LGL arrives home and she approaches TF and gives her chick a beautiful skycall greeting! Off to the right we can see TFT getting up to do some wingers and enjoying the windy weather. LGL gets down to business and feeds TF a quick breakfast and then she is off again to forage for more food.

Three hours later, the rangers stop by to weigh the chick. If you recall, last week they did not weigh TF due to nervousness after they put the cam in and he just had a feeding by LGK. If you notice today, the ranger has to grab TF's bill to secure him before putting in the basket. TF is 90 days old and is strong - they don't want to risk getting bitten. They take TF's weight and return to the nest. They head over to TFT and gently pick up and put in the basket to take his weight and return to the nest.

From Sharyn Broni: " TF is 90 days old & weighs 7.4 kg (16.30 lbs). He was fed by LGL at 10:42. The average weight for a male of this age is 7.32 kg. He was not weighed last week due to nervousness following the cam swap and had just been fed by LGK. TFT chick is 82 days & weighs 6.2kg (13.6 lbs). Last week he weighed 6.4 kg, but he is in a healthy weight range and has been fed by both WYL and BOK since weighing. Usually, the Observation Post chick takes out the top weight. Today he was 7.4kg, the same weight as Top Flat chick and the top weight went to Gun Pit Flat chick who was 8.4kg."

Now onto some really interesting news! Do you all remember ROY - the young non breeder from Chatham Island that tried to mate with Lilibet? Ranger Julia had to run out to chase Uncle ROY away and make sure she was not injured. Well he is now a Foster Dad. Here is Sharyn's update on him!

"A toroa called ROY has become a parent against all odds. He was a first-time breeder this season. But his mate did not return, and he was released from the nest. Undaunted he made friends with a female at another nest and incubated her egg. The egg was swapped with a dummy egg, as in a fight for the nest between 2 males the egg would lose. Later he was removed from the nest and given a fake nest and egg. Later when eggs were hatching ROY was kept in captivity to keep him away. He disappeared into an old ammunition store leading rangers to think he had escaped. On multiple occasions ROY was encouraged to leave the headland, he returned and brooded his adoptive chick. Although not the parent, his bill has turned pink and has been seen feeding the chick a few times now in the first instance of a toroa having 3 parents. "

Well we knew he had a drive to be a parent a couple of years ago and now he gets a chance in a three way parenting of a chick that is not even his own! Wishing this nest success and for ROY to find a new mate soon (I don't think he will have any problems in that department) Thank you for watching!


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Courtesy of Dept of Conservation Royal Cam, Royal Albatross Taiaroa Head, New Zealand

Cam Link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/ro...