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Alderney West Coast and Burhou Islands Ramsar Site

Management Strategy

Annual Ramsar Project Review

November 2007

Research & report compiled by: Helen Booker, Louise Soanes &

Melanie Broadhurst

Reviewed by: ,

the S & Charles

The RSPB, SW England Regional Office, Keble House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter,

Devon, EX1 1NT. Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT), 34 Victoria Street, St Anne’s, Alderney, GY9 3TA,

Channel Islands. States of Alderney, PO Box 1, Alderney, GY9 3AA.

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Contents Page Number

1. Introduction 3

2. Ramsar Project Team 3

3. 2007 Ramsar Strategy Activities 5 3.1. Burhou Seabird Population Surveys 5 3.2. Additional management activities on Burhou 6

3.3. Seabird Population Surveys on Les Etac and 7

Haument des Pies

3.4. Intertidal habitat mapping 7 3.5. Seasearch Underwater Surveys 7

3.6. Rat assessment and control of Hannaine Bay 7

and Haument des Pies

3.7. Grey Seal population assessment on Ranoquet 7 Reefs

3.8. Increasing Public Awareness of the Ramsar Site 8 3.9. Revising legislation and action plans 8

4. Pending or unfulfilled activities 8

4.1. Ramsar activities not completed 8 4.2. Pending 2007/8 Ramsar activities 9

5. Recommendations 9

References 11

Appendix 1. Burhou Project 2007 12

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1. Introduction

On 25 August 2005, Alderney’s West Coast and the Burhou Islands were designated as wetlands of worldwide importance and became the first Ramsar site in the

Bailiwick of Guernsey. The Ramsar site covers some 1,500 hectares of land and sea, almost twice the land area of mainland Alderney. In 2006 the General Services Committee (GSC), on behalf of the States of Alderney, requested the support of the Ramsar Advisory Group in the preparation of a management strategy, as required under the commitments of the Ramsar

Convention. The completed strategy was approved and put into action in April 2007. A five year work programme has been developed for the period 2007-2012 to ensure all Ramsar obligations are fulfilled. The programme entails set strategic goals including:

▫ Maintaining and enhancing species populations and marine habitats of the Alderney West coast and Burhou Islands Ramsar site ▫ Achieving the sustainable use of the Ramsar site and surrounding waters to protect the site for current and future generations ▫ Developing Environmental Legislation in the form of an Alderney Wildlife Act which will allow for the creation of marine and terrestrial protected areas.

These goals are assessed annually and accomplished through various scientific research projects and conservation management techniques, with the aid of appropriate researchers, conservationists and key parties. This year has been extremely successful, with a large proportion of surveys and

management techniques applied. Key experts (regional and national) and researchers aided the development of strategy throughout the year. However it should be noted that due to bad weather, health and safety issues and the lack of available transport (boat) some aspects of the strategy could not be fulfilled this year.

2. Ramsar Project Team The following key members were involved in the Ramsar & Burhou Project work during 2007:

Helen Booker (RSPB Burhou & Ramsar Projects, 2005-2007) As a Senior Conservation Officer based in the RSPB Southwest Regional Office in Exeter, Helen has been involved with both the Burhou and Ramsar Projects since their inception. Helen has acted both as principal contact with the RSPB and Chair of the Burhou Advisory group and drafted the Ramsar Management Strategy on behalf of the Ramsar Steering Group.

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Louise Soanes (AWT Burhou Project Co-ordinator and Ecologist, 2005-2007) Louise has been lead researcher on the Burhou project since its inception in 2005 carrying out three seasons of survey work on the island. As part of the Ramsar Steering Group, Louise assisted in the preparation of the Ramsar Management

