A GPS survey of seabirds on Heard Island during the Australian Antarctic Program's 2003/04 expedition. This layer is stored as two datasets (point and polygon) in the Geographical Information System (GIS). Data represent flying bird and penguin colony extents and nesting sites.

This layer is stored as two datasets (point and polygon)in the Geographical Information System (GIS). Points represent landing areas, mammal, flying bird and penguin data. Polygons represent the horizontal flight limits of helicopters and areas set aside for specific management purposes.

Flying bird breeding colonies on Macquarie Island. This is a polygon dataset stored in the Geographical Information System (GIS). Attributes include the species name and the time of the year during which breeding occurs. The species include Black-browed Albatross, Grey-headed albatross, Southern Giant-Petrel and Wandering Albatross.

This file contains a report and a log of biological observations of birds made at Heard Island during 1953. It includes information on King Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Adelie Penguins, Rockhopper Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, Light-Mantled Sooty Albatross, Storm Petrels, Dominican Gulls, Cape Pigeons, Skuas, etc. It also includes information from earlier in the 1960s, including information on bird banding, and bird ordinance. The hard copy of the log has been archived by the Australian Antarctic Division library.

Very little information is available on the geomorphology of areas surrounding Australian Antarctic stations. This type of information is generally collected during geological surveys. This metadata record gathers a range of descriptive geomorphological information of various nature: -Habitat surveys were conducted in the season 2002-2003 in the Windmill Islands in parallel with bird nest mapping (reported in metadata record BIRDSCASEY0203) in order to study selection of nest sites by a range of species. Habitat was described in the survey sites searched for bird nests following various methods (described in BIRDSCASEY0203). Information is stored as GIS files (Arcview 3.2) -polygon shapefile gathering all the geomorphological units. -line shapefile describing habitat along transects used for searching bird nests -polygon shapefile describing habitat in small 25*25m quadrats used for searching bird nests -A collection of 1309 digital photos showing the sites searched for bird nests indexed by grid site number. Plus another set of 194 photos showing region of the Windmill Islands or bird nests more in detail -A set of Digital Elevation Models (DEM) covering the entire Windmill Islands area generated separately for 18 regions. -200m*200m grid created from the coverage of ice-free areas (Aerial photography 93-94) providing site numbers for the photographic database -A series of Black and White aerial Photos (500 m, Zeiss, 1994) scanned at high resolution for the purpose of substrate study. See the word document in the file download for more information. This work has been completed as part of ASAC project 1219 (ASAC_1219). The fields in this dataset are: Date Boulderbig Bouldsmall Baresubst Morsed Scree Snowcover Permice Slope Aspect Photonumber Sitedotid Comments

The download file contains a scanned copy of correspondence, the report, and statistics from data collected on birds from Heard Island in approximately 1951 (the report is dated May 1951, so data collection must have occurred before this). The original documents were not in the best condition, so unfortunately some of the scans are difficult to read. Taken from part of the report: For Heard Island birds, measurements on females, fresh and dry, and males, fresh and dry, were generally available. The data were therefore submitted to an analysis of variance (2x2 non-orthagonal treatment, interaction non-significant) to test for differences between the classifications. When the difference between members of a classification was found to be non-significant, the distinction was disregarded and new means and variances were worked out, combining the results from both sub-classifications. For example, if condition (wet or dry) was found to be non-significant, means for male and female were computed as if no sub-division into fresh and dry existed, and a pooled common variance was obtained from the variances within sex classifications. Similarly, if neither male-female nor fresh-dry differences were significant, a grand mean for the island was computed, and the variance of teh whole set of data was taken to apply. This mean has been quoted as appropriate to all four categories, the coefficient of variation and the standard error of the mean being similarly quoted as the same for each sub-classification. Note has been made of the number of observations, (n), on which the mean is based, and the number of degrees of freedom, (v), appropriate to the estimate of the standard deviation. One further point may be mentioned here. Frequently, the dimensions of individual birds have been given without classification into male and female. It has been possible to utilise these measurements in the general analysis only when the sex-difference was not significant.

This indicator is no longer maintained, and is considered OBSOLETE. INDICATOR DEFINITION All known observations of seabird strikes are recorded upon observation at Australian Antarctic Stations and on ships travelling in the Southern Ocean. TYPE OF INDICATOR There are three types of indicators used in this report: 1.Describes the CONDITION of important elements of a system; 2.Show the extent of the major PRESSURES exerted on a system; 3.Determine RESPONSES to either condition or changes in the condition of a system. This indicator is one of: PRESSURE RATIONALE FOR INDICATOR SELECTION Human presence in the Antarctic has led to the creation of many stations located around the continent. In many cases, these stations are sited close to seabird colonies. Birds have struck station buildings, radio masts, etc. Further, seabird strikes are reported from resupply and research vessels. In recent decades, there have been observations made of bird strikes, particularly colliding with station infrastructure, remote installations and supporting infrastructure and ship-based transport to the continent. Whilst the data are not considered to be comprehensive or highly rigorous, it is envisaged that recording of bird strikes may facilitate useful analysis in the future. DESIGN AND STRATEGY FOR INDICATOR MONITORING PROGRAM Spatial scale: Southern Ocean: 40S to the Antarctic continent, Mawson, Davis, Casey, Macquarie Island, Heard Island, field camps, and summer expeditions. Frequency: Annual. Measurement technique: Observation of bird strikes at Australian Antarctic Stations and at sea. RESEARCH ISSUES The accuracy of the data are likely to be limited as it depends upon the detection of bird strikes by actual observation of the strike as it occurs, or the discovery of bird carcasses near the structure with which it collided. LINKS TO OTHER INDICATORS SOE Indicator 29 - Breeding population of the Southern Giant Petrel at Heard Island, the McDonald Islands and within the AAT SOE Indicator 37 - Species and numbers of species killed, taken or interfered with or disturbed in the Antarctic and the sub-Antarctic for the purpose of scientific research SOE Indicator 46 - Annual tourist ship visits and tourist numbers SOE Indicator 48 - Station and ship person days SOE Indicator 76 - Monthly fuel usage of ships travelling to Australian Antarctic Stations

In December 2008, the RSV Aurora Australis had an opportunity to visit Heard Island and McDonald Islands. A number of activities took place and included: An aerial survey (16th December) from the north coast of Red Island (west end) to the end of The Spit. The helicopter flew approximately 1.5 km offshore and at an altitude of about 1900 ft. Then it flew directly to the west coast and surveyed from Henderson Bluff to Kildalke. Video, stereo photos and photos of wildlife colonies and areas of interest were taken. An aerial survey (17th December) from The Spit travelling along the south coast. Then repeating the aerial survey of the 16th. The survey of the 16th was in dull light and was repeated on the 17th when light was better. A ship-based survey from Atlas Roads to the north coast of The Spit was made on the 16th December and from Atlas Roads to Red Island on the 17th December. Stereo photos, photos of wildlife and named features and video were taken about 2nm offshore. A team of people visited Atlas Cove and assessed the huts and ruins, took stereo photos of heritage items and elephant seals. A small team flew around the Island and assessed and photographed the hut sites. On the 17th December, the RSV Aurora Australis sailed past McDonald Islands. Visibility was poor so only a few photos were taken. Water samples were taken for AAS Project 2899. More information is included in documents and spreadsheets, including some GPS locations of where photographs were taken, by whom and photo descriptions.