Seabird Spectacular...

We are now in the middle of the busy seabird season here at St Abb’s Head. Most of our species now have eggs or young (some are even beginning to fledge). See below for a short account of what each species is getting up to at the moment?

Herring Gull

An early nesting species with many nests already containing medium sized chicks.

Shag

Another early nesting species with the majority of Shag nests now containing young (some quite large). Fledging imminent.  

Guillemot

Some birds still have eggs although the majority have now hatched. The first jumplings* are already taking to the water.

*Jumplings. At 18-37 days old Guillemot and Razorbill chicks will leap from our vast cliffs to the safety of the sea below. At this stage they have not developed flight feathers and some birds will inevitably misjudge the leap and hit the rocks below. Jumplings are surprisingly hardy and bouncy but a few do succumb to the hungry Herring Gulls. Chicks usually jump under the cover of dusk.

Razorbill

As Guillemots but slightly later. Again many birds have eggs and chicks. Expect jumplings* late June early July.

Guillemot and Razorbill

Fulmar

Many of these solitary nesters are now on eggs. These birds will spend more than 50 days incubating eggs with a further 50 days before chicks fledge. Expect chicks early July.

 

Kittiwake

The first eggs were discovered on the 30^th May and the first chicks were found on the 18th of June. Chicks are still relatively small but growing fast with currently abundant food.

Kittiwakes, set for a better season than last.

 

It's not all about the seabirds though... Our Cygnets are growing by the day on the Mire Loch.

 

May I be of assistance?

2014 marks an important milestone for the team here at St Abb’s Head with the opening of a new long term voluntary placement allowing would be rangers to experience life on the reserve and gain some practical experience in the field of conservation. We were lucky enough to have a good few applications and I am delighted to announce that our new Assistant Ranger, James (pictured left), started work with us at the start of May and is currently settling into life here at St Abb’s Head. Here’s what James has to say about himself.

Hi everyone. I’m James, the new Assistant Ranger here at St Abb’s Head. For the duration of my time here I will be posting using this red colour.

Where to start? I’ve been here for a fortnight now and already I’ve found myself in love with St Abb’s Head. Must be the sea air! It truly is a great place to be and is vastly different to my previous surroundings in Cumbria where I studied BSc Animal Conservation Science for the past three years. I love a challenge however and am really looking forward to experiencing the more practical side of conservation!

So why St Abbs? Well, simply put my main interest throughout university and beyond has always been birds. What better  place to learn the ropes so to speak than a site that hosts 45,000 breeding seabirds, numerous farmland species and of course the regular rarities that send local birders into a frenzy whenever they drop in. Secondly, I’m a local lad so to speak having grown up just down the coast in Northumberland. As such volunteering at St Abbs allows me to directly partake in the conservation of the same stretch of coastline that has provided me with many fond memories since my childhood. Finally, experience! There’s only so much you can learn with your nose in a textbook. This role will undoubtedly help broaden my knowledge as well as giving me a taste of practical conservation.

This being my first real experience of a coastal reserve it seems I have arrived at exactly the right time with the first shag chicks having already hatched, guillemots and razorbills sitting tight on eggs and kittiwakes adding the final touches to their cliff side nests. Exciting times! Couple this with the steady passage of other interesting birds such as spotted flycatcher, common sandpiper and ring ouzel and the sheer abundance of butterflies and you have the makings a wonderful spring!

What next? Well the next few weeks will see me helping Liza and Jack out with a host of tasks around the reserve but also beginning to monitor razorbill and guillemot breeding productivity. The latter of which has never been done before! Obviously it’s going to be a challenge (guilles aren’t the most obliging of research subjects) but all will be well I’m sure! For now I’ll leave you with a few photos snapped around the reserve during my first few weeks.

 

Jack's Back!

Hello everyone,

I have returned for another year as Seasonal Ranger/Naturalist at St Abb’s Head and this time I’m in for the long haul. This year I’m looking forward to spending even longer on the reserve, I’ll be at St Abb’s Head until January 2015. I’ll be doing all manner of rangery tasks, from fixing paths and monitoring seabirds to cleaning the visitor centre and picking litter.

So what’s happening out and about on the reserve, well our seabirds are returning to the cliffs for another breeding season. At this time of year Guillemots and Razorbills come and go from the cliffs before eventually settling down to breed around late April. Fulmars and Kittiwakes are also beginning to return and Shags have already begun nest building. Soon the cliffs will once again be a busy and noisy place.