Strategy and after its approval was responsible for its initial implementation. Louise has a degree in Zoology and a M.Sc. Wildlife Management & Conservation (distinction). Mark Bolton (RSPB Technical Expert Storm Petrels, 2007) Mark is a scientific advisor for the RSPB with a specialty in Storm Petrels. He has been responsible for breakthrough work in establishing artificial nesting sites for this

increasingly threatened population and made it possible to establish an artificial nesting site on Burhou during 2007. Melanie Broadhurst (AWT Ecologist, 2007) Melanie started work for the Alderney Wildlife Trust in July 2007 as the Trust’s Ecologist with responsibility for the Ramsar Project. She has past experience in marine surveying and research around the UK and abroad, with a M.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation (distinction) and a first degree in Marine Biology. Juan Salado (AWT Marine Biologist, 2005-2007) Juan is a resident marine biologist with over four year’s experience working with the Trust on Alderney and graduated from Cadiz University with a degree in Ciencias del Mar (Marine Sciences). Juan carries out the Trust’s marine consultancy work and developed the intertidal biotope monitoring programme for the West Coast of Alderney and Burhou Island Ramsar site. Nigel Butcher (RSPB Gannet Puffin Observation, 2006-2007) Nigel, RSPB Technical Development Officer, has supplied invaluable technical support through the development of a remote operated camera system that could be used for remote observation of Burhou and Les Etac. Such a system would allow both

researchers and the general public to observe Alderney’s puffin and gannet colonies via a sanctioned website. Prof. Charles Michel (Ramsar Advisory Group, 2005-2007) Charles’s pre-eminent background in research science and statistics has been one of the foundations of the Burhou and Ramsar work over the last three years. His continued support and guidance as part of the Ramsar Steering Group is invaluable in maintaining the highest working standards. Roland Gauvain (Alderney Wildlife Trust Manager, 2002-2007) Roland has been the Alderney Wildlife Trust’s Manager since its inception in 2002. With a BSc in Conservation Management, he has been responsible for preparing and assisting in a number of mammal and habitat surveys and in the preparation of the island’s Ramsar application.

Prior to that he was the Conservation Officer for the States of Alderney and was responsible for carrying out a habitat survey of the island’s greenbelt during 2000-2001.

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Lindsay Pyne (AWT Secretary, 2005-2007) Lindsay has been the Secretary of the Alderney Wildlife Trust Ltd since 2005. As a keen amateur botanist and ecologist she has been assisting various ecological surveys around the island.

Ramsar Volunteers A proportion of the Ramsar work has been significantly aided by local and regional volunteers, particularly: Ali Birkett, Bill Black, Rowland Neal, Mark Wordsworth, the Sea-Search team and the staff of Voyager.

3. 2007 Ramsar Strategy Activities During 2007, a series of surveys and management actions were implemented including:

▫ Detailed seabird population surveys on Burhou and associated islands ▫ Additional management activities on Burhou ▫ Detailed seabird population surveys on Les Etac and Haument des Pies ▫ Marine habitat assessment of Clonque Bay ▫ Seasearch underwater surveys ▫ Rat assessment and control on Hannaine Bay and Haument des Pies ▫ Seal population assessment on Ranoquet Reefs

▫ Increasing public awareness of the Ramsar Site ▫ Revising current legislation and action plans

These are now discussed and listed with the appropriate project team personnel and time activities. 3.1. Burhou Seabird Population Surveys (see appendix 1. for full report) Staff: Bill Black, Mark Bolton, Simon Boreham, Nigel Burcher, Rowland Neal, Louise Soanes and Mark Wordsworth.

Total hours: 218. The 2007 Burhou project entailed extensive surveys on seabird species with appropriate management techniques deployed. Research primarily involved:

▫ Surveys on puffin and gull interaction through recording of kleptoparasitism

rates, pellet and prey analysis in the great black backed gull territories ▫ A complete island census of breeding puffins and gulls

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▫ Productivity rates of puffins and shags Great Black Backed Gulls Three known individual great black backed gulls were culled during 2007, with one

remaining pair not culled due to poor weather. Puffin carcases were found within the territories of these particular individuals. Gulls A proportion of gulls were deterred from the “gull – free zone” via nest destruction and scaring this year. However, gull density in this zone is still potential high and could affect overall puffin numbers.

