For the first 30-40 days after hatching, one parent stays at the nest to guard the chick, but thereafter both parents have to hunt at sea to bring home sufficient food to keep the chick growing. The main hazards for the youngsters are weather-related, says Burns. “Before chicks develop their secondary down—which is about as tough as Feltex—they can get wet and cold. Last season we had two chicks we were regularly warming up inside. One was probably within an hour of death when we got it, but it survived and fledged. Sometimes adults will fly back to protect or shelter their chicks if the weather turns bad. Young birds can also suffer from heat stress and dehydration. We often put up small shelters—such as hay bales—to shade or shelter chicks. After the end of April the chicks are less vulnerable to the weather and our work diminishes. Sometimes if a chick is not getting well fed we will temporarily give it to parents that are feeding well. The chick’s parents don’t seem to notice.”