This dataset contains data on the habitats, distribution and numbers of Adelie Penguins (Pygoscellis adeliae) along the Vestfold Hills coast (including colonies on the mainland and offshore islands) during November 1973. The data are obtained from counts at the colonies and black and white photographs. Some aerial photographs were taken at Davis in 1981-82 and 1987-88, and will be compared to the results of this survey. The results are listed in the documentation. A total of 174178 26127 breeding pairs were counted. An increase in Adelie penguin population was found at most locations in East Antarctica. Data from this record has been incorporated into a larger Adelie penguin dataset described by the metadata record - Annual population counts at selected Adelie Penguin colonies within the AAT (SOE_seabird_candidate_sp_AP). It also falls under ASAC project 1219 (ASAC_1219).

The dataset contains boundaries of Adelie penguin breeding colonies at numerous breeding sites across east Antarctica. The boundary data were obtained using a range of methods which are detailed in separate spatial group-season accounts. The database of potential Adelie penguin breeding habitat in Southwell et al. (2016a) was used to associate colony boundaries to a particular breeding site and structure how the boundaries are stored. The breeding site database has a unique identifying code of every site of potential breeding habitat in East Antarctica, and the sites are aggregated into spatial sub-groups and then spatial groups. The file structure in which the boundaries are stored has a combination of 'group' and 'split-year breeding season' at the top level (eg VES 2015-16 contains all boundaries in spatial group VES (Vestfold Hills and islands) taken in the 2015-16 breeding season). Within each group-year folder are sub-folders for each breeding site where photos were taken (eg IS_72276 is Gardner Island in the VES group). Please refer to the Seabird Conservation Team Data Sharing Policy for use, acknowledgement and availability of data prior to downloading data.

The current distribution of Adelie penguin breeding colonies in the AAT is being mapped through a series of 'occupancy' surveys. A GIS of potential Adelie penguin breeding habitat was developed to structure the overall search effort. Information about the GIS is given in Southwell et al. (2009) and in the related metadata record 'Sites of potential habitat for breeding Adelie penguins in East Antarctica' with Entry ID AAS_4088_Adelie_Potential_Habitats. The AAT coastline was broken into groups and subgroups which were surveyed when logistics allowed. All sites of potential habitat in each section were searched and a record of whether breeding penguins were present or absent was made. Most surveys were undertaken during the Adelie penguin breeding season when breeding penguins would have been present; any surveys outside the breeding season made observations of the presence or absence of guano. Most surveys have been undertaken from aircraft (both helicopters and fixed wing), but some have been done from the ground. Maps of potential breeding habitat in the groups and subgroups were produced from the GIS to use in the field surveys. The data recorded for each search campaign included the latitude and longitude of the centroid of each site that was searched, the data of search, the observer(s), and the state of occupancy (present or absent). These data were incorporated into the occupancy surveys undertaken as part of AAS project 4088. See the metadata record for that project to access the data (at the provided URL).

The dataset comprises Adelie penguin colony boundaries derived from oblique aerial photographs taken towards the end of the 2014/15 summer between Mawson and Taylor Glacier. The aerial photographs were geo-referenced to AAT coastline polygon data and the boundaries of Adelie penguin colonies were digitised. Please refer to the Seabird Conservation Team Data Sharing Policy for use, acknowledgement and availability of data prior to downloading data.

This dataset collates data on occupancy of geographic sites by breeding Adelie penguins across east Antarctica between 37 degrees E -160 degrees E from the 1950s to the present day. A separate dataset contains a table and maps of geographic sites in East Antarctica where Adelie penguins could potentially breed. This occupancy dataset comprises a table of breeding sites and a table of occupancy observations. The breeding site table has a list of the geographic sites where breeding Adelie penguins have been observed at least once. The table contains for each breeding site, the names used for each site in the literature, the literature sources for those names, the geographic centroid of the breeding location within the geographic site, and any comments to help interpret the breeding site. The occupancy table contains observations of the presence or absence of breeding Adelie penguins at each breeding site and split-year breeding season obtained from the published primary and secondary literature and from the researchers' unpublished data. These data also include occupancy survey data collected as part of ASAC 2722 - see the related metadata record for more information.

Distribution, abundance and dates of relict Adelie Penguin colonies in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT). Current mapping efforts have focused on the Windmill Islands in preparation for a PhD study to commence in 2004/05 with the two investigators. The planned PhD study will work at either the Windmill Islands or the Vestfold Hills. This project integrates ASAC projects 1219 and 1322 (ASAC_1219, ASAC_1322). The fields in the excel spreadsheet are: Radiocarbon Samples Isotope Samples Site - list of precise locations provided in the downloadable paper Level - horizontal stratum (depth), given in 5cm blocks Species Material Weight (g) Notes Lab no. Uncorrected Date (BP) - (day) Standard Deviation Delta R - range of corrected date for sample, 2 standard deviations either side of the mean Mean - estimated mean of sample date See the paper included in the download file for further information.