Puffins Breeding puffin numbers are steady when compared to 1980 (Danchin & Cordonnier 1980), 2005 and 2006 research data. Puffin breeding productivity was also comparable with past results and other puffin colonies within the British Isles. Kleptoparasitism does not appear to affect their feeding with the puffins consuming a healthy diet of Gadidae fish and sand eels. Two dead puffin individuals were recorded this year (found within gull territories). Shags and Cormorants Shags have had a poor breeding season with very few pairs successfully rearing any young. Similar poor breeding success has also been reported in Guernsey (Veron pers. Comm) and in Brittany (Cadou, Pers. Comm). Cormorants were not monitored as breeding sites were inaccessible. Storm Petrels A total of 49 new nesting boxes were installed on the island to encourage storm petrels for the coming years. No birds have yet inhabited the boxes (during their breeding season) but this is to be expected in the first year. Weather conditions prevented the Guernsey Ringing Team from carrying out any

ringing of storm petrels for this year. 3.2. Additional management activities on Burhou Staff: Bill Black, Melanie Broadhurst, Roland Gauvain and Louise Soanes. Total hours: 91. A variety of effective management activities were enforced throughout 2007 including: ▫ Bracken control and hottentot fig control by physical and chemical removal. ▫ Beach cleaning.

▫ Hut cleaning and general maintenance (including the change of locks to the hut, on behalf of the GSC).

▫ Further signage and information outlining the closed puffin breeding zone. ▫ A photographic survey of key points around Burhou was completed.

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3.3. Seabird Population Surveys on Les Etac and Haument des Pies Staff: Louise Soanes. Total hours: 10.

Gannet populations were assessed on Les Etac with approximately 180 nests and on average 0.80 fledged chicks. Tern populations on Haument des Pied were also assessed (approximately 64 individuals recorded) with the colony noted to be easily disturbed by other gulls and human presence.

3.4. Intertidal habitat mapping Staff: Ali Birkett, Melanie Broadhurst, Juan Salado and Louise Soanes. Total Hours: 84. An intertidal biotope (habitat) mapping survey was conducted to assess and outline the different habitats within the Clonque Bay region. The information is being mapped via GIS application methods to make it easily accessible and assess areas of key importance within the bay. 3.5. Seasearch Underwater Surveys Staff: Louise Soanes and Sea-Search dive team. Total hours: 106.5. A total of 14 sites were visited by Sea-Search, recording approximately 107 species within the Ramsar Site. Sea-Search are currently devising a survey document for the Ramsar Management Strategy based on this research.

3.6. Rat assessment and control of Hannaine Bay and Haument des Pies Staff: Ali Birkett, Bill Black, Melanie Broadhurst, Roland Gauvain and Lindsay Pyne. Total Hours: 52.5. The presence of rats was confirmed on Haument des Pies, and found on the puffin colony in Hannaine Bay, using chew stick methodologies (RSPB guidance). Control methods are now being deployed to reduce their numbers within these areas with the support of the States Agricultural Team.

3.7. Grey Seal population assessment on Ranoquet Reefs Staff: Voyager staff. Total Hours: Sightings recorded every tour. Between September and November a brief assessment of the grey seal population located around Renoquet Reefs was carried out. From initial data the population is small, with individuals using the reefs as a resting plateau and feeding ground.

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3.8. Increasing Public Awareness of the Ramsar Site Staff: All staff throughout the year.

During 2007, an array of public information and awareness regarding the Ramsar Site has been accomplished. Various tours (boat, walks and snorkelling) and rock-pooling sessions were deemed extremely popular and encouraged further knowledge of the site to the public. Extensive literature of the site was also made available to the public via leaflets and signage.

3.9. Revising legislation and action plans Staff: Helen Booker, Melanie Broadhurst, Roland Gauvain and Louise Soanes. Total Hours: 56. Legislation and action plans are currently being revised to aid further information for the Ramsar Site. These include:

▫ Devising and updating the Ramsar Management Strategy. ▫ Supporting investigations into existing legislation which might be used to

support existing States policy on Burhou’s closed season. ▫ Support for tidal power Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental

Scoping and Strategic Environmental Assessment (ACRE).

