Scar Rocks

I've had an incredibly busy few months as the seabird breeding season was in full swing. As well as working on a seabird colony at the Mull of Galloway, I have spent my days off on other colonies, mainly assisting with various ringing projects.

Over my next few blogs I will revisit some of the amazing opportunities I have had this year. I will begin with my favourite trip of the year... a visit to the Scar Rocks- islands several miles East of the reserve I work on at the Mull of Galloway.

The Big Scar is home to a small colony of Gannets. The last count in 2014 indicated that 2,376 pairs nest here and at less than a hectare in size, the island is at maximum carrying capacity. Each year staff from the RSPB aim to visit the Scars to ring the chicks and monitor the health of the colony. Unfortunately the weather put a stop to all plans in 2015 however this year we were very fortunate to be able to make the journey.

The Big Scar (photo Laura Shearer)

The Big Scar is home to 2,376 pairs of nesting Gannets, Mull of Galloway in distance (photo Laura Shearer)

Alongside 3 other licenced BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) ringers, we placed metal rings on the legs of the chicks, each bearing a unique number. The rings are lightweight- similar to humans wearing a piece of jewelry- and do not cause any harm to the birds. These rings however can provide scientists with valuable information on the movements and life span of birds.

Gannet chick adoring a new BTO metal ring (photo Laura Shearer)

Working our way through the colony we ringed chicks as they sat in their nests. Gannets have been ringed here for many years and it was encouraging to see several ringed adults. One of the adult birds remained by its nest and was caught to read the ring number. It was later discovered that this bird had been ringed on the big Scar in 2005 as a chick- this bird was 11 years old! This shows site loyalty- these birds are returning to the same nesting sites each year. With a whopping 145 gannets, 5 shag chicks and 7 Guillemot chicks ringed; we look forward to gaining further insight into the gannets of the Scar Rocks! 

This adult bird ringed here as a chick 11 years ago (photo Andrew Beilinski)

Gannets are incredibly striking birds! (photo Laura Shearer)

Gannets have incredible eyesight (photo Laura Shearer)

Little and Large: Gannet and Guillemot chick (photo Laura Shearer)

Seabirds and Slow Worms- my visit to Ailsa Craig

Its been far too long since I last blogged- not due to lack of material but rather a result of trying to cram in far too much! The seabird breeding season is well underway and I have been busy visiting many seabird colonies as well as working on one at the Mull of Galloway.

Last week I had the pleasure of joining the RSPB on a trip to Ailsa Craig to perform essential seabird counts and monitoring. Upon arrival we set up our tents beside the old gasworks, seeking shelter from the elements inside the compound walls. We began our counts scanning the scree slopes on the hill-side with our telescopes to search for nesting gulls. Moving slowly around the island we continued to count the gulls whilst searching for signs of nesting Peregrines and Ravens. After a quick lunch break we walked around the other half of the island towards the North end, counting as we went. Reaching an area known as 'barestack' we counted Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars from fixed points looking up the cliff. The rock was far from bare however as the seabirds incubated their eggs on the cliffs above. Getting back to camp we came across a Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)- my first ever sighting of our native legless lizard. Seabirds and reptiles- this trip was shaping up to be a dream come true! 

Home for a couple of nights on the mighty Ailsa Craig (photo Laura Shearer)

Gull nesting in one of the quarries on Ailsa Craig (photo Laura Shearer)

My first ever Slow Worm (photo Laura Shearer)

Black Guillemot taking a rest on some rocks (photo Laura Shearer)

Day 2 got off to a fantastic start with more slow worms whilst my camp mates emptied the moth trap. We took a walk up the hill of Ailsa Craig- eventually ending at the summit 338m above sea level. Slowly making our way up, we counted the gull colonies as we traveled. The island was covered with wildflowers in full bloom such as Thrift, Sea Campion and Bluebells. What a vista! 

