Eilean Nan Ron

All moving east, or east north east

2011-12-15T17:03:00.003Z

2661692
21.07.2011 ENR
20.08.2011 Copinsay. Orkney 20days, 103km, 69degrees (ENE)
23.08.2011 Tres Ness, Sanday, Orkney 23days, 129km, 55degrees (NE)

2661709
01.08.2011 ENR
16.08.2011 Birsay, Orkney 15days 88km 46degrees (NE)

2659306
02.08.2011 ENR
20.08.2011 Copinsay, Orkney 18days, 103km, 69degrees (ENE)

a few more recoveries

2011-11-01T18:35:00.002Z

...only four, and all of birds ringed and controlled in 2011 - three from Sule Skerry.

2657692
15.07.2011. Sule Skerry, Orkney
01.08.2011. ENR - 17days, 60km 177d

2294777
29.07.2011. Sule Skerry, Orkney
02.08.2011. ENR - 4days, 60km 177d

2294790
29.07.2011. Sule Skerry, Orkney
04.08.2011. ENR - 6days, 60km 177d

2674185
21.07.2011. Rona, Outer Hebrides, Western Isles
01.08.2011. ENR - 11days, 107km 127d

Photo of the bonxie trap

2011-10-10T12:29:00.005+01:00

This is the portable fire-guard that we carried around for a week before we actually set it in an attempt to catch some bonxies. We set it on top of a mound that was frequented by watching and resting birds. After several failed fires it eventually caught.

Recently notified recoveries

2011-10-10T12:27:00.003+01:00

New recoveries...

2011-08-22T18:27:00.002+01:00

...with thanks to Hugh Insley (for recapturing them all).

2611803
ENR 24.07.2007.
Priest Island, Highland 19.06.2011.
1426days 97km 227degrees.

2629142
ENR 28.07.2008.
Priest Island, Highland 18.06.2011
1055days 97km 227degrees.

2629858
ENR 30.07.2008.
Eilean Hoan, Durness, Highland 22.06.2011.
1057days 21km 276degrees.

2641334
ENR 28.07.2009.
Priest Island, Highland 17.06.2011.
689days 97km 227degrees

2658103
ENR 30.07.2009.
Priest Island, Highland 18.06.2011.
688days 97km 227degrees

2658248
Ringed Port Vasco 08.07.2010 (this was the other 'un-island' trip of 2010)
Eilean Hoan, Durness, Highland 22.06.2011.
349days 21km 276degrees.

2011 Trip report.

2011-08-07T17:14:00.006+01:00

Having now returned to civilisation and a normal 'day-time' here is the report of this year's trip.
In the end a team of seven made the journey, with two newbies. The travel up was uneventful and the customary combined Saturday night evening meal was well received - as usual. The crossing required two trips and the wait witnessed the only outside rain - a spell of rain a day or so later was 'inside-rain' as shelter was available.

Sunday night we worked the maze, a section of gently sloping grassland above the cliffs, which is easy on both the eyes and legs. 160 foot of net produced 396 new birds, 18 controls and 13 retraps, although this total was made with a price - it was a warm and windless night and midges were into full-time party mode.

Monday night saw us more hazardly placed on 'the slabs' - a section of undulating, hole ridden, leg sapping rock. Although darker (in terms of light available) than the maze the off-sea breeze keeping biting midges at bay was very welcome. This site, near a breeding colony, produced 343 new birds on one 60 foot net with 15 retraps including four controls.

Tuesday we were back over near the maze in what we call the maze gully. This is a site on steepish ground near a rocky headland cliff - which houses another breeding colony. The night started slowly as it was a case of island-mist rolling into the sea followed by sea-fog enveloping the island (see photo). It was a damp start - literally. At some point this all dissipated to reveal a wonderfully starry night with Saturn like a beacon, the Milky Way resplendent and a host of intermittent shooting stars. On 100 feet of net we caught 279 new birds, and 31 retraps (14 controls).

On Wednesday, for an easy night, we pitched 120 foot of net at the lower-campsite venue. Ringing on this night is always governed by many things - drivers wanting to get to bed early, others generally tired, and totals providing some sort of target. Targets won, very closly followed by the weather. We called a halt to ringing at about 2am when we had reached a visit total of 1116 new birds, 56 retraps and 24 controls (all British). The weather nearly won as, although eyes were open, the amount of available light made it appear as if they weren't! It was a very very dark night.