4. Pending or unfulfilled activities

A small proportion of Ramsar activities could not be fulfilled or are still pending this year. These are a direct result of: poor weather conditions, availability of transport (boat), landing permissions from Trinity House and the application of health and safety regulations regarding transport (boat). It should also be noted that access to Burhou during the course of the year was difficult due to the reasons above which impeded some seabird monitoring. 4.1. Ramsar activities not completed These include: ▫ Seabird assessment on Coque Lihou: due to bad weather.

▫ Seabird and rat assessment on Casquets: failure to secure permission required to land via Trinity House.

▫ Phase 2 habitat analysis of Clonque region: due to bad weather and prolonged

habitat survey.

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4.2. Pending 2007/8 Ramsar activities These include:

▫ A full review of the Alderney oil spill action plan (currently being created with the Guernsey Emergency Planning Coordinator). ▫ Gained information from the States of Alderney regarding gravel extraction and raw

sewage disposal. ▫ Signs for the closed puffin breeding zone have been created but have not yet been

deployed; these will be designated around the region on Burhou early next year. ▫ Implementation of Health and safety protocol for all staff and volunteers accessing Burhou on behalf of the States of Alderney and Alderney Wildlife Trust. ▫ Transport options (boat) for access to Burhou and the site are presently being

viewed. ▫ A Ramsar leaflet is currently being designed to explain the management strategy

and species therein. This will be published for the Ramsar World Wetlands Day (2nd February 2008) thanks to RSPB sponsorship.

▫ The launch/ promotion of the Ramsar World Wetlands Day have not yet been

finalised. It is envisaged the day will include events linked to conservation and recycling around Alderney and the Ramsar site.

5. Recommendations

A series of recommendations are proposed for next year to aid and further develop key aspects of the Ramsar Management Strategy: R1. An annual report devised by the Ramsar Project Team submitted to the States of

Alderney (late October/ early November) summarising all Ramsar activities for

that year. R2. The Ramsar Management Strategy is revised and updated each year (every

January). This will allow the strategy to adapt and instil new management techniques and surveys.

R3. The closed season on Burhou is extended to the 1st August. Visitors booking their

stay on Burhou within the first three weeks of the month are informed (prior to booking) that their stay could be postponed if puffins are still present. Any bookings requiring changes would be informed a minimum of 5 days prior to their booking.

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This is a direct recommendation as the last recorded puffin feeding young was seen on 12th August; which resulted in some visitor trips postponed this year. It must be noted that said visitors were extremely supportive and sympathetic to the alteration of their visit dates in light of the extended puffin presence.

R4. Full seabird censuses and surveys on Burhou and other locations within the

Ramsar site are completed. These include monitoring: gannet, puffin, gull species (including lesser black backed gulls), fulmar, tern, ringed plover, shag, cormorant, and storm petrel species. Also investigating the potential for a small gannet ringing project; to deduce adult and chick survival rates.

R.5. Maintain and implement past management techniques on Burhou including:

Enforcing the no go puffin breeding zone for visitors with signage and posts.

Cull remaining great black backed gull individuals that predate upon puffins.

Bracken and hottentot fig control via physical and chemical removal.

Disturb gulls within the designated gull free zone. Continue storm petrel play back calls to encourage recruitment.

R.6. Recommended new management techniques on Burhou:

Encourage storm petrel recruitment via a new dry stone wall nesting area. Investigate the potential of puffin dummies to encourage puffin recruitment.

During the closed season, surveyors should limit their movements around the island only to those necessary for prescribed work and wear camouflage material wear possible and make use of screens and hides when in the open. This will potentially reduce their visual presence upon the puffins. It is also recommended that only three surveyors should be allowed on Burhou at any one time during this period.

R.7. Execute further intertidal and subtidal marine surveys. Phase 2 marine species surveys and indicator species surveys should be implemented to increase baseline knowledge of the Ramsar site. The information will also aid preparation guidelines for dealing with possible negative future impacts (pollution, degradation etc).

R.8. Increase further public awareness and visitor management. Further signage,

information and literature based on the site and appropriate activities. Creation of a Ramsar flier for boat users: detailing user friendly codes of conduct when entering the site.

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R.9. Establish an annual survey on the Ranoquet Reef grey seal population with the aid of Voyager.

R.10. All Ramsar personnel to adhere to set health and safety standards when conducting or participating in Ramsar work.