The following are excerpts from Ensor and Bassett (1987). A census by counts and estimates of Adelie penguin chicks on the George V Land coast of Antarctica between Commonwealth Bay and Buchanan Bay was undertaken during January 1982. Sections of colonies were photographed for comparison with photographs taken in 1913 during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition; positions and sizes of sub-colonies appeared unchanged after an interval of 68 years. Observations on the distribution of breeding Antarctic fulmars, Cape petrels, Snow petrels, Wilson's storm-petrels and South polar skuas are presented. This report describes the breeding status of seabirds, particularly Adelie penguins, on the George V Land coast of Antarctica between Commonwealth Bay (67 degrees S, 142.5 degrees E) and Buchanan Bay 67.1166 degrees S, 144.6666 E). The area was visited in January 1982 during the Mawson anniversary expedition of the Oceanic Research Foundation (ORF) on the schooner Dick Smith Explorer. The observations on the breeding of seabirds were conducted as a contribution to the International Survey of Antarctic Seabirds (ISAS) designed to investigate the abundance and distribution of seabirds in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Of particular interest to this program is the the population status of Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae. The George V Land coast has seldom been visited. The main expeditions to the area have been the 1911-13 Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) and the 1929-31 British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE). Falla (1937) summarised the biological observations made during these expeditions, including estimates of the numbers of Adelie penguins breeding in the Cape Denison area (67 degrees S, 142.6666 degrees E). The Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions and Expeditions Polaires Francaises have also made visits. The present observations provide a recent estimate of the breeding population of Adelie penguins in the area. Since the authors' visit to the colonies was late in the breeding season, estimates of numbers were restricted to chicks. The number of chicks gives an approximation of the number of pairs of penguins breeding but due to annual variations in breeding success, these estimates are not as reliable as the direct counts of occupied nests that can be made during the incubation period. The 1981-82 ORF expedition was based at Cape Denison between 11 and 30 January 1982 where a census of Adelie penguin chicks and observations on the breeding of other birds was conducted. A camp was established on the Mackellar Islands (66.9666 degrees S, 142.65 degrees E) from 12 to 14 January to enable a census of penguin chicks to be made. On 30 January the expedition departed Cape Denison towards the Mertz Glacier tongue (154.3333 degrees E). The cruise track of the vessel followed approximately the outer limit of islets of the Way Archipelago (143.6666 degrees E) and passed close to Moyes Islands (143.85 degrees E) and Hodgeman Islands (144.25 degrees E). Brief visits were made to two islets in the Way Archipelago, Stillwell Island (143.8 degrees E) and an unnamed islet near Garnet Point (143.7666 degrees E). En route to the Mertz Glacier, a planned landing at Cape Hunter (66.95 degrees S, 142.3333 degrees E) to investigate the breeding population of seabirds including a large colony of Antarctic petrels Thalassoica antarctica (Falla 1937), had to be abandoned due to the onset of high winds. Adelie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae Locations of Adelie penguin colonies and counts and estimates of the numbers of chicks in each colony are given in a spreadsheet available at the url below. The total numbers of Adelie penguin chicks on the coast between Cape Denison and Buchanan Bay was 55,242. At Cape Denison, on the Mackellar Islets and on Stillwell Island, direct counts of chicks were made. Counts were replicated until a 5% accuracy was achieved. To aid the counting, the distribution of guano

Two colonies with breeding Adelie colonies were mapped this season in the Rookery Island group in conjunction with colony counts. Subcolonies were mapped by circumnavigating the perimeter of sub-colonies on foot while carrying a Garmin GPS (Legend Cx) to log the track taken. The person walking the perimeter of the sub-colonies maintained a buffer distance of approximately 2.5m between themselves and the breeding birds along the sub-colony boundary. This buffer distance was reduced to approximately 2m in the final shapefiles. Please refer to the Seabird Conservation Team Data Sharing Policy for use, acknowledgement and availability of data prior to downloading data.

Six colonies with breeding Adelie colonies were mapped this season in the Rookery Island group in conjunction with colony counts. Islands 74814 and the main Rookery Island 74721 were not mapped this season. Subcolonies were mapped by circumnavigating the perimeter of sub-colonies on foot while carrying a Garmin GPS (Legend Cx) to log the track taken. The person walking the perimeter of the sub-colonies maintained a buffer distance of approximately 2.5m between themselves and the breeding birds along the sub-colony boundary. This buffer distance was reduced to approximately 2m in the final shapefiles. Please refer to the Seabird Conservation Team Data Sharing Policy for use, acknowledgement and availability of data prior to downloading data.

Fourteen colonies with breeding Adelie colonies were mapped this season in the Rookery Island group between the 29th November and 14th of December 2015. Subcolonies were mapped by circumnavigating the perimeter on foot while carrying a Garmin GPS (Etrex30) to record the track. When mapping the perimeter of the subcolonies, generally an average buffer distance of 2.5 meters was maintained between the mapper and breeding birds. However on Gibbney and Rookery Island one of the mappers was mapping at a distance between 3 and 5m. Buffer distances were reduced accordingly for the varying tracks to produce a combined average buffer distance of 2m in the final layer. Given this the boundary mapping for these two islands may vary in accuracy. Note on Gibbney and Giganteus there were at least two subcolonies on both islands that were mapped but the density of breeding birds in these mapped sections was much less than that in the surrounding colonies. Subcolonies were tagged with L at the end of their name in the track files. This will not be shown in the final layer and if information on this is needed then the subcolonies can be identified from the original track data or created shapefiles for the individual subcolonies on the island. Please refer to the Seabird Conservation Team Data Sharing Policy for use, acknowledgement and availability of data prior to downloading data.