At St Abb’s Head during the spring and autumn we are lucky enough to get more than our fair share of rare and scarce migrant birds. The projecting headland provides the perfect stop off point for migrants following the coast north to summer breeding grounds. This week we have recorded our first Willow Warbler, Ring Ouzel and Wheatear of the year. Be sure to write your sightings in the Nature Centre log book.

Please take extra care when crossing farmland to get to the reserve at this time of year, ewes and young lambs have recently been moved into these fields and dogs should be kept on leads. Also don’t approach young lambs to get that perfect photo as this can cause stress.

We have some exciting plans for our summer events this year. Firstly we will be testing out a new means of engaging with the public with our newly termed ‘Pop-up Ranger’ information points, also did somebody mention boat trips... check back here for updates.

(Once again my blog posts will appear in this Dark Green font)

See you out and about on the reserve. JI.

A foot in the door...?

Do you fancy the opportunity to live and work on a spectacular nature reserve, and feel like you are making a difference in the world? If so, this position could be for you!

We are looking for an Assistant Ranger to join the Ranger Team at St Abb's Head.

Duties include: biological monitoring (including seabirds and butterfies); practical countryside management (including strimming and control of invasives); helping to maximise the visitor experience; contributing to the on line presence of the property.

What we are looking for in an applicant: A passion for wildlife and the great outdoors. Some knowledge / experience in the relevant field. Enthusiasm, flexibility and a desire to learn essential. You will need to be willing and able to undertake physical work (sometimes strenuous) in all weathers, and be comfortable working near cliffs.

What you will get from us: On-the-job training, experience & shared accommodation (including utilities).

Interested? Contact Liza Cole, lcole@nts.org.uk, for more details and an application form (no CVs please).

Life's a beach...

In February each year, hundreds of people all around the UK go out and walk along their local beaches looking out for dead seabirds.  This may seem somewhat macabre pastime, but what they are doing is taking part in the National Beached Bird Survey (BBS).  The results of this national survey are used in conjunction with those from other European countries to document trends in chronic marine oil pollution and to promote adequate methods of controlling illegal oil discharge to help reduce seabird mortality.  The project has been running since the 1970s, so it has an impressive data set, but the RSPB (who coordinate the project) are always looking for folk to help out on their local stretch of coast.  So if you would like to add a purpose to your beach walk, whilst also feeling like you are doing your bit to help with seabird conservation then check out this link then why not consider joining in.  Go to https://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/projects/details/203916-national-beached-bird-survey for more information.  I have walked 4 out of my 6 beaches so far, and am pleased to say that I have found no oiled birds.

First Footing!

Over the last couple of months my gang of trusty volunteers (whose numbers have been swelled by a new recruit, Barnie) and I have been doing a fair amount of footpath maintenance. Winter is a good time to do footpath work as it is when the paths are at their wettest so you can see where the drainage problems are, and where more surfacing is needed. Clearing out blocked drains, topping up surfacing material and cutting back brambles and gorse are never ending tasks. Maintaining footpath furniture like gates, stiles, steps and boardwalks to ensure that they are all in working order, is important too. And also making sure that the paths are wide enough for the folk who are going to use them to be able to do so comfortably. This is especially important with our All Ability Trail, which, as the name suggest, enables folk of any ability to get to a viewpoint overlooking the cliffs at Starney Bay. The path needs to be of a prescribed width in order for wheelchairs to be able to pass along it, but grass gradually grows in from the edges causing the path to get narrower over time. So we have been digging back the encroaching grasses by hand, which is hard but satisfying work. 

Ernie and Barnie working on our All Ability Trail



Hopefully all the effort we have put in will help make people’s visits a more enjoyable experience. We take great care to make sure that any footpath work we do carry out doesn’t look too manmade or jar with its surroundings. So if you do come and visit, please don’t expect to be able to walk around without getting muddy. The best we can do is make sure you don’t get too muddy – this is the countryside after all!

Season's Greetings!

Sorry that we have fallen behind a bit with the posts this year, it has been an incredibly busy year and the blog has paid the price.  New Year's resolution - must do better!  Here's hoping you all have a great festive season.

The Great Reckoning

May and June is seabird monitoring time and as such is the busiest time of year for us every year. Our monitoring takes two forms – counting the total number of birds that are attempting to breed on the cliffs, and also monitoring how well they get on with their breeding. As the seabirds are only here for a very short time it is a pretty intense few weeks for us, and we have little time for anything else. For example, this year we spent some 250 hours, or 7 working weeks, out on the cliffs monitoring seabirds in May and June - phew! This is mostly me and Jack, our Seasonal Ranger, with a little help from some volunteers for a couple of days. This year was a big year though, as we were carrying out our quinquennial count of auks (guillemots and razorbills) as well as all the other species.  Our auks are so numerous (numbering some 35,000 birds) that we only have time to count them every 5 years! 