R.11. Expand and enhance links between the Ramsar personnel, the States of

Alderney and key local / regional / national experts.

References

Danchin & Cordonnier (1980) A study of the birds of Alderney 1979-1980. Report for C.R.B.P.O Paris. Davies, J. Baxter, J. Bradley, M, Conner, D., Kahn. J., Murray, E., Sanderson, W., Turnbull., C., Vincent., M. (1995) Marine Monitoring Handbook UK Marine SACs project.

Soanes, L. 2007. Ramsar Management Plan Report. Independent Report for the Alderney West Coast and Burhou Islands Ramsar Site Management Strategy. 10pp. Soanes, L & Booker, H. 2007. Alderney West Coast and Burhou Islands Ramsar Site Management Strategy. 52pp.

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Appendix 1.

Ramsar Management Plan Report

Burhou Project 2007

In 2006 the General Services Committee (GSC), on behalf of the States of Alderney, requested the support of the Ramsar Advisory Group in the preparation of a management strategy, as required under the commitments of the Ramsar Convention. The completed strategy was approved and put into action in April 2007. The Burhou project has now been running for three breeding seasons and in 2006 the Burhou puffin project was incorporated the States of Alderney’s Ramsar Management Plan which the General Services Committee approved for a five year period. This document is therefore a subsection of a wider more detailed report on the whole of the Ramsar work undertaken in 2007. Summary of research aims in 2007

Continued collection of information on the interaction between puffins and gulls by observation of kleptoparasitism rates and pellet and prey analysis in Great Black-backed Gull territories.

Undertake a complete island census of breeding puffins, and all three species of gulls.

Monitor the productivity of puffins and shags.

Summary of management aims in 2007

To continue to deter Gulls from nesting in the immediate vicinity to the puffin colonies by disturbance and nest destruction.

To continue to remove bracken from within a 50m area around the puffin burrows.

Culling of three pairs of Great Black-backed Gulls that have been identified as puffin

predators. Removal of any Hottentot’s fig found on the island.

Establish storm petrel nesting boxes to encourage the repopulation of Burhou.

Methodology

Gulls

The first visit of the season was on the 14th March, with the aim of beginning to deter gulls nesting close to the puffin burrows by chasing them whilst wearing high visibility jackets (as recommended by Paul Morrison from Coquet Island, Northumbria) however at this early date not all gulls had returned to the island. Also, because of the irregularity of our visits to Burhou, due in part to weather conditions, this scaring technique could not be sustained. It

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was also decided that we would not leave scaring devices for the gulls whilst we were off island, as these could also potentially scare off puffins from the area. Disturbance of gulls attempting to breed close to puffin nesting areas was carried out through nest destruction and egg collection on every visit to Burhou throughout the season. This area was reduced slightly from the initial areas cleared in 2005 and 2006 as it was noticed that the topography of the outer reaches of this area reduced the visibility of nesting gulls to the puffin colony therefore such a large area need not be cleared of nesting gulls. A licensed marksman visited Burhou in mid- June to cull 3 pairs of Great Black-backed Gulls that had been identified as puffin predators through the analysis of prey remains and pellets. As in 2005 and 2006, a complete island gull census was carried out using the raffle ticket counting method as described by (Finney et al 2003).

Puffins

On the first visit to Burhou on the 14th March only 2 puffins were seen rafting on the sea, on subsequent visits the numbers of puffins seen rafting and on the land were recorded throughout the season. As in 2005 and 2006 the number of puffin burrows in use at the beginning of the season and those that were still in use by the end of the season were pegged with markers and observed throughout the season to determine the numbers of breeding puffins and the productivity of the colony. Puffin provisioning rates were recorded by carrying out two dawn till dusk watches where by a sample of burrows were continuously watched to determine the number of feeds adults delivered to chicks per day. While carrying out these watches we also recorded the number of attacks made by gulls to puffins returning with fish to determine kleptoparasitism rates.