Elsewhere during our stay we ringed one new Bonxie and retrapped three others - their breeding season was very poor this year. The island was the driest it had been for years and this probably resulted in little evidence of breeding within other species too - no swallows, no wagtails, and virtually no other passerines present except for Rock Pipits. Fulmars appeared to have done poorly too, although the terns had nested well, as had the shags, and their was evidence of breeding Kittiwakes.

Back home and analysis of the retraps indicated:
2011 - 31; 2010 - 10; 2009 - 6; 2008 - 3; 2007 - 2; 2006 - 1.
2002 - 1; and 1996 - 2 (birds at least 12 years old).

Andy, Bob, Emily, Jedda, Kenny, Liz and Tony.

P.S. This photo is the 'old-man's face' after his trap (looking much like a fire-guard and baited with fish, eventually caught by Andy and Jedda) suceeded in catching a bonxie.

The 2011 Trip Approaches

2011-06-07T18:35:00.002+01:00

Planning is now beginning to occur. First count has a group of nine this year, with two visiting the island for the first time. As with last year some of us are booked into The Cloisters (which I must mention as an excellent B&B) with others in the YHA and the last two elsewhere. Due to massively soaring petrol prices and the 950 mile round trip we've structered vehicles to keep these costs low - so two cars and one van. This year we have planned to go on a new moon to get the nights as dark as possible which, for those of you that know, is difficult this far north in July (night is only about 4 hours). Expectation is rising.

The Norwegian two, and one

2011-02-14T21:21:00.003Z

5E06107 STOPE, controlled ENR 19.07.2010
Ringed Lindesnes Fyr, Vest-Agder, NORWAY 25.08.2007.

5E06871 STOPE, controlled ENR 21.07.2010
Ringed Lindesnes, NORWAY 04.08.2007.

2641308 STOPE ringed ENR 28.07.2009
Controlled Lunga, Treshnish Isles, Argyll & Bute 29.06.2010.

Two recovery records

2010-12-29T16:07:00.001Z

2608448 ringed ENR 30.07.2006
Controlled Priest Island 19.06.2010 1420 days, 97km

2608683 ringed ENR 31.07.2006
Controlled Priest Island 19.06.2010 1419 days, 97km

Final figures for 2010

2010-07-30T07:35:00.002+01:00

The final figures from the visits of all three teams

Norwegian control from 2009

2010-07-27T20:07:00.002+01:00

5E06890 Bird ringed as 4 (adult) on 05.08.2008 at Lindesnes Fyr, Lindesnes, Vest-Agder, NORWAY and controlled on 29.07.2009 at Nan Ron (with British ring 2641418 added). 358days, 669km

the trip of 2010

2010-07-23T14:08:00.006+01:00

Due to circumstances only a small team was available this year and, with only one driver, this was reduced to a single vehicle of four. Departure was Sat 17th June - a week earlier than previous years - but the weather was fine and the trip pleasant. The weather in Scotland was questionable with regard to a Sunday morning crossing but a late phone call ensured that all was scheduled to go to plan.
Landing on the island we moved to pitch tents before hauling luggage to the extent that we were all set up and ready to go active by eleven thirty. Testing the weather against our resources we decided on a first night trip to the slabs, a breeding colony, where we set one 60 foot net with a small sound system. Starting with a first bird caught at 23.15hrs we continued catching until first light achieving a total of:115 new, including one Norwegian control, and 42 retraps.
During the following Monday we ringed 8 Great Skua chicks and a brood of four Pied Wagtails found nesting in one of the walls.
Monday night we moved to the gully, another breeding colony, where we set a sixty and a forty foot net and started the night by catching a 3J Wheatear. Ringing until rain stopped play we caught 214 new birds, again with one Norwegian control, and 61 retraps. During the day we ringed another five skuas.
Tuesday night through to Wednesday morning we were back on the slabs, this time with two sixty foot nets, for a night that was damp with sea mist /low cloud and outbreaks of drizzle. A 3J Rock pipit was our first capture followed by 79 new birds, two Norwegain controls and 16 retraps. The following day we used our last ring of the size and ringed another skua.
Due to rising winds no further ringing was undertaken - we became more concerned with actually getting off the island the following day.

