It is often said on Papa Westray that the Arctic Terns arrive with the first fogs of the summer, which are usually in May, and year after year, this proves to be true. However, due to bad weather we didn’t really get any fog in May and a survey in late May showed that very few Arctic Terns had appeared in the colonies, so I was getting worried that they were going to have a bad season this year. However by the end of May the fog had rolled in, and so had the Arctic Terns! A count in early June showed that the colonies were well occupied and revealed that the number of Arctic Terns breeding across had increased from 239 pairs last year to 280 pairs this year! Plus a survey of the Holm of Papay today revealed a massive increase from just 37 pairs last year to 89 pairs this year with the establishment of a new colony! Despite this slight increase in numbers, Arctic Terns are still decreasing overall due to the effects of global warming on their main food source – Sandeels. But with pairs now on eggs in most of the colonies, things are looking hopeful for a good breeding season, so finger’s crossed! Speaking of eggs, the small colony of Sandwich Terns on Papa Westray have been seen on eggs for the first time in a number of years, so I’m hopeful that they will have a successful year too!
Most of the other bird species that call Papa Westray home are also now on eggs. Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbills and Shags can all be seen incubating eggs on the North Hill reserve, whilst both Eiders and gulls have been seen with eggs, and even some with chicks! Many of the Lapwings, Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers that breed on North Hill have been spotted with chicks and can be heard alarm calling at anyone who walks by. The Sparrows and Starlings that could be found nesting in every crevice in every wall can now be seen in every garden with fledged chicks calling to tired parents, demanding more food! The Ravens are also doing well, as their two chicks are now almost ready to fly the nest! Greylag Geese can be seen down at the Loch of St Tredwell, along with their many broods of goslings. Greylags are a controversial species in Orkney, as they have multiplied quite rapidly and tend to munch all of the grass that the farmers grow to feed their livestock, but I would be lying if I said that their goslings aren’t cute! The pair of Mute Swans that nested on the loch have also been successful, with young cygnets seen along with the parents.
A Fulmar incubating its single egg
However it’s not all sunshine and rainbows here, as most of the seabird species that nest on Papa Westray are in serious decline due to global warming and a lack of food being available at the right time of year. Kittiwakes are one of the species most affected by this, which is reflected by the fact that no Kittiwakes are attempting to nest in any of my study plots this year, and very few can be seen flying around the cliffs. Kittiwakes are becoming something of a rarity here now and I have no doubt that within a few years there will be none left on Papa Westray. Fortunately, there are quite a few pairs attempting to nest in my study plots at our Noup Cliffs reserve on Westray, although only time will tell how successful they are in rearing chicks. Let’s hope that they manage to. Corncrakes also appear to be down this year, with just 2 calling males as opposed to 7 last year. If you hear a Corncrake calling, please report it to Amy Liptrot, the Corncrake Officer for Orkney, on 01856 852029, so that we can get a better idea of how the population is doing in Orkney as a whole. Hopefully a few more will choose to settle on Papay for the season though!
In addition to all of this, I am also running guided tours around the North Hill reserve on Papa Westray every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon until the end of August. These tours are proving to be quite popular with visitors so far, as they visitors have enjoyed experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of a living, breathing seabird colony. Most tours are even treated to good views of Puffins sitting on the cliff tops outside their burrows or flying out to sea to gather provisions. These walks have become so popular that even celebrities are wanting a piece of the action! If you would like to join in on one of these tours, please contact the Warden on 01857 644240 to book your place.
The Warden with comedian Bill Bailey!