Storm petrels

On the 24th-27th April Mark Bolton (Research Biologist, RSPB) visited Burhou to assist with the establishment of a new storm petrel colony, created by digging nesting boxes into a suitable bank on the island. A solar panel connected to a car radio was also installed which played the storm petrel call at night in the hope of attracting the birds to the new site. (see appendix 1 for diagram of a nesting box) Figure 1. Breeding sites of storm petrels recorded by tape playback method 2005 and 2006 and location of new artificial nesting site.

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Shags and cormorants

On the first visit of the season the number of shag nests was marked on a map then the number of eggs and chicks in each nest was recorded throughout the season both on Burhou and Little Burhou. Cormorant productivity was not monitored due to the relative inaccessibility of the breeding site at the edge of Little Burhou and the timing of breeding which meant it was almost complete by the beginning April.

Scientific advice

Throughout the season we had support from Helen Booker (Conservation Officer RSPB), Mark Bolton (RSPB), Professor Charles Michel, Jamie Hooper (Societie Guernesaise), Phil Atkinson (British Trust of Ornithologists), Professor Mike Harris and Professor Sarah Wanless.

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Results

Gull Census

Table 1: Numbers of gulls recorded on Burhou 2007

Number of Herring gulls counted from vantage points

Number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls recorded from vantage points

Numbers of Apparently occupied nests

168

1131 1142

The ratio of herring gulls to lesser black-backed gulls counted from vantage points was 1: 6.7, as the number of apparently occupied nests was recorded as 1142, we can conclude that there are` approximately 170 breeding pairs of herring gulls and 972 breeding pairs of lesser black-backed gulls on Burhou this season (see table 2).

Table 2: Number of gulls recorded on Burhou 2005, 2006 and 2007

Numbers of Gulls Breeding on Burhou

Year Herring Gulls Lesser Black-backed Gulls Great Black-backed Gulls

2005 217 1085 18

2006 123 923 18

2007 170 972 16

Nest destruction In total, 79 breeding pairs of gulls were prevented from breeding in the designated “gull-free zones” close to puffin colonies, however the gulls still persisted in the cleared areas and relayed several times during the season. Figure 2. Map showing the exclusion zone of gulls around puffin colonies in 2006 and in 2007 when the exclusion zone around the main colony was reduced and numbers of nests destroyed in these areas in 2006 and 2007.

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Gull densities on Burhou Figures 3 and 4 show that Gull densities do appear to have altered over the Burhou since the start of the project in 2005. However similar areas are still occupied with no new sites being used by the colony.

Figure 3. Lesser black-backed gull and Herring gull densities recorded on Burhou in 2005.

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Puffin census and productivity Puffin populations can be censored in several ways; one method (which has been commonly used on Burhou in the past and is the one used in national seabird censuses) is to count rafting puffins (those on the sea). The optimum time to carry out these counts is early in the breeding season (March/April) when most of the individuals present will be breeding birds whereas later in the season more non-breeding individuals are in attendance at the colony. A more accurate method of determining the number of breeding puffins is to count apparently occupied burrows. If this method is carried out at the beginning of the season (March/April) and burrows are marked breeding success can then be determined at the end of the season by counting the number of burrows that are still in use. Table 3: Numbers of puffins in 2007 counted using two different census techniques

Numbers of rafting puffins recorded on 7th April 2007

Total number of occupied burrows recorded in April/May

127

114

As in 2006 the main colony was watched most extensively and observations of a sample of burrows was used to estimate the productivity of puffins on Burhou in 2007. On the main colony 44 burrows were initially marked as being occupied in April, on the 7th June 35 burrows were still recorded as being active and at least 28 were still active at the end of June/beginning of July. (although this may be an underestimate of the number still in use). Table 4: A comparison of the breeding success (chicks fledged per pair) of puffins on Burhou with other British colonies

Burhou Isle of May, Scotland

Fair Isle, Scotland

Skomer, Wales Farne Islands

2004 No data 0.60 0.63 0.84 0.62

2005 0.64 0.70 0.67 0.84 0.85

2006 0.61 ? ? ? ?

2007 0.63 ? ? ? ?