But why spend so much time counting seabirds, I hear you cry? Well, the presence of the large seabird colony is one of the main reasons why St Abb’s Head has been declared a National Nature Reserve, so it makes sense that they are a main area of focus. But also, did you know that some 45% of Europe’s seabirds breed in Scotland? So we have a huge responsibility to make sure we do as much as we can to conserve them. But also, seabirds are very good indicators of the health of the wider marine environment. So, by monitoring numbers and breeding success, we can have an idea of how they are faring, from year to year, but also in the longer term. And if the numbers decrease (as sadly, they have been for the last decade or so) then we can then look more closely as to the reasons behind this, and is there anything we can do to reverse this trend. So, seabird monitoring is arguably the most important thing that us Rangers do at St Abb’s Head.

And the fruits of our labours? Well, we can tell you with confidence that 42,490 seabirds settled down to breed at St Abb’s Head this year. But that this number, although it sounds impressive (and is truly is spectacular when you visit the colony) it is down on last year, and merely half of the number of birds we had breeding here in the late 80s and early 90s. The reasons for this decline? There are many factors involved, but climate change effecting food supplies and leading to extreme weather conditions is thought to be the largest contributor. So when wondering whether you should do something to reduce your carbon footprint – bear in mind the plight of our seabirds.

Anyway, here a breakdown of that figure: Guillemot 32,990 birds (decrease of 0.6% on 2008).
Razorbill 1,820 birds (increase of 7.9% on 2008).
Kittiwake 3,403 pairs (decrease of 21.1% on 2012).
Herring Gull 239 pairs (decrease of 10.1% on 2012).
Fulmar 104 pairs (decrease of 21.8% on 2012).
Shag 94 pairs (decrease of 45% on 2012).

We haven't finished our monitoring yet, still continuing with monitoring the breeding success of shags and kittiwakes, but its not looking like a productive year, sadly.  Watch this space for a report on these results.  Figures are emerging from other seabird colonies too, and it seems we are not alone in having a poor season.  I will report back with more information on that too.

Doing their bit

Once again a group of pupils form Berwick Academy visited us to undertake activities as part of their John Muir Award.  As usual, they helped us with the seemingly never ending task of controlling creeping thistle, or thistle thwacking as it is affectionately known!  They also had a go a trying out the methodology we use for monitoring the wildlfowl on the Mire Loch - not an easy task as, with all the chicks about at the moment, it can get a bit confusing.  Nevertheless, they most certainly seemed to enjoy their time with us - and many thanks to them for all their help!  Here's a few photos of them in action!

Seabird season…

Shag

A huge amount of work goes into monitoring the various seabird populations at St Abb’s Head. We monitor the birds mainly by two methods. Firstly by carrying out full colony counts and secondly by studying smaller nest plots for productivity. Annual monitoring has been carried out here for over 35 years, creating a very valuable data set.

Seabirds are a fantastic indicator of the health of the marine environment as they react relatively quickly to changes. By understanding changes in seabird numbers we can get early warning signs of other changes in the marine environment.

Changes in seabird numbers and nest productivity are governed by three main factors; firstly the availability of food, secondly the weather conditions and finally the level of predation at the colony.

Availability of food

If a food supply is poor then generally seabirds suffer a poor breeding season. However seabirds have several clever techniques when food is short; some delay breeding until later in the year when food is more readily available, some refrain from breeding at all and take a year out. Others will travel further to find food and may even change nest site closer to a food supply. Some species will also diversify and switch to more abundant food sources, if they are available. With sea temperatures predicted to continue rising it is likely that we will see continued changes in the amount and types of food available to our seabirds.

It’s important to remember that when food IS readily available then most seabirds will maximise on this with larger, earlier and more successful broods and a greater percentage of chicks will reach fledging stage.



Fulmar



Weather

Weather plays a huge role in the life of a seabird, many species such as Auks (Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins) are well adept to dealing with harsh weather, after all these species spend most of the winter out on the open sea only returning here to breed in the summer. It’s the young birds who suffer most at the mercy of the weather.

Rough seas mean that feeding becomes difficult for adult birds and if poor conditions occur while chicks are still young then they quickly become emaciated and starve from a lack of food. Recently hatched birds also lack the insulating and waterproofing feathers of an adult birds plumage and are thus highly susceptible to exposure, relying on the parent for shelter, warmth and protection.

Over the winter many east coast sites have experienced high numbers of dead birds being washed ashore (known as wrecks). From January to March we received many worrying reports of dead birds (mainly Shags and Auks) being washed up on the beaches here. Most were found in an emaciated condition, perhaps reflecting the difficulty feeding during the prolonged periods of rough weather.