The remains of the tower house which was used as a watch tower (photo Laura Shearer)

Wild flowers in bloom on Ailsa Craig (photo Laura Shearer)

Summit of Ailsa Craig (photo Laura Shearer)

The trip was completed on Day 3 with cliff counts of nesting Guillemots, Razorbills, Shags, Kittiwakes and Fulmars. Sailing around the island several times it was simply breathtaking to see the sheer cliffs filled with Gannets and other nesting seabirds. This was definitely the trip of a lifetime!

The cliffs of Ailsa Craig are breathtaking! (photo Laura Shearer)

Some of the 36,000 pairs of Gannets that nest on Ailsa Craig (photo Laura Shearer)

1, 2, 3, 4... cliff counts (photo Laura Shearer)

Bull seal keeping an eye on us (photo Laura Shearer)

The marine life around Ailsa Craig is spectacular- Lion's Mane Jellyfish (photo Laura Shearer)

Gannets are magnificent birds! (photo Laura Shearer)

Saying goodbye to Ailsa Craig and its thousands of seabirds (photo Laura Shearer)

Hi ho, hi ho...it's off to work I go...

The Mull of Galloway with the Isle of Man in the distance (photo Laura Shearer)

Heading back to work on the Mull of Galloway, my mind was swirling with images of all the amazing wildlife sightings I had in 2015. Even with high hopes I was not prepared for the amazing spectacle of feeding Harbour Porpoise only 15 minutes into the new season! Performing my usual loop around the reserve I caught a glimpse of some fins underneath the Foghorn. Dashing down for a closer look it was obvious the pod were feeding along the tidal race where the gulf stream meets the tides from Luce Bay. Over 20 porpoise were seen for over 40 minutes however I only managed to capture a few pics and videos before my camera battery died- doh!

Harbour Porpoise- Mull of Galloway (photo Laura Shearer)

Elsewhere the Guillemots, Razorbills, Black Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Shags are busy reinforcing their pair bonds as the seabird breeding season begins. Preening and nest building, its a busy time of year as they slowly settle onto the cliff ledges to nest.

Razorbills pairing up as the seabird nesting season begins (photo Laura Shearer)

Around the reserve, various migrant birds have been recorded including Snipe, Jack Snipe, Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows- spring is on its way! The star of the show at the minute though are the pair of Stonechats singing and displaying around the RSPB visitor centre- I have an office with a view!

Female Stonechat- Mull of Galloway (photo Laura Shearer)

After work I've been birding around the Rhins of Galloway, checking out the Geese and Swans that are on the move. The highlight of my week came from a walk down a local glen as a friend and I came across a very noisy bird calling from behind some shrubs. As we approached it shot off- it was a Ring Ouzel! A good record for Dumfries and Galloway and an excellent record for the Rhins! What a great start to my 2016 season!

Birding the Rhins of Galloway

I recently took a trip to the Rhins of Galloway to check out some of my favourite birding haunts. Travelling South from Glasgow I stopped along the way at Turnberry to check some roosting Shags for colour rings. Unfortunately none of the birds were ringed however the area was covered in wading birds such as Turnstone, Ringed Plovers and lots of ducks such as Eiders, Mallards and Tufted ducks. Not a bad place to stretch some weary legs! Further down the coast I stopped at another beach (again on the hunt for Shag rings or dead seabirds washed onto the beach following recent storms) and came across a lovely male Stonechat (Saxicola torquata) resting on some twigs.

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) at Turnberry, East Ayrshire (photo Laura Shearer)

Male stonechat (Saxicola torquata) hanging around the coast (photo Laura Shearer)

Upon arrival at Stranraer I checked out the 'usual' birding spots including the local train station which ends at the old ferry port. The harbour is a real hot spot of activity for wintering Guillemots, Black Guillemots/Tysties as well as divers, Slavonian and Great Crested Grebes. The highlight however was a beautiful female Black Redstart zipping along the ground, feeding between the old track lines.