Although only a team of four - Liz, Jed, Bob and Tony - with low cloud through to heavy rain, overcast conditions to outright sunshine and one lost night and another cut short we managed a commendable 408 new birds, and 119 retraps including four Norwegain controls. In addition we ringed 14 Great Skua, four Pied Wagtails, one Wheatear and one Rock Pipit. It was a very enjoyable trip - we also did some fishing (a load of Pollack).

with only weeks to go it's an 'oh, no'

2010-06-18T08:08:00.003+01:00

"Experts had suggested the harsh winter might have killed off millions of midges, the scourge of the Highlands. Instead their numbers appear to have increased".
See:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/10337812.stm

And - a new www site (and app for iPhone) - http://2010.midgeforecast.co.uk/

fourteen weeks and counting

2010-04-09T08:33:00.002+01:00

As if you needed reminding.
Picture from: www.alanmoar.flying.co.uk

Preliminaries for 2010

2010-03-31T16:54:00.001+01:00

Provisional dates for this year.
9-13 July Stefan et al
17-22 July Tony, Bob, Derek, Liz et al
23-26 July Stuart & Lee

preparing for 2010 by clearing 2009

2010-03-31T16:41:00.004+01:00

The controls for 2009 are pasted below. Official notifications from Norway and Portugal are still awaited.
2009 seems a long way past but I have just reviewed last years photos and now cannot wait for the 2010 visit.

Two photos of the team - the boys (Alan, Bob, Tony, Roy, Kenny, Derek) with the babies (Menzie and Joe) missing as usual, and another of our intrepid climber Liz.

2009 totals

2009-08-28T07:56:00.001+01:00

Stormies: 854new 143retraps (including 23 controls -one of which was norwegion and two Portuguese).
Great Skua: 1retrap
Greater Black-Backed Gull: 1new
Meadow Pipit: 3new
Pied Wagtail: 1retrap
Wren: 2new 1retrap
Twite: 1new

thus 861new 146retrap = 1007 birds handled.

Albino Storm Petrel

2009-08-06T08:19:00.001+01:00

This one would cause a few raised eyebrows, voices and temperatures if it flew past a seawatch point!

This partial albino Storm Petrel was caught (and ringed) recently on Eilean nan Ron, off the Kyle of Tongue, Scotland. It was an adult bird and had its right foot missing! This might seem odd, but is actually quite a common occurrence in petrels - one of the hazards of dangling your feet in the water whilst feeding!

Thanks to Colin McShane (and Lisa Salt) for the photo

Guys: nicked from the BTO demog blog - I'm sure no one will mind too much.

ENR History

2009-08-04T09:24:00.002+01:00

Just 'found' a new bit on the web. Check this out:
http://www.scottishweb.net/articles/40/1/The-Story-Of-Island-Roan/Page1.html

and also:
http://www.melness.org.uk/islandroanmaster.html

Prelim results from 2009

2009-08-02T16:13:00.004+01:00

A final team of nine - Kenny, Tony, Bob, Alan, Liz, Derek(Fred), Stephen, Roy and Joe. The journey up was in glorious sunny weather, the crossing in a heavy drizzle (which continued on and off for most of the morning) and the rest of the week was predominantly dry and sunny.

Sunday night: the whole team at The Maze for a full session. 234 new birds, 41 retraps.
Monday night: all at The Maze again for a full night. 191 new, 33 retraps.
Tuesday night: split teams - Bob, Liz and Roy with one net on the Slabs for a full night, with the rest still at The Maze - but with a shortened night due to malfunctioning sound system. From the Slabs - 150 new, 56 retraps; The Maze 57 new, 4 retraps.
Wednesday night: relocation of all nets to the lower camp site. Team of four - Liz and Tony extracting, Bob and Stephen ringing. 207 new, 13 retraps.

Totals: 839 new 147 retraps - two Portuguese and one Norwegian control with several British controls.

In addition caught one juvenile Great Black-backed gull, three wren, one Pied Wagtail, three Meadow Pipit and one Twite (not included in the figures above which all relate to Storm Petrels).

Forty-nine Fulmar nests were recorded and three of Shag.

Forty-nine species of bird were recorded along with six species of butterfly and seven grey seals.

More to follow...

...only two days to go - hurrah.

2009-07-22T13:23:00.002+01:00

Our time for 2009 approaches. Only a small team are making the trip this year (eight in total assuming we all catch the boat) but I'm sure we'll all have a great time. The weather is looking a little challenging - but who cares?
I'll post our exploits upon our return - assuming the weather allows us to get off on time!!

