The Isles of Scilly Seabird
Recovery Project has installed nest boxes on some of St Agnes’ boulder beaches,
to help one of England’s rarest seabirds.
Staff and volunteers working on
the project hope the nest boxes will encourage Storm Petrels, and make it
easier to monitor the birds’ breeding success later in the autumn.
Storm Petrels, about the size of
a sparrow, and which spend most of their lives at sea, are extremely rare in
England, confined entirely to the South West. They returned to breed on St
Agnes and Gugh for the first time in living memory last year, following the
successful eradication of rats from both islands.
St Agnes and Gugh officially
rat-free after last rat was spotted in November 2013
Rats first appeared on the
islands following shipwrecks in the 1700s
Rats would attack the eggs and
helpless young of nesting seabirds on the islands
Bird populations already starting
to recover following year on year declines for 25 years
Jaclyn Pearson, the RSPB’s Isles
of Scilly Sea Bird Recovery Project manager, said: “We thank the volunteers
involved in making and placing the nest boxes on St Agnes and Gugh. We have
recently started monitoring this year’s Storm Petrel chicks, so it’s an
exciting time. One of the best things about this project is to know the hard
work of so many people has opened up habitat on St Agnes and Gugh, where these
amazing seabirds can breed in safety without their eggs or young being eaten by
rats.”
This summer the project team and
the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust joined forces to deliver ‘Storm Petrel
games’ at the islands popular summer fetes, raising more than £300 towards
seabird conservation. And this month members of the community are joining
‘chick-check walks’ so they will be able to record where the chicks of various
seabird species will be fledging, and will be able to continue monitoring them
for years to come.
Nikki Banfield, of the Isles of
Scilly Wildlife Trust, said: “These activities ensured that every member of the
family was able to learn about how the project is helping seabirds, including
the Storm Petrels, and what they themselves can do to help. We thank everyone
who came along to support the cause, and thank you for all the great feedback
about the fun that was had playing the ‘find the Storm Petrel map game’ and the
‘Storm Petrel bucket game’.”
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