Heading South I made my way to the Mull of Galloway where I worked last season for the RSPB. Hoping for some raptor activity, I was not disappointed as I watched a Peregrine Falcon wrestle with a Common Buzzard mid-air. Needless to say the Buzzard flew off promptly whilst the Peregrine continued to hunt for some food- what an amazing sight!

Winter plummage Black Guillemot at Stranraer Harbour (photo Laura Shearer)

Winter plummage Great Crested Grebe, Stranraer (photo Laura Shearer)

Female Black Redstart at Stranraer train station (photo Laura Shearer)

Stormy seas

On Wednesday with a few hours to spare, I took a wander down the beaches of North Berwick to assess the impact on marine life from recent storms. Walking along I came across an eggcase from a Lesser Spotted Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula). Small species of shark, skates and rays lay their eggs in these protective sheaths (also known as a Mermaid's Purse) which remain well camouflaged, attached to seaweed. The young embryo develops inside and once free the eggcase often detaches and can wash up on local beaches. Using the identification guide on The Shark Trust website (Link) it is possible to determine which species the eggcase belongs to. Please also record your sightings via the page in order to allow the charity to analyse the distributions of sharks and rays in the UK.

Eggcase of a Lesser Spotted Dogfish found on a beach at North Berwick (Photo Laura Shearer)

Continuing with my walk I found large chunks of marine life washed up along the shore. Huge clumps of Laminaria kelp littered the beaches and many marine snails had dried up during the low tides. Hundreds of desiccated Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) could be found evenly dispersed along the shore. This soft coral is brutally ripped from rocks and boulders during stormy weather and is named after their appendage-like appearance once they become dehydrated. This species can be found along the Northern Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America and comes in various shades of pink, orange, yellow, white or grey. 

Dead man's fingers washed up around North Berwick (photo Laura Shearer)

Winter storms causes the demise of many marine organisms however the consistent bad weather of recent weeks means even healthy animals struggle to cope. In the last fortnight Little Auks (Alle alle) have been well documented becoming lost and stranded around the UK with the SSPCA reporting record numbers requiring rehabilitation (SSPCA blog). Travelling South from North Berwick I came across an adult Little Auk (around the size of a Starling) which had succumbed to the weather laying at the side of the road.

Dead Little Auk, found on roadside at North Berwick (photo Laura Shearer)

Back on the beach I continued with my hunt for seabirds. Walking for almost 2 hours I seen small numbers of roosting Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) however none were ringed and therefore we are unable to determine if they are local or visiting birds. Good numbers of Eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) rested on the surface close to the shore alongside a handful of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Walking back to the car I stumbled across a dead Guillemot (Uria aalge) with a ring from Heligoland, Germany (awaiting feedback from study group).

Dead Guillemot found on beach at North Berwick (photo Laura Shearer)

Guillemot found on North Berwick beach was ringed in Germany (photo Laura Shearer)

If you find a ringed bird please report through the following website: http://app.bto.org/euring/main/

My 2015

Wow- has it really been over a month since my last blog?! Unfortunately life has gotten in the way with my time being occupied by work, the festive period and what feels like a never ending dose of the common cold! The joys of winter in Scotland! 

As a new year begins I have been reflecting on 2015 and all of the amazing adventures I had so I thought I would share some of my highlights:

When the year began I was volunteering at the Scottish Owl Centre in Whitburn, West Lothian (www.scottishowlcentre.com). The centre is shut to the public over the winter so we could perform essential maintenance tasks and build new aviaries for the start of a new breeding season. One of our main projects was to build a raised aviary for the Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) which included a nest box camera to gain more information on their nesting behaviour. This proved to be a great success with the public enjoying excellent views of the eggs and incubation feeding live from underground during the summer months. For more information follow @ScotOwl or on Facebook Scottish Owl Centre.

