far three of those eggs were infertile and it was hoped at least 20 chicks would survive the hatching process.

This season's first bird to return, known as black-yellow-orange, had produced an egg with her expected partner, leaving his prior partner without a mate.

She had sought another partner without success, he said.

Another "trio" of birds which had trouble raising their chick last season had also returned, but had not produced an egg.

There had been problems with three nests not being formed properly, which endangered the eggs, so they had been put in an incubator and the parents given a dummy egg.

The eggs were then fostered out to the nests where infertile eggs were discovered, he said.

The colony's oldest bird and second oldest on record, yellow-green, aged 48 was one of the foster parents.

The parenting habits of the birds would continue to be monitored through to what was expected to be a busy hatching period in January or February.

Ninety-three birds had been seen at the colony this season, including 62 breeders and two birds which had returned for the first time.

There were also about 300 nests of Stewart Island shags, 2000 nests of red-billed gulls, 300 blue penguin nests, 1300 active burrows of sooty shearwaters and more than 30 spoonbills present on the headland.

Royal Albatross Centre manager Sam Inder said with such amazing numbers of albatross at Taiaroa Head they were expecting some fantastic viewing.

Monday was the official opening day for viewing and all the tours were fully booked, he said.