Skua'd

2009-03-11T20:39:00.002Z

A skua, darvic'd in 2001 has been recovered. Unfortunately it was only the ring, the bird having become chick fodder. The ring was found in a Golden Eagle eyrie somewhere in Scotland. The site is listed as "confidential", so we'll never truly find out where it was.

Two bits of news in one day.

2008-12-30T20:33:00.004Z

Firstly forward planning has hit new heights! Our trip for next year, that's right next year, starts on the 25th July - hurrah. Dust off those smelly bird bags and check out the new tent and we'll be away.
Second BB arrived today and with it was an article stating that Madeiran Storm-Petrels were seen following chumming in the Bay of Biscay. So, forget the mercaptoethanol and lets get in the blood, guts and smelly fish instead (or maybe just a pair of Kenny's socks!).

AND see:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hotel/old1/cornb64.html
the item under Armistice Day. We'll have to adopt this on behalf of the War Graves Commission.

Image borrowed from http://www.art-from-viewpoints.co.uk/ Stuart Mingham Copyright.

2008-08-27T08:42:00.004+01:00

There have been requests for more photos from this year. However, this particular site is not that conducive to posting loads of pictures so, remember we also have a yahoo discussion forum at:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RoanIslandsRingingGroup/?yguid=38742412
It is much easier to post pictures here. I have put up some ones from last year, plus others from this year, and another folder with images from our boat trip around the island. The site is 'closed' i.e.open to members only but, once accepted as a member the site is fully accessible to all - you can post as much stuff as you like. If you would like an invite let me know.

Portuguese update.

2008-08-18T21:33:00.002+01:00

One snippet from the control already reported - the genetic analysis has revealed it was female. We just now need the data on race - fingers crossed it's Med!

The others, all caught in the Algarve 37d04m N 8d47m W.
N04223 caught 05.06.2008 at 01.03hrs. Wing 126mm, weight 23.5g
N04461 caught 12.06.2008 at 01.41hrs. Wing 125mm, weight 26.4g
N03279 caught 14.06.2008 at 00.52hrs. Wing 123mm, weight 27.4g

All these notifications are 'unofficial' being received via email contact from Renata Medeiros Mirra (PhD student with Rob Thomas). All have been officially submitted to the BTO; as have the Norwegian controls.

Do skua eat stormies?

2008-08-09T17:05:00.003+01:00

Yes.
In the Journal of Ornithology in Oct 2007 there was an article on nocturnal feeding by Great Skua of Leach’s storm petrel on St Kilda. It is well documented that skua feed nocturnally at breeding colonies in the southern hemisphere but not whether their congeners do in the north.
It was important to show skua feeding at night as they also have the potential to forage during the day, possibly taking birds at sea. Using radio-tracking and image intensifiers the group, from British Antarctic Survey, were able to show skua actively feeding on petrels at night. The end result of their study was that, on St Kilda at least, the presence of skua with the petrels was mutually exclusive – the rate of feeding of the skuas may affect the long-term survival of the colony.

So how does this affect Nan Ron? Well, for one, the number of Great Skua present was, to our mind, greater than it had been for the last four years – at one time we had 22 birds in the air (and this wasn’t all of them). So, with increasing numbers of skua there is the possibility for greater predation on stormies.

We collected 15 whole (regurgitated) skua pellets for examination. There were approximately three times this number of degrading pellets that were also looked at. Of those collected and those examined only eight showed absolute signs of containing bits of Stormie. On this rough and crude analysis it appears they may not be – they still feed heavily on crabs. But with this as a nominal baseline we’ll have to do more work next year.

Group three (Kenny) final figures

2008-08-09T16:06:00.002+01:00

I've now put everything into IPMR so consider that these are the absolute final figures corresponding to Kennys' team visit.

New birds: 922
Controls: four Portuguese, four Norwegian, plus thirteen with British rings.
Retraps: having now excluded all the same visit retraps the final number is 168.

These retraps consist of:
one from 1995
fourteen from 1996
one from 1997
five from 2000
eight from 2001
two from 2002
three from 2003
nine from 2004
seventeen from 2005
thirteen from 2006
forty seven from 2007
the rest were all from birds ringed in 2008.

Totals - hot off the press.

2008-08-07T21:46:00.003+01:00

Just heard from Dave with the totals for the year (for all groups visiting).

