There's nothing very exciting to report from the reserves team this week. Some of the team are off on holiday whilst the rest of us have continued keeping an eye on the reserves, checking cows, cutting vegetation and doing office work.
At this time of year we're writing our annual reports and looking back on everything we've done over the last 12 months. As I was writing the Mousa report I realised we didn't share much about the exciting research work that was happening in the summer. Visitors in May and June may have met some of our Conservation Science team who camped on Mousa. They were there carrying out research into new methods for surveying storm petrels. They hope that using audio equipment will make it possible to monitor storm petrels in inaccessible areas and Mousa was a great spot to see if it works. Zoe explains more in the video:
Avian Flu meant they had to wrap up early but hopefully they can continue next year and also carry out the whole island storm petrel census.
Sightings from the last week:Loch of Spiggie - Glaucous gull, ring-necked duck, scaup, pintail, garganey, whooper swan, little grebe, long-tailed duck, pochard, Slavonian grebe , snipe, wigeon, teal, tufted duck
Sumburgh Head - orca, long-tailed duck, snow bunting, goldfinch, wheatear, fulmar, raven, shag, redwing
Mires of Funzie - glossy ibis, snipe
Until next timeBeth