It’s worth noting that many seabirds will usually experience high mortality rates during the winter months, with inexperienced first-year birds often being worst hit. During the first few months of this year the east coast experienced a long period of on-shore wind and this brought any dead birds ashore. These birds will usually decompose at sea so perhaps we are being made more aware this year.

From monitoring it is already clear that 2013 is shaping up to be a poor year for many species. Unfortunately it looks like this year will be an example of how poor weather, particularly during early summer can spell big problems for many species. Only when our full counts and productivity figures have been analysed will be know for sure how species have coped.

Levels of predation

Ever wondered why seabirds choose inaccessible ledges, remote islands and sea stacks as nest sites? The answer is down to the lack of predators at these inaccessible sites. Predators can include animals such as Rat, Fox, Stoat, Weasel as well as other birds. An impressive spectacle at St Abb's Head is when young guillemots begin to jump from the safety of the cliffs to the ocean below. Hungry Herring Gulls lay in wait and pick off ‘jumplings’ not quick enough or accurate enough to make it to safety.

Recently a number of island locations have undertaken rat eradication projects to protect breeding seabirds. Since introduced Brown Rats were eradicated from the Island of Canna the populations of Manx Shearwater have began to return and other seabirds are also benefiting. A huge operation is also currently underway in South Georgia.

Guillemots

Long-run...

With sea temperatures predicted to continue rising and scientists predicting a more erratic weather pattern, it’s thought that the marine environment is likely to undergo some dramatic changes in the not too distant future. With our continued monitoring we will be keeping a careful watch on how our seabirds react to these changes.

With peak seabird breeding season here it’s a great time to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a busy seabird colony. Many birds are now on eggs and others are busy displaying, mating and nest building.

Park at the visitor centre and enjoy a walk around the dramatic coastal scenery of the headland and look out for our rangers carrying out monitoring, we are happy to answer questions but please don’t disturb us mid count... 12,067…12,068… “excuse me, where are the puffins?”... doh’

JI

Spring into action...

Jack here; having arrived back a couple of weeks ago I thought I would keep you all updated on what’s about on the reserve at the moment.

It’s finally beginning to feel a little bit like spring here today. It’s been a tough winter for many of our seabird species, birds such as Guillemots and Razorbills spend the entire winter out on the open sea. Imagine that... 7 months on the open sea! They arrive back in early spring to breed. Our Auks (Guillemots, Razorbills and one or two Puffins) will come and go at this time of year, checking out old nest sites and enjoying the novelty of being on dry land.

The affect of unseasonal weather has meant that many of our seabirds have been slow getting started. Guillemots and Razorbills have just about become a permanent feature on our cliffs and Shags have begun building some impressive nests. The cliffs are a noisy place, with bird’s pair bonding and disputing territories. Keep a look out for the first eggs. Last year the first Guillemots were seen on eggs on the 14th April.

During the spring many migrant birds pass through the reserve on their journey north to breeding grounds. St. Abb’s Head provides the perfect stop-off point as it is a prominent headland. This year many of our migrant birds have been later than usual due to the strong north east wind (who wants to fly into that). In the last week we have been graced by Chiffchaff, Wheatear and White Wagtail and this morning provided the first records of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Swallow.

A few signs of spring on the reserve...

Frogspawn

Peacock Butterfly (first of the year)

 

Mute swan courtship display

Hare (keep an eye out for boxing)

Spring Migrants?

So, spring may not have sprung yet as far as the wildlife is concerned - not a sign of a wheatear, a sand martin or a ring ouzel on the Reserve yet - but we have had a couple of human migrants. On Good Friday Jack Ibbotson  returned  to St Abbs for his second year as Seasonal Ranger (the arrival of the Seasonal always signals spring in my mind), and then Easter Monday was our new Marine Ranger, Laura Smith's, first day at work.

Regulars will remember Jack (pictured top left, looking decidedly camp!)  - a very keen birder and all round general good egg (aha ha!).  Jack left us last September, went off to spend a couple of months working with the Trust's Ranger Team on Arran and then spent the rest of the winter gadding about birdwatching and generally enjoying his freedom.  But he seems to be pleased to be back in the saddle at St Abbs again!

Laura (pictured bottom left, looking rather demure) has migrated south from Spey Bay where she has been working for the last 7 years working for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society.  Laura brings with her a wealth of experience of working with volunteers and of environmental interpretation, including storytelling skills, which will be invaluable in her new job. We are very pleased to welcome her to our small, but perfectly formed, team!