Scrub, clean, tidy up.

After a weekend of settling in and enjoying being back on Skomer it was back to work with a Monday meeting. A chance to find out what's happening in the next few weeks and sort out our list of tasks to be completed before and after other people return.

As if cleaning our own rooms wasn't enough we ploughed straight on with the volunteer quarters. It seems that each year at least one room gets exposed to the elements while we're away, this winter it was the volunteer kitchen. A window had blown open and there was evidence that an owl had used the place as a short-term roost.

Spot the owl's favourite roost

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With the full arsenal of the cleaning cupboard Sarah and I set about disinfecting, scrubbing, washing and wiping every available surface. The place is now spotless, apart from the muddy footprints I left when walking across the freshly-mopped floor in order to borrow a potato masher.

Sarah and Jerry stop for a cup of tea, hoping that if they leave the cleaning products by the fridge and oven for long enough they will magically cleanse themselves.

Meanwhile, Chris took on the infrastructure; checking the electric and plumbing systems are working. As I'm able to use the internet and have a hot shower (not together) I'm pretty happy with them.

Chris wondering where the one unlabelled pipe brings water to and from.

We've also been on with checking the boat and engines, assessing winter damage to the landing, moving fridges about, redesigning leaflets and mostly making lists of more jobs that need to be done.

Can't wait to go through the whole process again over on Skokholm.

The bird life is still pretty quiet, but the first Chiffchaff is down North Valley, while Snipe and Wigeon have been about. Guillemots and Razorbills have been on the cliffs today. Ravens are on their nests on the Mew Stone and Amy's Reach. Plenty of Buzzards and a flock of 21 Chough.

Sarah's been out looking for Iceland and Glaucous Gulls near Pigstone but no luck so far.

Jerry Gillham.

Back to The Rock

Around mid day yesterday Chris, Sarah and I assembled in Martin's Haven for the start of the 2012 season on Skomer and Skokholm. With a massive amount of help from Nathan, who works on many of the Trust's mainland reserves, and Mark, of the Marine Reserve team, we were able to launch our little boat and get it loaded up with our kit for the next nine months and food for at least the next two.

Loading up - not that much baggage considering.

The sea was calm but the boat engine felt like it needed a bit more running to be totally reliable, so we were glad of the offer from Peter on the Lady Helen to accompany us on the crossing. We became extremely grateful of this offer as we headed out across the sound as we lost sight of the mainland in the fog before we could make out Middleholm. With this limited vision we kept our guide boat in view while passing the odd Fulmar, Gannet, Shag and Razorbill until out of the cloud emerged the entrance to North Haven.

Wondering where we are in the middle of Jack sound.

"I think this is the right place"

Stage one accomplished. With us and our gear on the beach, Sarah and I went to moor the boat while Chris headed up to fetch the tractor and, true to form, didn't reappear. As we'd had reports that the buildings were undamaged our worries were focussed on the tractor. In between fiddling with the connections, charging the battery and drinking tea we had a quick look around. The buildings look in good nick, Chris's kitchen was in need of a good clean but that was true of the entire of last year. Fulmars are paired up on the cliffs while a couple of Goldcrests joined Robins and Blackbirds in the ivy. The dozen seals that had watched us unloading were joined by another 70 on the main beach.

Praying to the tractor in the hope it works.

Knowing if we left things too long we'd be shifting gear against the tide and darkness we reluctantly started carrying bags up to the farm. It's a long way when you're loaded with gear and know you've another few trips. A quick check around showed the buildings and infrastructure again looked in pretty good nick, so we grabbed a couple of wheelbarrows and headed back down to the beach. I suggested Chris may as well go and give the tractor another try and, as always, just when we'd given up hope, it worked!

So we were able to get kit up quickly which gave us enough time to do a basic clean of the kitchen and bedrooms (enough to eat and sleep comfortably) and have a quick look around, watching a Hen Harrier hunting in North Valley.

Today we're getting settled. So that means more cleaning, unpacking and sorting, throwing out bits that haven't survived the winter, a few repairs and mainly having a chance to get out around, enjoying being back on Skomer.

It's cold and windy but the first daffodils are out, there's been a couple of large bees fly by and there's frog spawn in some of the streams. The gulls are back in large numbers and don't seem particularly pleased to see our return. There's a good number of Buzzards about, a Merlin, and a Peregrine hunting really close to the farm this morning.

Evidence that a Barn Owl has been using the picnic shelter over winter.

It's good to be back.

Jerry Gillham

Wildlife Observer Wales Course

Wildlife Observer Wales Courses run by Sea Trust - Really good way to have some concentrated learning delivered by some excellent tutors.

REVIEW
FURTHER INFORMATION FROM PEMBROKESHIRE COLLEGE

Oxford Uni - Voluteer Research Assistant.

Voluntary Research Assistantship in Seabird Behaviour & Ecology

Skomer Island & Oxford University - April-August 2012

[In addition to the Long Term Volunteers on Skomer/Skokholm (currently processing the applications) an excellent opportunity has arisen to help with the OxNav group.]

