Roger Moffat - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Roger Moffat

2 2/40 Lancewood Drive, Christchurch 3. SUMMARY 1. Fieldwork on Campbell Island was conducted bet... more 2 2/40 Lancewood Drive, Christchurch 3. SUMMARY 1. Fieldwork on Campbell Island was conducted between October 1987 and October 1988. Results of studies on yellow-eyed penguins and mollymawks are presented in separate reports. Previous population studies were continued at Penguin Bay. Fifty percent of nests produced chicks close to fledging time (or 0.5 chicks per nest). This is a higher breeding success than some previous seasons. Chicks prior to fledging weighed 2.02kgs. This species is in decline and a population estimate in the 1980s was 103,000 birds. The breeding success of albatrosses at Col and Moubray was studied. Success was high, with 74% of nests having chicks in late August. Counts of nests in the study areas and previous full surveys of the island suggest a stable population of 4200-4600 pairs per season. Three nests were found at Moubray, and two chicks were alive in August 1988. A new record for the island was a migratory tattler, probably a Siberian tattler. Seal At least six pups were born in October 1987. Peak numbers of 150-200 non-breeding seals occurred in December. 7. Hooker's Sea Lion At least 56 pups were born in 1987-88. Most were found at Perseverance Harbour and Northwest Bay within 500m of the coast. Other potential natal areas were not searched. It was estimated that the adult population was 70-150 females and 120-200 males. The most popular beach for non-breeding males was Sandy Bay, with a peak count in February of 114. 8. New Zealand Fur Seal In late December 1987 338 adults and 126 pups were counted at Rocky Bay. 9. Leopard Seal Eight individual leopard seals were seen in 1987-88. 10. Southern Right Whale Whales were present from late March to early September 1988. The peak period at Northwest Bay was June-August, when 8-12 (max. 19) whales were usually present. The evidence suggests that fewer than 30 whales frequent Campbell Island waters, with little change in numbers over the last 40 years. 11. Sheep In late January 1988, 1105 sheep were counted west of the 1984 fenceline. This is an increase of 200-300 since 1984. Over-grazing and erosion is severe in some areas. 12. Norway Rat Rat indices of abundance of 16 captures/100 trap nights in early April and 36 captures/100 trap nights in early September 1988 were lower than had been found in 1984-85. The population is abundant compared with mainland populations. 13. Feral Cat Cats are rarely seen. A bait trial was unsuccessful. 14. Vegetation A DSIR photopoint series was continued to monitor vegetation changes. Transects either side of the 1984 fenceline were re-surveyed. Vegetation in areas released from grazing pressure is taller, more luxuriant, and has an increased prevalence of species that are sensitive to grazing. The spruce tree continues to accelerate in growth. 15. Historic Sites A few unrecorded sites were found, including finger-posts at Northeast and Perseverance Harbours. 16. Coastal Resources Inventory Preliminary coastal information, including photographs, was collected. 17. Track Maintenance Board-walking was constructed on damaged sections of walking tracks.