One Portuguese control

2008-08-05T12:14:00.003+01:00

From Rob Thomas via Renata and Stephen.
N03399
Caught Ponta de Almandena, SW coast of Portugal (3704N 0847W) on 7th June 2007 at 23.26 hrs. Wing 121mm, weight 25.4g. Culmen length (to feathering) 11mm,, total head and bill 31.8mm, tarsus 21.8mm, BP=no, leg damage = no, age = 6. DNA data to follow regarding sex and possible genetic origin.

2008-08-03T20:29:00.003+01:00

Well, it's over again for another year. This year the team from Merseyside consisted of thirteen in all - five A permits, one C, two trainees, three scribes and two runners. We arrived on the island on Sunday 27th in warm and sunny weather. As is usual we did however have a period of rain resulting in wet tents and feet but, after that passage, the rest of our stay was in warm, sunny and, sometimes, windy conditions.
The group split into two ringing teams who essentially ringed separately. One team did two nights ringing on the slabs, split by a session on the Maze, while the other team did three nights on the Maze. The last night was a quick session by a reduced team on the Lower Camp site, while others had an early night prior to the journey home.
In all we ringed 922 new Stormies, with 240 recoveries, including eight controls - four Nowegian and four Portugese. One of the Portugese is currently under investigation as a 'possible' from the Mediterranean race of Stormies.
We also managed two Great Skua, four Fulmar and a 3J Wheatear.

We continued our practise of taking wings and weights, and this year combined this with taking faecal swabs for analysis. One night we took intense measurements of bill lengths and ratios - with most of the birds photographed as well. We also collected Skua pellets to see if, as elsewhere, Skuas are taking Storm Petrels. Of fifteen full, in tact, pellets collected, eight of them showed signs of containing bits of Stormie.

More details to follow - including our boat trip around the island.

We're away...

2008-07-05T20:54:00.003+01:00

Sat 26th July will see the number three team making its way northwards. This year ten of us will be making the journey - four for the first time. Unfortunately some cannot make it this year due to other commitments.
It's a bit too early to check the weather but there have already been reports of mozzies having a good year - so its time to get the' jungle formula' in!
On this visit we are planning to again take as many wing and weight measurements as possibly and have another go at ageing individuals in the dark. We also plan to take faecal swabs as part of our collaborative study with the University of Liverpool Veterinary School (this will tell us both what they have been eating as well as if they carry any diseases of note). Additionally we are going to collect as many skua pellets as possible in an attempt to determine whether they are making a meal of night-time catching of Storm Petrels as has been reported elsewhere.
The days are counting down......

Possibly the last records from Team 3 for this session

2008-03-11T21:43:00.002Z

2608596 ringed ENR 31.07.2006
controlled Flamborough Head 04.07.2007 333days 558km 153d

260526_ ringed Lunga, Treshnish Isles, Strathclyde 25.06.2006
controlled ENR 30.07.2006 35days 262km 29d

POL N03460 ringed Ponta de Almadena, Algarve PORTUGAL 08.06.2007
Controlled ENR 22.07.2007 44days 2409km 8d
(wing 122mm, weight 26.1g, time 2330hrs)

Some more recoveries (Team 3)

2008-02-27T14:29:00.002Z

The following birds are from the 2006 season, all caught on ENR on 31st July 2006.

2497258 // ringed ENR 18.07.1997 //3300days

2E08921 // ringed Revekaien, Klepp, NORWAY 07.08.2003
1089days 569km 268degrees
also retrapped ENR 16.07.2005

E548403 // ringed Rauna, Farsund, NORWAY 12.08.2004
718days, 645km, 275degrees

2504602 // ringed Harrington, Cumbria 28.06.2005
398days 442km 355degrees

The following birds are from the 2007 season.
Caught on ENR on 22nd July.

2404545 // ringed ENR 18.07.1997 (3656days)
2489224 // ringed Faraid Head, Highland Region 17.08.1997 (3626days)
2522701 // ringed ENR 25.07.1998 (3284days)

Caught on ENR 24th July.

