---
title: "And the winner of the World Albatross Day 2020 Banner Challenge is … Alex Dodds on Bird Island!"
---

# And the winner of the World Albatross Day 2020 Banner Challenge is … Alex Dodds on Bird Island!

![IMG 3213 resized Alex Dodds 1](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Posters_Books/IMG_3213_resized_-_Alex_Dodds-1.jpg) 

 *Aleks Dodds displays her ‘WAD2020’ banner in front of Wandering Albatross chicks on Bird Island*

 From Argentina to Antarctica field teams have risen to ACAP’s “[Banner Challenge](https://www.acap.aq/world-albatross-day/wad2020-eradicating-island-pests/competitions)” by making cloth banners and paper posters promoting this year’s inaugural [World Albatross Day](https://www.acap.aq/en/world-albatross-day/introduction-to-world-albatross-day) and then displaying them adjacent to albatross breeding colonies on islands, on fishing vessels at sea, and, in the face of COVID-19 restrictions in other places and ways.

 Banners have been photographed on 24 albatross breeding islands.  Nearly all Parties to the Agreement that support breeding albatrosses responded with banners as did the three non-Party countries (Japan, Mexico and the USA) with breeding birds.  In addition, all five field teams of the [Albatross Task Force](https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-casework/our-positions/marine-and-coastal/saving-seabirds-globally/the-albatross-task-force/) entered the challenge, taking two banners to sea.  The Antarctic Continent was not left out, with a [contribution](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3719-antarctica-joins-the-banner-challenge-on-world-albatross-day) coming from a research station.

 A total of 58 images of the displayed banners and posters in an [album](https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlbatrossesandPetrels/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3115355551858156) on ACAP’s [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/AlbatrossesandPetrels/) has allowed viewers to vote for their favourite by ‘liking’.  The results are now in and the winner and the two runners up can be announced.

 With 142 “like’ votes the clear winner is Alex Dodds, Zoological Field Assistant on [Bird Island](https://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/latest-news/2085-acap-breeding-sites-no-77-bird-island-falkland-islands-islas-malvinas), South Georgia/Islas Georgias del Sur*, who ventured out to photograph herself and her banner against a snow-covered backdrop with [Vulnerable](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/wandering-albatross-diomedea-exulans) Wandering Albatross *Diomedea exulans* chicks that she is monitoring ([click here](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3671-a-new-world-albatross-day-banner-for-bird-island-in-the-south-atlantic)).

 ![Gaudalupe 1](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Posters_Books/Gaudalupe_1.jpg)

 *Emmanuel Mendoza Pérez and Ariana Duarte Canizales display GECI’s World Albatross Day banner on Guadalupe, behind a Laysan Albatross chick close to fledging*

 The first runner up is the [banner](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3702-mexico-s-guadalupe-island-gets-a-world-albatross-day-banner) displayed on Mexico’s [Guadalupe Island](https://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1412-acap-breeding-sites-no-34-isla-guadalupe-mexico-supports-an-increasing-population-of-laysan-albatrosses-despite-predation-by-feral-cats?highlight=WyJnZWNpIiwiZ2VjaSdzIl0=) where Laysan Albatrosses *Phoebastria immutabilis*. A late-arriving entry, it has nevertheless proved popular with Facebook followers, receiving 117 likes.  Well done to Emmanuel Mendoza Pérez and Ariana Duarte Canizales of theenvironmental NGO Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas ([GECI](https://islas.org.mx/#gsc.tab=0)).

 [en/latest-news/3702-mexico-s-guadalupe-island-gets-a-world-albatross-day-banner](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3702-mexico-s-guadalupe-island-gets-a-world-albatross-day-banner)![Midway Atoll USFWS](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Posters_Books/Midway_Atoll_USFWS.jpg)

 *Midway Atoll residents hold a large World Albatross Day banner, photograph by Lauren Pederson*

 Third in the competition (with 70 likes) is the work of the [US Fish & Wildlife Service](https://fws.gov/) on Sand Island, [Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge](https://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1434-acap-breeding-site-no-36-midway-atoll-black-footed-laysan-and-short-tailed-albatrosses-within-a-world-heritage-site?highlight=WyJtaWR3YXkiLCJtaWR3YXkncyIsIm1pZHdheSciLCJubyIsIidubyJd), photographed on World Albatross Day itself on 19 June.

 ![WAD banner Antipodes Kath Walker Graeme Elliott shrunk](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Posters_Books/WAD_banner_Antipodes_Kath_Walker__Graeme_Elliott_shrunk.jpg) 

 *Kath Walker (left) and Graeme Elliott behind an adult non-breeding male Antipodean Albatross - who walked into the frame*

 And the ACAP’s Information Officer’s personal favourite?  It's the [‘tri-ribbon’ banner](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3582-completing-a-world-heritage-site-new-zealand-s-antipodes-island-gets-its-own-world-albatross-banner-despite-covid-19) long-time albatross researchers Kath Walker and Graeme Elliott displayed on New Zealand’s [Antipodes Island](https://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1358-acap-breeding-sites-no-23-antipodes-island-new-zealand-supports-seven-acap-listed-albatross-and-petrel-species), only to be ‘photo-bombed’ by a passing (and [globally Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/antipodean-albatross-diomedea-antipodensis)) Antipodean Albatross *D. antipodensis.*  Sadly, the fallout from COVID-19 forced Graeme and Kath to [leave the island early](https://www.acap.aq/en/latest-news/3552-expedition-to-satellite-track-antipodean-albatrosses-from-antipodes-island-is-underway?highlight=WyJhbnRpcG9kZXMiLCInYW50aXBvZGVzJyIsImFudGlwb2RlcyciLDIwMjAsIjIwMjAncyIsIjIwMjAnLiJd) but they still managed to fit birds with satellite trackers – and join the Banner Challenge.  For the record their banner came equal fifth among the 58 images

 All entrants to the banner challenge will receive an electronic personalized certificate.  The winner and two runners up will in addition receive one of ACAP’s WAD 2020 posters suitable for framing and a [coffee-table book](https://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/23-2010-news-archive/726-book-review-qmarion-and-prince-edward-africas-southern-islandsq-home-to-albatrosses-and-petrels?highlight=WyJyZXZpZXciLCJyZXZpZXcncyIsImNob3duIiwidGVyYXVkcyJd) on South Africa’s sub-Antarctic [Marion](https://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1371-acap-breeding-sites-no-27-sub-antarctic-marion-island-a-research-laboratory-for-albatrosses-and-petrels) and [Prince Edward](https://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1366-acap-breeding-sites-no-26-prince-edward-south-africa-s-alien-mammal-free-sub-antarctic-island) Islands, home to five species of breeding albatrosses.  Expect delays in mailings due to ACAP’s Information Officer self isolating at home due to the COVID-19 Pandemic!

 The results of two other competitions held by ACAP to mark World Albatross Day, the [Great Albicake Bake Off](https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlbatrossesandPetrels/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3110693032324408)and the [Colouring-in Competition](https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlbatrossesandPetrels/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3187792054614505), will be announced later this month.

 With grateful thanks to all who helped raise awareness of the threats facing albatrosses by making and displaying their banners and posters in the field.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 07 July 2020*

 *A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.