2/40 Lancewood Drive, Christchurch 3 SUMMARY 1. There are two species of mollymawk on Campbell Is... more 2/40 Lancewood Drive, Christchurch 3 SUMMARY 1. There are two species of mollymawk on Campbell Island, the grey-headed mollymawk (Diomedea chrysostoma) and the black-browed mollymawk (D. melanophrys). The latter species is mainly represented by the endemic subspecies, the N.Z. black-browed mollymawk (D. m. impavida), although there are a few of the more widespread subspecies (D. m. melanophrys) present also. 2. The combined population of both mollymawk species on Campbell Island in September 1988 was estimated at approximately 29,000 breeding pairs. The estimate was achieved by counting the mollymawks in photographs of the colonies, supplemented by ground counts of some smaller colonies. Errors in the estimates were caused by factors such as photograph quality, the obliqueness and proximity of the view from the photopoints, and the assumption that each bird (or two birds standing close together) represented a nest. 3. The proportion of each species could not be determined accurately because they could not be distinguished in most photographs. Grey-headed mollymawks were estimated to number 3,000-10,000 pairs (with the lower end of the range more likely). This represents at least 4% of the total population of this widespread species. The grey-headed component of the population in September 1988 represented an unknown proportion of the total breeding population, because it is a species that normally breeds biennially. The 19,000-26,000 pairs of the N.Z. black-browed mollymawk, which breeds annually, represent the world breeding population of this endemic subspecies. There were nine black-browed mollymawk individuals found at Bull Rock South, where most detailed observations were made. It is not known if this subspecies was present at other colonies. 4. The mollymawk colonies are situated in four main localities at the northern tip of the island. The largest colony is on the Courrejolles Peninsula. Grey-headed mollymawks predominate over N.Z. black-browed mollymawks at some of the smaller colonies. 5. Photographic evidence suggests that the mollymawk population has declined by about 38-57% since the 1940s, when there were possibly between 47,000 and 67,000 pairs. Some colonies, such as Courrejolles Isthmus, have declined by up to 88% during this period, particularly in areas where grey-headed mollymawks predominate. The least change has occurred at the larger colonies, such as Courrejolles and Bull Rock South. The population figures are very broad estimates because of the problems of comparing photographs of differing quality, angle, year or season, and extrapolating colony totals to areas or years for which there was no photographic evidence.

This is a report of the proceedings of the Department of conservation's National Database Worksho... more This is a report of the proceedings of the Department of conservation's National Database Workshop, held at Riverslea Lodge, Otaki Gorge Road from 20th March to 23rd March, 1990. It includes resolutions made at the workshop, notes made during talks given and any subsequent discussion, and copies of papers presented by speakers at the workshop. Knowledge Hardware Software Urgency and complexity With limited amounts of money the department may have to reduce job quantity in order to maintain quality. Computers may be used-depending on the priority. High Priority Candidates for Computing: Operations which are long term Systems which won't change Nationally important projects Operations which are short-term would have lower priority. The Public Service should be quietly efficient but we must live up to public expectation. The planning is an enormous task, but Malcolm believes it must be done. It may also seem to be very expensive. Software is available for analysing the information requirements of a corporation (DOC is equivalent to a corporation).

The population of the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) on Campbell Island in 1987-88 wa... more The population of the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) on Campbell Island in 1987-88 was estimated as 1600-2000 (560-700 breeding pairs). This represents 35% of the estimated total population of 4600-5600 birds. With the continuing decline of the species on the South Island, Campbell Island is probably now the most populous locality. However, more accurate population estimates are required for the Auckland and Stewart Island groups. 2. The main centres of population were Northwest Bay (448), Northeast Harbour Perseverance Harbour (261) and Southeast Harbour (260), which together comprised 79% of the penguins counted. 3. A total of 172 landing sites were found, with a mean count of 9.4 birds per site (range 1-143). Sixty-one percent of landing sites were at shingle / small boulder beaches and 39% were on rocky shores. 4. The highest counts of penguins at landing sites were in February (late in the chick rearing period) and May (post-moult). The proportion of breeding birds at the Middle Bay study area was 70-80%. During any individual count in winter approximately 80% of birds were seen because the remainder stayed ashore. 5. Daily movements of penguins related to the time of sunrise and sunset. In winter they departed for sea over a short period at dawn and returned at dusk. The movements were more spread out during the day in the breeding season because penguins took turns with their partners to go to sea, or they took two trips to sea, depending on the stage of the breeding cycle. 6. Nests were isolated and scattered amongst the coastal scrub-shrubland associations, dominated by Dracophyllum. The density of nests was approximately 1.5 pairs/ha in penguin habitat (3.8 in Northwest Bay), or 44 birds per accessible kilometre of coastline. Most nests were within 500m of the shore. At Middle Bay the mean distance from the sea was 236m (82-433m) and the mean inter-nest distance was 22m (5-49m). 7. Mean hatching date was 26 November, approximately one or two weeks later than the South Island. Chicks fledged on average 108 days after hatching. Mean departure date was 13 March.

Mollymawks on Campbell Island