2497453 // ringed ENR 19.07.1997 (3657 days)
2519074 // ringed ENR 25.07.1998 (3286days)
2523191 // ringed ENR 26.07.1998 (3285days)
2523049 // ringed ENR 27.07.1998 (3284days)

More from 2007 (Team Three)

2007-11-18T21:50:00.000Z

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 22.07.2007

2545743 // 18.07.2000 // Nan Ron
2546661 // 24.07.2001 // Nan Ron
2565379 // 15.07.2002 // Nan Ron
2565932 // 18.07.2003 // Nan Ron
2586507 // 17.07.2004 // Nan Ron
2588440 // 25.07.2004 // Nan Ron
2510852 // 26.08.2006 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d
2626714 // 15.07.2007 // Annagh Head, Bellmullet, Mayo, Eire 597km 37d

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 23.07.2007
2557082 // 18.07.2001 // Nan Ron
2572538 // 19.07.2003 // Nan Ron
2575506 // 20.07.2003 // Nan Ron
2587324 // 20.07.2004 // Nan Ron

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 24.07.2007
2518884 // 17.07.1999 // Nan Ron
2545564 // 18.07.2000 // Nan Ron

2531583, 2531550
both from // 23.07.2001 // Nan Ron

2546641 // 24.02.2001 // Nan Ron

2573682, 2573569
both from // 18.07.2003 // Nan Ron

2583656 // 09.07.2004 // Nan Ron
2586649 // 18.07.2004 // Nan Ron

2587344, 2587547
both from // 20.07.2004 // Nan Ron

2588742 // 27.07.2004 // Nan Ron
2559216 // 08.08.2004 // Strathy Point, Highland Region 18km 258d

More records from 2006 (Team Three)

2007-11-18T21:36:00.000Z

Added here are some more records produced as the result of team three's visits in 2006 and 2007. I will split them into the two years 2006 and 2007. Sometime in the future I shall delete all these posts reporting recoveries and re-present them in a better format. Just though now I want to get them out to share with you all - hence there hasty format.

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 30.07.2006
2545931 // 22.07.2001 // Nan Ron
2565518 // 15.07.2002 // Nan Ron
2564169 // 17.07.2002 // Nan Ron
2573478 // 14.07.2003 // Nan Ron
2548894 // 27.06.2004 // Collieston, Grampian Region 196km 314d
(and also // 19.07.2005 // Nan Ron)

2571936 // 11.07.2005 // Fife Ness, Fife Region 275km 338d
2522406 // 10.08.2005 // Handa, Sutherland 54km 70d

2504526, 2504530, 2558032, 2558070, 2558262
All from // 21.08.2005 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d

2584299 // 16.07.2006 // Eilean Hoan, Durness 21km 96d
2584264 // 23.07.2006 // Nan Ron
(and also // 16.07.2006 // Eilean Hoan, Durness 21km 96d)

2510735 // 04.07.2006 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d
2510739 // 04.07.2006 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d
(and also // 23.07.2006 // Nan Ron)

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 31.07.2006
2548060 // 06.07.2001 // Sanda Island, Kintyre, Strathclyde 373km 12d
2572503 // 19.07.2003 // Nan Ron
(and also // 05.07.2004 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d)

2495622 // 18.08.2005 // Isle of May BO, 284km 339d

2558231, 2504570, 2504489,
All from // 21.08.2005 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d

Birds controlled on Nan Ron on 02.08.2006
2558262 // 21.08.2005 // Faraid Head, Highland Region 27km 103d

Third Team Controls from 2007

2007-11-09T19:41:00.000Z

Birds controlled by us on ENR on 22nd July 2007. Original ringing details:
2579818
23/06/05 Lunga, Treshnish Isles, Strathclyde 759days, 262km, 29d
2603512
12/08/05 Brims Ness, Highland Region 709days, 41km, 260d
2558231
21/08/05 Faraid Head, Highland Region 700days, 27km 103d
2504425
22/07/06 ENR
20/08/05 Faraid Head, Highland Region 701days, 27km, 103d
2504530
21/08/05 Faraid Head, Highland Region 700days, 27km, 103d
2559003
27/06/06 Berriedale, Highland Region 390days, 64km, 312d
2572188
20/08/06 Twinyess, North Ronaldsay BO, Orkney 336days, 140km, 231d
2558275
25/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 331days, 27km 103d
2510852
26/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 330days, 27km 103d
2510894
26/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 330days, 27km 103d
2510935
26/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 330days, 27km 103d
2510964
26/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 330days, 27km 103d
2539132
27/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 329days, 27km 103d
2539984
26/08/06 North Sands, Hartlepool 361days, 469km, 337d

Birds controlled by us on ENR on 23rd July 2007. Original ringing details:
2548894
19/07/05 ENR
27/07/04 Collieston, Grampian Region 1091days, 196km, 314d
2551827
Fair Isle, Scotland 332days, 190km, 235d
2539104
27/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 330days, 27km, 103d

