Welcome to the seventieth stoat snippet!
These snippets are a short update on the Orkney Native Wildlife Project and the Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project, as well as addressing any concerns that folk have raised.
If you are new to these snippets and want to know more about the project, check out this blog and this one too.
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
The closing date is now passed for the four seasonal research jobs – one senior research assistant and three research assistants – that will be doing the wildlife monitoring for waders and voles this spring and summer. There were more than 80 applications which is keeping the interview panel very busy with shortlisting.
Five of the new trapping staff start on Monday which includes Carmen and Rebecca who as you know had been working with the project as research assistants for the trapping trial.
Amy is still splitting her time between identifying survey locations and securing land access permission, particularly focussing on areas where wildlife surveys are needed this spring. If you are happy for this important wildlife monitoring to place on your land, please email ONWP.landaccess@gmail.com as soon as you can.
In the meantime, the biosecurity and incursion trap checks continue.
Trapping Trial
The report from the trapping trial is currently being finalised. We want to thank all the landowners that took part in the trials again. Please do feedback to us about any ways we can improve how we worked with you for the future. We will be in contact with everyone again soon to get new permissions in place for the eradication trapping.
Biosecurity trap network
Mainland: The Stromness traps were checked in lovely weather on Tuesday and Wednesday. The traps had caught one stoat. And Carmen took this nice picture in Warebeth Bay on Tuesday when Mike and Sarah (one of the Eradication Operation Managers) were out with them. The team will be checking the Orphir today and Kirkwall tomorrow.
High-risk islands: Shapinsay checks are not due for a while, but Graemsay will be checked in the next few weeks.
The trap network on Rousay is still not in place, but will be put out as soon as weather and more pressing demands allow.
Incursion responses
Hoy: We didn’t get out to Hoy this week due to preparation work for new staff starting and all the other stuff that needs to happen now so we can meet our timelines for the eradication.
South Walls: All the traps on South Walls were checked last week by Heather and Marina.
Answering your concerns…
Remember, if you have any comments or concerns please contact north@nature.scot or orkney@rspb.org.uk, or call RSPB Scotland on 01856 850176 or SNH on the number below.
Once again, don't forget to keep reporting any sightings of stoats, as soon as possible, to SNH by calling 01463 701670, by emailing north@nature.scot or through the ‘Stoats in Orkney’ Facebook page.
And to keep up-to-date with the project, please follow our Facebook page.