Compost Gull and Seawatching

It's often a subject around the dinner table between the summer residents of the Isle of May on whether it is always the same Lesser Black-backed Gull that visits the compost heap that is just outside the Lighthouse Keepers cottage.

The compost heap mainly consists of a few rotting citrus fruits and spent ground coffee, but the odd bit of left over pasta or dead bird keeps the gulls returning daily.

About a week ago Mark successfully trapped a gull in the heap and Carrie got to ring her first Lesser which was seen returning to the garden within a couple of days.

It became quite obvious there was more then one gull using the compost heap as unringed birds were noted daily, so while I was having a post dinner seawatch from the veranda I decided to try and catch an unringed bird that was using heap.

 

I hid in the mothtrap shed and waited for the signal from Mark and Lowlighters, Steve and Ian who had come out to join us looking out to sea. After about 15 minutes the bird dropped into the wooden frame so I decided to go for it.

 

The bird panicked on my appearance and got stuck, it's path blocked by my considerable bulk flying over the side. I landed ankle deep in some pretty rotten horrid filth of the heap, but the bird was secured.

 

 We took the bird to the ringing hut where it was ringed by Ian and released.

Close up the bird was quite stunning. Close up you can see the details of the eye and the wings. The bird was not too pleased about being caught and really gave as good as it got.This bird is marked with a green colouring with the letter M on it. We shall keep an eye on the compost heap to see which birds return the compost heap.

The fun did not stop there either. While we were watching the sea, we noted Arctic Skua, Manx Shearwaters, a probable island record count of Common Scoter, Harbour Porpoise and a Minke Whale.

Minke Whales are noted off the island regularly throughout the season with an increase of sightings from mid July onwards. Tonight's sighting was quite special as the Minke was jumping right out of the water! It leeped out near a fishing boat. Even though the animal was over a mile away you could see the tidal wave splash with the naked eye! It almost made me jump out of my skin as it came right up in my field of view in my telescope.

We don't watch the TV out here but with that kind of nightly entertainment who needs to?

I'd like to thank Ian and Mark for contributing photographs for this blog entry.

The All Island Count

Anyone who visits the island who stands before David and I will hear us say that our job is to meet the boats and count all the seabirds you can see. David and I had a team of volunteers to help us count all the seagulls on the island but when it comes to the All Island Count, 'I'm on my own*'!

I have to count all the cliff dwelling birds. It is quite a daunting task counting thousands of seabirds, Many of which are parts of large colonies. In some ares I can easily see 5000 birds on one cliff face.

I'm often asked how I count so many birds. Well, it's simple! I literally count every individual bird from a safe vantage point. I use a clicker and cover every shelf, ledge, crag and gully of every cliff face.I scan the cliffs with my binoculars. I also take lots of notes and drawings so I don't count the same bird more then once. The island is split up into 16 sections and the totals are added up when the count is complete. It's of the only chance I get to go to secret places around the reserve, creeping along gullies or leaping around the rocks at low tide.

 Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Guillemot are the three most numerous species

I get to creep around little secret Gullies around the island. A Razorbill nearly took my head off flying down this one!

The south horn colony is counted from The Maidens

Counting the high cliffs is quite exciting especially in the fog

 

A lot of Razorbills were just hatching as I was counting.

Playing on cliffs is dangerous kids. Rope up safe!

That's me looking down 40 metres to the sea!

 How many?

 

David has a clifftop snooze while waiting to come back from the Maidens

Now come thes report writing and adding up. I'll be reporting back on that soon.

*David kindly helped me with my rope work and The Centre of Ecology and Hydrology helped counting the more sensitive areas where there are the highest density of shags.

Introducing Lucie.

Ahoj,

When you hear someone speaking with a strange accent, it wouldn’t be a tourist with weird Scots’ style accent but me – Lucie, the second SNH volunteer. I come from Czech Republic and currently study MSc conservation and biodiversity at the University of Leeds. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to spend a couple of months doing tasks such as counting gulls and terns, showing the beauty of the island to tourists, all odd jobs around and anything where as many helping hands are needed around.

I decided to get my dream come true after many years of working with children and in tourism sector, while enjoying natural beauty of different continents. Not being able to find almost any kind of job, I decided to go back to University and become an ecologist.

I arrived to May on a day of very rough sea. The boat was going up and down like a Yo-yo and the cold wind kept me lets say ‘well preserved’. When we finally landed, I was warmly welcomed by the SNH team and bird researchers. I fell in love with the island straight away; with the hauling sound of Eiders, freaky gull attacks, clicking sound of flying puffins and bunnies hopping everywhere. I look forward to learn about the May’s wildlife and welcome visitors to enjoy at least a glimpse of my lucky time….