Birds controlled by us on ENR on 24th July 2007. Original ringing details:
2572038
20/07/05 Twinyess, North Ronaldsay BO, Orkney 734days, 140km, 231d
2504584
21/08/05 Faraid Head, Highland Region 702days, 27km, 103d
2572114
28/07/06 Twinyess, North Ronaldsay BO, Orkney 361days, 140km, 231d
2540838
23/08/06 Tres Ness, Sanday, Orkney 335days, 126km, 235d

Third Team Controls from 2006

2007-11-09T19:25:00.000Z

Birds ringed by us on ENR on 30th July 2006 and controlled:
2608110
04/08/06 Fife Ness, Fife, Scotland 5days, 275km 158d
2608333
05/08/06 Fife Ness, Fife, Scotland 6days, 275km 158d
2608142
19/06/07 Eilean Hoan, Durness, Highland Region 324d 21km 276d

Birds ringed by us on ENR on 31st July 2006 and controlled:
2608601
23/08/06 Tres Ness, Orkney 23days, 129km, 55d
2608456
03/08/06 Handa, Sutherland, Highland Region 3days, 54km, 250d
2608835
26/08/06 Faraid Head, Highland Region 26days, 27km, 283d
2608816
15/06/07 Priest Island, Highland Region 319days, 97km, 227d

Something for next year?

2007-11-06T08:38:00.000Z

Incidents of a seabird preying on colonies of another species at night may be unique to a remote islands archipelago.
Ecologist Will Miles said initial research of great skua preying on Leach's petrel on St Kilda found the behaviour was unlikely to be common.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has been recording "alarming" falls in the smaller petrels on the islands.
Mr Miles and fellow researchers used night vision gear to observe the skua. NTS said the Leach's petrel colony on St Kilda, which it owns, is the largest in Europe and numbers about 40,000 pairs. Researchers from Glasgow University have been investigating suggestions that great skua, or bonxie, may be eating up to 14,000 petrels every year. The research on Hirta, St Kilda, will run until 2009.
Results of this year's work are still being analysed, however, Mr Miles revealed some intriguing insights into the bonxies' behaviour. He said: "The skuas are highly active on the petrel colonies at night and catch petrels in a variety of ways - both on the ground and in the air. "Nocturnal foraging by great skuas is thought to be quite a rare situation. "At least, it has not been widely reported from the most intensively studied skua colonies on Shetland or from elsewhere across the species' breeding range. "The situation on Kilda seems rather unique in this respect."
Why the bonxie prey on petrels may be down to a combination of factors. They include limited other food sources, competition between the skuas and when the birds nest close to petrel colonies. Mr Miles said: "Skuas are highly opportunistic predators and some individuals seem to develop a taste for certain prey types.
"One possibility may be that on Kilda the petrels are a relatively abundant prey type, a few individual skuas have exploited this situation opportunistically and their behaviour has been copied by others looking for an easy meal." After assessing the safety of vantage points, the researchers spent nights close to high cliffs, steep slopes and scree boulder fields. Mr Miles said: "Once on-site, we then stayed put in one watching position for the hours of darkness and just observed the bird activity."
Data gathered by researchers will be used to help guide conservation efforts for both species.

CEMPA N03460

2007-08-27T13:29:00.000+01:00

Our controlled Stormie from Kenny's week (22nd July). News just back from Rob Thomas (see: http://stormies-online.blogspot.com/). Bird caught on the night 0f 8-9th June 2007 at Ponta da Almadena, Algarve, Portugal at 02.35hrs. Aged as a 6 with a wing of 25.5mm and weight of 27.1g. The only thing we can add is that its weight had dropped to 26.1g and its right leg was missing. I'll check to see whether this was inbetween captures or whether it was lost when it was first ringed.

Some choice photos

2007-08-26T15:43:00.000+01:00

From the collection of Alan Hitchmough (Copyright - ha!)

No1: remember these? They appear to be getting more and more fearless every -year.

No2: there didn't appear to be many of these around this year and, no matter how hard we looked, there wasn't one 'safe' enough to be ringed.

No3: working at night makes photography difficult. Here with his eBay special Alan shows what money can buy.

No4: No not 'The Old Man of Hoy', but the grumpy old sod from Nan Ron!!

No5: Bob trying to sort out just how many rings we had actually used at a time when it wasn't dark, or raining.

