In today’s blog Linda Wilson, Senior Conservation Scientist, describes the launch of a major programme of seabird surveys across the UK designed to help us understand the impacts of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
For seabird ecologists this time of year is traditionally one of excitement and anticipation, as millions of seabirds return to their breeding colonies around the British Isles to get down to the important business of rearing the next generation. But this year it also represents a very anxious time as we await to see how the ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) unfolds.
Already we are witnessing distressing evidence that this virus is still very much with us, with significant outbreaks among Black-headed Gulls across England, including several RSPB reserves such as Middleton Lakes, St Aidans, Dearne Valley and Minsmere. But there is also hope, and a great deal of finger crossing, as we see the first eggs appear at colonies.
It is crucial to understand the impact of high numbers of avian influenza mortalities on our seabird breeding populations (c) Ashley Cooper (rspb-images.com)
The need for enhanced seabird count effort
Although the outbreak is ongoing, the levels of mortality already witnessed last season mean it is crucial to start assessing the immediate impacts on our seabird breeding populations. The latest seabird census, supported by RSPB and due to be published this autumn, was completed in 2021 prior to HPAI impacts. This will provide crucial pre-HPAI baseline population counts against which we can compare updated counts. However, proceeding solely with business-as-usual monitoring will give a highly incomplete picture of HPAI impacts as only a fraction of seabird colonies are monitored annually due to accessibility issues and scale of the task.
Many important seabird colonies are remote or difficult to access and require careful planning to carry out surveys (c) Andrew Bielinski (rspb-images.com)
How will we do it?
In response, RSPB is leading on a UK-wide programme of additional targeted seabird population counts in 2023, using a coordinated and collaborative approach across the statutory bodies and conservation organisations. A full census is not logistically feasible (the previous one took over 5 years to complete), but RSPB’s planned programme for 2023 has been designed to provide good geographic coverage for the key species expected to be most impacted by HPAI and includes many populations breeding within Special Protection Areas.
Who will count our seabirds?
After months of planning, it is great to have our newly recruited team of seabird surveyors now in place, preparing for the fieldwork which will start later in May. Alongside our dedicated team, we are working with a large suite of local contacts to ensure they also have the resources they need to fill other key gaps. This will all be supplemented with the routine monitoring undertaken at our RSPB seabird reserves, as well as other sites as part of the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP). If you are carrying out whole colony counts of any seabird colonies this season, please do submit your data to the SMP database. We will start analysing the data in the autumn and plan to publish our findings this winter, so watch this space.
Our newly recruited team of seabird surveyors (some pictured here) met for the first time (in heavy rain!) in early May at RSPB Fowlsheugh before they headed out to their survey sites across the country (c) Mark Bolton
Acknowledgements
We are grateful for funds provided by The Crown Estate (through the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme), Scottish Government, Natural England, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – Northern Ireland, and Natural Resources Wales. This project is also supported by the RSPB Avian Flu Appeal. We are grateful for the additional support provided by ScotWind developers of the East and North East Plan areas, BTO, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, Natural England, JNCC, National Trust for Scotland, National Trust, Sea Mammal Research Unit, Sarah Wanless, Mike Harris, and The Seabird Group. Our thanks go to all the SMP contributors who continue to submit annual data, many of them doing so as volunteers.
Do not touch or move dead birds. All dead birds can be reported via the BirdTrack app but should also be reported for testing to DEFRA (England, Scotland, Wales) or DAERA (Northern Ireland). NB only a small number of birds will be tested. If you see dead birds on a nature reserve please also let site staff know. If you are working on a site that is set up to use the Epicollect app then please use this to report dead birds.
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