Rathlin's Seabird Soap Opera

Hello! Welcome to the Rathlin Island Seabird Centre blog.  My name is Lorraine Chivers and I am currently based at the amazing West Lighthouse – the location of the RSPB’s Seabird Centre on Rathlin Island. 
 
The Seabird Centre is amazing!  It’s amazing because it’s on the only inhabited island off Northern Ireland (with less than 100 residents); it’s amazing because it is based in an upside-down lighthouse (with the light at the bottom!); and of course it’s amazing because it gives spectacular views of hundreds of thousands of seabirds during their summer breeding season.
 
This summer I’ll be keeping a close eye on the puffins, guillemots, fulmars, razorbills and many more, as they jostle for position on the steep cliffs and sea stacks. There’s never a dull moment at the Seabird Centre – this week I was witness to a shocking altercation with a sticky end… 
 
What started out as a few prods with a sharp beak turned into a full blown vicious fight. We yelled at them to stop as we watched in horror as an egg was kicked, rolled around and left teetering precariously on the edge of the narrow ledge. They didn't listen. The blue speckled egg was kicked one last time and plummeted to the ground and smashed on the rocks. The parent flew after it and, as it's too late now for re-laying, watched its only chance of reproducing this year smashed to pieces. 
 
Fortunately, guillemots are long-lived, with a lifespan of around 24 years. There will be many more chances of breeding success for that bird in the future. Early indications suggest that may be more guillemot eggs on the ledges of the Rathlin cliffs than there were last year. I will be monitoring how successfully these birds rear their chicks as the season progresses. Over 80,000 pairs of guillemots breed here on Rathlin.
 
Keep on eye on this blog as I will be updating you each week on the seabirds and their most recent antics!