We are looking for an enthusiastic, hardworking young Biologist to work as a voluntary Research Assistant to help with our pelagic seabird research on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales, in Spring and Summer 2012. The work will involve several research projects coordinated by Prof Tim Guilford at Oxford’s Department of Zoology (Google OxNav). We utilise state-of-the art tracking technologies (miniature GPS, Geolocators, & on-board video), and comprehensive automated activity monitoring systems (RFID controlled burrow-nest sensing networks), and engages several species (Manx Shearwater, Atlantic Puffin, Common Guillemot, Razorbill). Most work will involve assisting two doctoral students with the day-to-day maintenance of the burrow sensing systems, weighing and monitoring breeding birds and their chicks, and the deployment and retrieval/downloading of tracking devices. There will be some nocturnal work, since the primary study species is the Manx Shearwater, which only arrives at the colony after dark. There will also be scope for involvement in other conservation and ecological projects on the island, which is a National Nature Reserve administered by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

There is no stipend, but accommodation (shared) will be provided, as will travel to the island from within UK. However, the project is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in modern field ornithology. Skomer is a short boat trip away from the mainland (weather permitting), has mobile coverage, and internet. There is a small community of warden, assistants and volunteers, who are involved in the running and conservation of the Nature Reserve, monitoring the seabird populations (which are spectacular), and managing the daily and over-night visitors. There may be opportunities to visit other UK island reserves during the project.

VIDEO OF 2011 RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT WORK

We are looking for an assistant to work with us between April and September 2012. If you are interested, please email tim.guilford@zoo.ox.ac.uk attaching a CV and a statement of interest. Letters of reference will also be required, and you can ask referees to send these directly to me. The application process will be open until a suitable candidate is found, but we expect to make decision by mid March.

Long Term Volunteer Opportunities on Skomer and other jobs

The 2012 Long Term Volunteer programme has now been released for 2012.

There are opportunities on both Skomer and Skokholm.

You will be required to be responsible for other volunteers, carry out surveys, welcoming day trippers, maintenance, assist reasearchers and general estate work. A chance to get involved in all aspects of Island life.

Placements are between 8 to 12 weeks. Opportunities running from March—September

We also encourage anyone with a special taxa skill to apply (or anyone looking to develop certain interests.)

Before applying please read the further information PDF and Tailor your application suitably.

Closing date 25th January.

Also positions available at:

Lockley Lodge (mainland visitor centre)
Visitor Services Officer (based on the island)

Where are kittiwakes going in the winter - research published from Skomer Kittiwakes and many other colonies in NE Atlantic.

Skomer Kittiwakes along with many others in NE Atlantic have formed a part of this recently published article:
HERE

It is a brilliant article that reflects the international aspects of seabirds highlighting there need for protection at the breeding colony but also the need to influence policies that are not neccessarily on your doorstep (food availability in Western Atlantic).

ABSTRACT

Aim  An understanding of the non-breeding distribution and ecology of migratory species is necessary for successful conservation. Many seabirds spend the non-breeding season far from land, and information on their distribution during this time is very limited. The black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla, is a widespread and numerous seabird in the North Atlantic and Pacific, but breeding populations throughout the Atlantic range have declined recently. To help understand the reasons for the declines, we tracked adults from colonies throughout the Atlantic range over the non-breeding season using light-based geolocation.

Location  North Atlantic.

Methods  Geolocation data loggers were deployed on breeding kittiwakes from 19 colonies in 2008 and 2009 and retrieved in 2009 and 2010. Data from 236 loggers were processed and plotted using GIS. Size and composition of wintering populations were estimated using information on breeding population size.

Results  Most tracked birds spent the winter in the West Atlantic, between Newfoundland and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, including in offshore, deep-water areas. Some birds (mainly local breeders) wintered in the North Sea and west of the British Isles. There was a large overlap in winter distributions of birds from different colonies, and colonies closer to each other showed larger overlap. We estimated that 80% of the 4.5 million adult kittiwakes in the Atlantic wintered west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with only birds from Ireland and western Britain staying mainly on the European side.

Main conclusions  The high degree of mixing in winter of kittiwakes breeding in various parts of the Atlantic range implies that the overall population could be sensitive to potentially deteriorating environmental conditions in the West Atlantic, e.g. owing to lack of food or pollution. Our approach to estimating the size and composition of wintering populations should contribute to improved management of birds faced with such challenges.

Fuel up the Super Puffins.

If you are interested in helping the Skomer/Oxford research team raise some funds for purchasing some Puffin Geolocators follow this link:

http://rockethub.com/projects/3818-tracking-the-migration-of-the-atlantic-puffin

Geolocators are small devices that can track puffins over a long period (their winter migration). Understanding their movements at sea helps inform the conservation of the species and other marine life. There are only 40 days left to raise the funds. There are some great rewards too - depending on the amount you donate!

Donate $30 and you get a calender, brilliant (do not let the $ sign put you off donating)

Chris

Sexy Seal on Skomer

Latest action from Skomer

Sexy Seal Moment on Skomer

Anybody see the bit at the end? How rude? I didn't realise you saw "it" until after I uploaded the video.

Chris

28 year old Guillemot on Skomer

Nice extract from the 2011 Seabird report.

"One bird ringed as a chick in 1983 (X38634, BuT/LG) was resighted at sub site A of the Amos, making it the oldest ringed bird on the island at 28. The oldest on record with the BTO is 31."

Chris Taylor

Desert Wheatear 15/11/2010

Desert Wheatear (photo by Chris T)
One on Skomer this morning (spotted by Dave B) - with another two spotted on the East coast of Ireland. A first for Skomer.