Welcome to the thirty-second stoat snippet!
These snippets are a short update on progress with both the Orkney Native Wildlife Project and the Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project, as well as addressing any concerns that folk have raised with SNH and RSPB Scotland.
If you are new to these snippets and want to know more about the project, check out this blog.
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
We have produced an updated Stoat ID Guide leaflet to help folk identify stoats and their field signs as well as to provide more information about their natural history.
The leaflet is available online here.
Job opportunity: Scottish Natural Heritage is currently recruiting for a graduate placement to work on the Orkney Native Wildlife Project. We are looking for someone to develop and implement monitoring and surveillance techniques on outer isles. This opportunity is open to anyone who has graduated in the last four years and would be an excellent opportunity to work on an exciting project. You can find more information here: www.snhjobs.scot
Closing date: Midnight on 20th May
Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project
The trap checks (for May) are due to start soon.
Incursion responses
Hoy: Work is continuing to try and determine whether there is one or many stoats present. Most of the traps and cameras were checked this week, with the final ones due to be checked on Monday.
No stoats were trapped and we found no evidence of them on our trail cameras either. However, we did get a few appearances from Hoy’s resident wildlife, including this brief glimpse of an otter leaving the shot:
We also saw a cuckoo while out and about on Hoy checking traps. It can be easy to mistake one for a hawk at a distance, but this is all part of their rather strange reproductive strategy, small birds mistake them for a bird of prey and leave their nest, allowing the female cuckoo to deposit an egg.
Please remember, if you think you’ve seen a stoat on Hoy or South Walls please report it immediately by phone or email.
And we need more help!
We are currently looking for people from Hoy, or anyone who can access Hoy easily, to volunteer to be part of a local team skilled in finding stoat sightings! Suitable volunteers will be trained to use our thermal imaging camera and in other techniques. Do get in touch if you are interested.
Answering your concerns…
Remember, if you have any comments or concerns please contact north@snh.gov.uk or orkney@rspb.org.uk.
Once again, don't forget to keep reporting any sightings of stoats, as soon as possible, to SNH by calling 01856 886163, by emailing north@snh.gov.uk or through the ‘Stoats in Orkney’ Facebook page.
And to keep up-to-date with the project, please follow our Facebook page