Seabird scheme is a soar-away success

Aug 8 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A DRIVE to boost the numbers of Britain’s rarest seabird on a Northumberland island has been a ringing success.

Staff and volunteers who look after the RSPB’s Coquet Island off Amble are celebrating after recording the 1,000th roseate tern chick.

Site manager Paul Morrison said: “To have ringed the 1,000th chick since the programme began in 1991 is amazing. Almost all the roseate terns in the UK breed on Coquet Island, so it’s not surprising that we are excited – and proud – that we have reached this important milestone.”

Paul and his team counted 90 nesting pairs of roseate terns this year – up on last year’s 71 pairs. Just 20 chicks were ringed back in 1991.

The Coquet ringing programme started amid concerns about the decline of a bird that has seen its population fall around the globe.

In 2000, only 24 pairs were on Coquet Island, so Paul started to introduce special nest boxes for the birds – and since then, their numbers have steadily increased.

Paul added: “Now, thanks to the introduction of ringing – which allows us to identify Coquet birds wherever they are seen – we are getting tantalising insights into their movements.”

“So far this year, we have ringed an incredible – and record-breaking – 120 chicks and hopefully there will be more to come.”

The Coquet Island roseate terns used to be thought of as an “overspill” from a colony on Rockabill in Southern Ireland.

“What we are seeing now is Coquet terns colonising other places, such as the Farne Islands. We have also heard of a couple of pairs at RSPB Minsmere, in Suffolk, and we are hopeful these will turn out to be Coquet-bred birds. We’re just waiting to hear details of their rings to check whether they have come from the island,” said Paul.

Some of the Coquet birds have returned to the same box for several years in a row. One pair has been identified at the same box nine years in a row.

“It’s incredible to think that after their trip to Africa and back they can find their way to the same nest box year after year,” said Paul.

Tom Cadwallender, Nothumberland-based British Trust for Ornithology secretary, who helps with the ringing programme, said: “When I started ringing roseate terns, back in 1991, I never thought I would ever reach this landmark, especially during the past couple of years when productivity has been very subdued.

“But 2009 has been fantastic, a real bumper, record year with plenty of sand eels for the birds to eat. That means healthy chicks being fledged and I have ringed more this year than any previous season by a long way.”

RSPB-licensed boat trips from Amble harbour sail round Coquet Island (landing is not allowed).

For details on sailing times contact the Northumberland Seabird Centre on 01665 710835 (mobile 07872 639521) or go to www.northumberlandseabirdcentre.co.uk

The Berwickshire and Northumberland Our Coast Our Sea partnership has launched a website to provide local people and holidaymakers with information about this special coastline.

Each location on www.ourcoastoursea.org.uk

includes visitor information, special ‘inspire me’ sections, downloadable activities and information sheets with ideas for games, historic exploration, natural history learning, and general learning and information about the coast.