Census of seabird colonies on Nordaustlandet , Svalbard, and in neighbouring localities in 1978 and 1979 PALLE UHD JEPSEN AND ARE MOBEK Jepsen, P. U. & Mobak, A. 1983: Census of seabird colonies on Nordaustlandet. Svalhard. and in neighhouring localities in 1978 and 1979. Polar Research 1 n.s.. 199-209. Seabird colonies were censused during the summer expedition of Norsk Polarinstitutt to Nordaustlandet. Svalbard, in 1978 and 1979, and to Kongs~yain 1979. An outline is givcn of thc distribution of the ,pecir, together with an estimate of the number of breeding pairs in the colonies. Twenty-five colonies were ccnsused; seven were visited both years. Four colonies with more than 1,000 breeding pairs of the most abundant species, Brunnich‘s guillemot and kittiwake, were found on Nordaustlandet. Palle Uhd Jepsen, Vildtreseruarkontoret, 8410 Rmnde, Denmark: Are Mobcek, Fylkesmannen i Hedmurk. Hedmark Fylkeshus. 2300 Hamur. Norway; October I981 (reciised June IYX.3). Larus hyperboreus and ivory gulls Pagophiln Introduction eburnea is also described. The seabird colonies in Spitsbergen, particularly Leaders of the ornithological programme were those in the western fjords and on Prins Karls Are Mobak in 1978 and Palle Uhd Jepsen in Forland, have been investigated and described by 1979, with assistants Per Magne Jensen and Lovenskiold (1964), Larsen (1965), and Norder- Hdkon Robak, respectively. The authors are haug (1967,1974). Norderhaug et al. (1977) men- grateful for their efforts and cooperation through- tion that seabird colonies of more than 1,000 out the programme. Thanks are also due to par- breeding pairs are unlikely on Nordaustlandet. ticipants on other projects for a number of obser- They also state that colonies of between 1,000 vations which form part of the material for this and 10,000 birds have been registered by report. Lovenskiold (1964) among others on the islands and coasts of Hinlopen. A single colony on Alkefjellet had more than 100,000 birds. On Kong Karls Land. between 1.000 and 10,000 seabirds Material and methods have been registered in two colonies. Not until The study area lately, in connection with the summer expeditions of Norsk Polarinstitutt (NP), have quantitative The investigated seabird colonies are found on and qualitative data been collected from the sea- localitjes possible to visit within the limits which bird colonies on Nordaustlandet, the surrounding had to be expected, as the foremost aim of the islands, and on Kong Karls Land. expedition was within topographic and geologic Two biologists joined the NP summer expe- investigations. ditions in 1978 and 1979 to census breeding species The different routes taken by the expedition in seabird colonies in northeastern Svalbard. The vessel m/s ‘Norvarg’ in 1978 and 1979. and results of these registrations are presented in this weather conditions made it impossible to census report. all the same colonies in 1979 as in 1978. But a The breeding conditions of the following sea- large area was covered and seabird colonies not birds are described: fulmar Fulrnarus glacialis, visited before were registered both years. The kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, little auk Alle alle, study areas in 1978 and 1979 are shown in Briinnich’s guillemot Uria lomuia, puffin Fra- Fig. 1. tercula arctica, and black guillemot Cepphus Observations in 1978 were made mainly in the grylle. The breeding occurrence of glaucous gulls northwestern part of Nordaustlandet, along the 200 Palle Uhd Jepsen & Are Mobmk 1 Geren, Lomfjorden. 28 July Kapp Fanshahe and Alkeflellet, 29 July Selanderneset. 31 July Martensoya and Nelsonoya. 4 August Hamiltonbukta, 8 August Depotodden and Goosbukta, 9 August Waldenoya. 11 August Karl XI1 Byane. 12 August Foyn~yaand Brochoya, 27 August The 1979 rsgistrations included some of the localities visited in 1978 (Tables 1 and 2), but in I \\\Il<\hll 1 &-7 addition included Kongs~yain Kong Karls Land, .UU..RCS 1t.D 0“I”. 1 and localities in the northeastern part of Nord- 1 i austlandet The following localities for seabird Fig 1 Map of sur\c\ drea in 1978 and 1979 The large inland were reg,stered localitiea for 1979 \\ere sur\ebed mainl, from a helicopter Mosselbukta, 26 July west side of Hinlopen. The following seabird col- Depotodden, August and August onies were registered: Martensaya. Parryoya, Phippsoya, Nordkapp, Nordkapp. 23 July and Walden~ya,8 August Vesle Tavleaya. 916 Ju1) Foynoya and Broch~ya.18 August Tuble I. Shematic outline of localities registered L - from the shore. G - from rubber dinghy, E - from the expedition vessel, H - from helicopter. ‘I’ shows that time (number of hours) has not been the Iimiiing factor for accomplishing the counts, and ‘dindicates that aiailahle time was not sufficient for complete registrations. 