Wings and weights

2007-08-13T19:06:00.000+01:00

I've just done a quick warm and ready analysis of the biometrics data taken with Kenny's group.
The graph shows weight (grams) against wing length (mm) demonstrating a small, but significant direct correlation between the two.
The stats calculate as:
weight 25.1 +/-1.6
wing 119 +/-2.7mm
I would suggest that there is no sexually dependent significance in either.

EU Birds Directive

2007-08-10T08:36:00.000+01:00

Today, the renowned journal Science publishes a BirdLife International analysis showing that the European Union’s Birds Directive has made a significant difference in protecting many of the continent’s most threatened birds from further decline. (You don't want to read the report its all odds, ratios and models!)

The groundbreaking paper (RSPB of course!) shows that the Birds Directive has clearly helped those species considered to be most at risk, partly through the designation of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). The Birds Directive was adopted in 1979 and is now binding law for all EU countries, it requires special conservation measures for a number of listed species.

One species on the annex 1 list is our own Storm-petrel. Unfortunately how it is performing under the Directive is officially classed as 'unknown'. Given our visits to ENR maybe we should consider setting up some kind of annual CES sort of thing in order to collect a 'year-on-year' dataset to see how the bird are fairing. Just a thought.

As promised (I think)

2007-08-09T08:53:00.001+01:00

Visitors to Nan Ron come in all shapes and sizes, some with no kit and others requiring a full porterage service. Tents can be large, small, round or traditional; boots or wellies by personal choice. Waterproofs come in big and heavy, existent (or not) depending on prevailing weather. This year was a touch on the wet side, especially underfoot. During one passing shower one of our number prepared for a bit of the damp stuff...

Third Team - Kenny's stats

2007-08-06T12:58:00.002+01:00

Sunday 22nd until Thur 24th July. Generally dry(ish) but extremely wet underfoot. The passing storms, fortunately, did not infringe on any ringing activities. During our stay we managed: two Snipe (both mist-netted at camp site), three Great Skua including one darviced (photo shows nest and cold egg), twelve Shag - even though we had been informed they had all been ringed (ha), two Swallow, and five Mipits including two pulli.
We ringed 640 Stormies (including one Norwegian and one Lisbon control) and retrapped 187 (total 827) and took wings and weights, and some poo and vomit samples, from over 200.
Team consisted of: Kenny 'The Don' McNiffe; Tony 'leave me alone I'm ill' Ormond; John - a Nan Ron virgin Blundell, Brian 'let's stop and have a little snack' (and I really must post a picture of Brian in his wet weather gear); Sherpa's /workhorses 'Kenny please let me carry all your gear' Bob and Alan, and finally veterans Colin and Ann (who couldn't take any more and left a day early).

Picture shows Kenny's last and John's first Shag!

Some where in this picture is a juvenile Dunlin and someone who shall be nameless playing at being a 'bovine' in order to try and capture said Dunlin. It was never caught - the rest of us were so creased laughing it was doomed to failure!

Just to prove it didn't rain all the time.

Space saved for second team details.

2007-08-06T12:58:00.001+01:00

More from Dave and the first team.

2007-07-17T21:57:00.000+01:00

Full party of five - 2A's, 1C, 1T and an experienced helper (Dave, Stefan, Ken, Stu and Chris). First night very wet, second windy and the third very midgy (be warned, get the Deet out). In addition to the Stormies already reported they also ringed: 14 Skua, 6GBBG, 2 Black Guillemot, one adult Fulmar new, plus one retrap, 13 Shag, 3 Mipits, 4 Swallow pulli and one each of Wheatear and Wren.

First group initial feedback

2007-07-16T21:20:00.000+01:00

First night - on the slabs - 250 birds plus 60 control /retraps with UK rings. Second night around the camp site 120 new plus 10 controls /retraps and last night 160 new with 100 UK ringed controls /retraps. A tidy 530 new with 170 retraps. More details to follow.
These details updated to 582 new with 201 retraps (non foreign).

ENR 2007

2007-07-13T08:34:00.000+01:00

Visits planned to date: Dave (party of four) 13-16July; Stefan (party of three) 18-21/22July; Ken (party of eight) 22-26July; Stuart (numbers to be finalised) 27-31July. Dave, I'm presuming, is on so should hear shortly about whether all our kit has survived the winter! Stefan should be gearing up, and Ken's party (I'm one) is all about ready, with last minute phone calls confirming travel, kit and food. I just hope this wet weather we have had of late is now drying up.