As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday 29 July 2013

Puffin census on Farne Islands shows numbers rising

Puffin numbers in a habitat in the north-east of England are making a comeback despite thousands having perished in severe winter storms.

A census on the Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, showed there had been an 8% increase from the last count in 2008.

There are now just under 40,000 pairs of nesting puffins across the eight National Trust-owned islands.

But numbers are still lower than the 55,674 living on the islands in 2003.

Dozens of seabirds were washed up along the coast of north-east England and Scotland in March, with experts blaming weather conditions, as well a shortage of food.

A team of 11 rangers have been checking thousands of burrows on the Farne Islands in search of nesting puffins since May.

David Steel, head ranger on the Farne Islands, said the rise in numbers was a "positive result and a step forward following worrying declines in recent years".

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