1978 lYi9 time spent Localities L G E time spent L G E H (hours) h’ORDA USTLASDET Nordkapp Y X t X 21 Vesle Tavleeya Y Y t Martenseya Y Y t X It Nelsonoya x Y t Parryoya x 11 t Phipps~ya x It U’aldenclya X X d Y zt t Depotodden X I X 3t Goosbukta X t Selanderneset X d Zeipelfjellet x X t Karl XI1 O>ane x I X 31 Foynoya Y t x X 4t Brochoya Y t X Y X 2t Kapp Bruun x x .It Damhdugen X d Winsnesbreen X d KO.VGSOYA Kapp Kiihurg Y t Sjogrentiellst \ t Zordncxt x t Rctriu\t iellct \ t Xorth oi Rundiscn \ d SPI TSR ERG F \- Gersn Y d Kapp Fanshaac \ d Ilosselhukta Y 21 Table 2. Largest number of breeding pairs in seabird colonies on Nordaustlandet. Kong Karls Land (Kongs0ya). and NW Spitsbergen, registered in 1978 and 1979. The numbers preceding place names are plotted in their corresponding geographical position in Fig. 2. +: breeding. but not counted birds. Brunnich's Black Fulmar Kittiwake guillcmot Puffin guillemot Ivory gull (Fulmarus (Rusu Little auk ( Uriu (Frarrrcirla (Cepphrrs (Pagophila Date glncr alis ) trrdachla) (Medie) lorn u 10) arcrica) grylle) eburtteo) Localities 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1979 NORDA USTLA NDE T 1. Nordkapp 24.7 6.8 300 >50 5 8 50 >10 2. Vesle Tavle~ya 26.7 250 15 3. MartensQya 4.8 6.8 750 1200 100 SO 60 75 4. NelsonQya 4.8 540 1680 50 5. Parry~ya 6.8 450 70 6. Phipps~ya 6.8 150 75 7. Waldenoya 11.8 6.8 250 420 + >36 100 >60 8. Depotodden 9.8 2.8 140 200 50 >70 20 60 9. Goosbukta 9.8 50 10. Selanderneset 31.7 620 460 + 11. Zeipelfjellet 10.8 150 10 12. Karl XI1 0yane 12.8 19.8 30 120 + 60 + 65 13. Foyn~ya 27.8 17.8 12 110 14. Brochoya 27.8 18.8 25 80 15 85 IS. Kapp Bruun 21.8 1040 >50 140 16. Damhaugen 21.8 50 17. Winsnesbreen 9.8 60 KONGSQYA 18. Kapp Koburg 120 10 26 19. Sjogrenfjellet 1600 10 20. Nordneset 300 15 21. Retziusfjellet 50 15 22. North of Rundisen 50 25 SPITSBERGEN 23. Gcrcn 28.7 1500 24. Kapp Fanshawe 29.7 1000 1000 25. Mosselbukta 26.7 20 35 202 Pulle Uhd Jepsen & Are Mobek Karl XI1 (ilyane. 19 August Each of the groups made several independent Kapp Bruun. 21 August registrations both years, and these were later S. Repaya. 32 August compared in order to find the most representative total. If the deviation between the results was too From 13 to 25 August. H. Robak surveyed bird great. registrations were made jointly, the observ- cliffs on Kongssya. Several rather small bird cliffs ers drawing each other‘s attention to groups of were found in 1979 in connection with aerial birds or areas that might have been overlooked surveys of eider Sonlaterin rnollissinzn and rein- in the first count. deer Rungifer mrandlis plat\.rhj~nchus. For documentation of the size of the bird col- onies and the distribution of the cliffs, a Ice arid observution conditions sketching-in on Polaroid photos was made in 1978. Quantitative registrations of seabird colonies in This method was only used to a limited extent in Nordaustlandet are hampered by the extreme 1979. when. on the other hand, drawings were weather conditions prevailing in the arctic used. regions. Some colonies could not be counted In both years some colonies were photographed because of bad weather in 1978 and 1979. In other in black/white for later registration. At a possible cases poor visibility and precipitation must be later selection of a representative number of col- blamed for the inferior quality of a few counts. onies on Nordaustlandet for more systematic The count at Waldensya was difficult in 1978. investigations, this method would supply valuable and in 1979 bad weather prevented a visit to documentation material, especially for species Nelsonsya. such as kittiwake and Briinnich’s guillemot. In 1978. registrations of breeding pairs in sev- In the field the prime objective was to locate eral colonies could be made from a rubber dinghy as many seabird colonies as possible and estimate below the cliffs. but this method could only be the approximate number of breeding pairs. used to a limited extent in 1979. when solid bum- The method of sketching-in colonies, either on mer ice surrounded the islands and coastline in Polaroid photos or on drawn sketches, will make the northwestern part of Nordaustlandet (Table it possible to evaluate the fluctuation pattern of 1). We therefore had to rely on helicopter trans- some species, as the space occupied in a given port to most localities. Such conditions may to cliff area will change if the populations increase a high degree influence the biological qualit! of or decrease in number.