Burrowing Owls enjoying their new aviary (photo Scottish Owl Centre, Facebook page)

In March I was appointed the Community Liaison Officer for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) on the Mull of Galloway- Scotland's Southernmost point. The reserve boosts good numbers of seabirds including 5,000 nesting Gannets (Morus bassanus) on the Scaur Rocks several miles offshore.

The Mull of Galloway (photo Laura Shearer)

RSPB Mull of Galloway team 2015: (left-right) Iain Houston, Robert Conn and Laura Shearer

Counting Manx Shearwaters (photo Gary Prescott @bikingbirder16)

With a keen interest in bird ringing I took a bus man's holiday in June and transferred from one seabird colony to another. I joined a group of other bird ringers aiming to colour ring Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on the Forth Islands over a few days. These rings can be read from a distance and therefore makes it easier to collect information on the movements of these birds. Aiming for 400 birds over 4 islands we knew we had our work cut out for us. With a lot of determination however we ringed 626 birds including 505 with coloured darvics. Data from these birds has shown young chicks travelling as far as the Netherlands over this winter!

Colour ringing shag chicks on Craigleith (photo Laura Shearer)

Proud as punch ringing an adult shag (photo Elizabeth Morgan)

Back on the Mull of Galloway things were settling down as the seabird season and the summer holidays drew to an end. For migrating birds though- things were just getting started! Because of the location of the reserve, birds travelling South for the winter are filtered down the Rhins and eventually pass overhead. This makes it an excellent spot for visible migration during the correct weather conditions. The highlights were 1,441 Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) on 28th October observed by Pete Berry and myself during a 2.5hr count- the 8th highest UK record. Other highlights included 3,571 Meadow Pipits, Anthus pratensis, (highest site record) and 979 Linnet, Carduelis cannabina, (second highest site record) observed by Dr Clive McKay on the 30th of September. Unfortunately I had picked the wrong day off that week! Check out www.trektellen.org for full counts.

Juvenile cuckoo on migration (photo Laura Shearer)

Meadow Pipit passing through the Mull of Galloway on migration (photo Laura Shearer)

Other wildlife highlights from my year have been posted previously on my blog so feel free to check them out. My favourites include a Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) at Corsewell Point, Dumfries and Galloway, White-Beaked Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) off the coast of Northumberland and Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Mull of Galloway in October.

I'm excited for 2016 and look forward to continue sharing my wildlife encounters!

Seabirds and Seals

Mid-week I took a trip to the Seabird Centre in North Berwick. The last time I visited the centre I was only 15 years old and beginning to show an interest in working with nature. My dad took the family along and I remember chatting to the staff there and thinking “WOW! This is what I want to do”. Needless to say it had changed significantly since then with new displays, live feeds from the Forth islands and even a new marine tank complete with native rocky shore animals. It was fantastic to see the centre continuing to inspire new seabird fans just as it did all those years ago. Interested in learning more about the Seabird Centre check out their website including LIVE cameras from the Forth Islands: http://www.seabird.org

Scottish Seabird Centre (photo Laura Shearer)

Hermit Crab (Pagurus bernhardus) in the marine display at Seabird Centre (photo Laura Shearer)

During the autumn months grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) give birth around the UK. As a marine mammal medic for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), we are called to sick or injured seal pups which may need specialist care and rehabilitation. As a result I joined other medics for a tour around the Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) wildlife centre which has a purpose built facility for seal rehabilitation. It was excellent to see the amazing facilities they have including isolation units, specialist veterinary rooms and large pools to allow the seals to perform natural behaviours. This is the largest facility of its kind in Scotland, with the potential to support up to 100 seals at one time.

If you come across a sick or injured seal please contact the BDMLR on 01825 765546 during office hours or 07787433412 out of office hours. The SSPCA is a charity so check their website to learn more about how you can support their work: https://www.scottishspca.org/

Grey Seal pup (photo David Steel)