Figure 4. Lesser black-backed gull and Herring gull densities recorded on Burhou in 2007. (after two breeding seasons of nest destruction in exclusion zones)

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Puffin provisioning rates Dawn till dusk watches were carried out on the main colony, observing 35 occupied burrows and on the smaller colony that can be observed from the hut, 17 burrows. The average provisioning rate (feeds per day) recorded on the 7th June was 5.17 feeds per chick per day (ranging from 1- 13 feeds). This is slightly higher to the number of feeds per day recorded on Burhou in 2005 recorded at 3.08 loads per day and in 2006 recorded at 4.5 loads per day in 2006. Figure 5. Number of feeds per hour for puffins breeding on the main colony site, (35 burrows observed)

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Kleptoparasitism rates Of 256 puffin provisioning attempts observed throughout the season only 1 attempt was intercepted successfully by a lesser black-backed gull. We did however observe one herring gull that was seen on one day to persistently chase puffins trying to enter burrows. Although it was never seen to be successful, puffins were deterred from landing due to its presence. Fish size recorded in Puffins bills In 2006 we began to estimate the length of fish in puffins bills. This year photographs were taken of the fish that the puffins were carrying and received analysis from Professor Mike Harris on the type of fish observed. Professor Harris reported that the photographs taken were mostly young gadidae, most probably whiting. He also suggested that the loads photographed were very substantial and their size would probably make up for the lower calorific density of such gadidae fish compared to sandeels and sprats. On Professor Harris’ visit of the 23rd July, he and Professor Sarah Wanless reported seeing 25 loads of fish being carried by puffins and reported that these loads were clearly comprised of sandeels, with a mixture of well-grown young-of-the-year and older fish. He stated from these observations that loads being brought in to Burhou were of higher quality than those recorded at other British colonies, including the Isle of May, in recent years.

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Recruitment Professor Mike Harris reported on his visit in July that; “Of a sample of 25 birds in the raft that we could see clearly, at least five had incompletely developed bills indicating that they were immature (probably 3-4 years old). This is important since it shows that the population is still attracting recruits” The density of gulls around the puffins main breeding areas is still high enough to potentially reduce recruitment to the colony (Finney 2003) A suggestion by Professor Sarah Wanless was to put in place a series of puffin dummies on the land which would have the effect of potentially attracting new recruits to the colony. This method has been successfully carried out in a reintroduction programme in Maine. Professor Harris does however, recommend that if such methods are to implemented the behaviour of the puffins and gulls would have to be monitored to ensure that attracting more puffins ashore did not result in increased levels of gull harassment.

Great Black-backed Gulls

Three individual great black-backed gulls were culled in 2007, and two individuals were culled in 2006. (see figure 5 for locations of culled birds nests and the pair that should be targeted in 2008).The remaining pair that we aimed to cull could not be culled in 2007 due to weather and time restraints of the marksman and the difficulties in using a shot gun for this task. One puffin carcass and a puffin beak were found during the breeding season within the territories of the above-mentioned great black-backed Gulls. Figure 5 locations of Great Black Backed Gull nests that have been identified as puffin predators

Shags

Fifty shag nests were recorded on Burhou in 2006, this year 19 nests were identified in total on Burhou and Little Burhou on the 7th April. Of the 19 occupied nests only 8 pairs laid eggs (and most not full clutches) and of those 8 pairs 6 successfully fledged young. Similar poor breeding success was also reported in Guernsey (Veron pers. Comm.) and in Brittany (Cadou, Pers. Comm.)

Storm petrels

The 49 installed nesting boxes were checked regularly for signs of activity, however none were used this season (which was to be expected). Ringing of storm petrels was not carried out this year due to poor weather conditions and time restraints of the Guernsey ringing team. Summary of Results

Breeding puffin numbers remain steady and are comparable to those recorded in 2005, 2006 and in 1980 (Danchin & Cordonnier 1980)

Kleptoparasitism still does not appear to pose a major problem to feeding puffins.

The density of gulls within the designated “gull free zones” is still potentially high enough to reduce recruitment to the colony despite continuous destruction of nests.

Two puffins were known to be killed by Great Black-backed Gulls this season. But three Great-Black backed Gulls identified as preying on puffins were culled.

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Puffin productivity recorded as 0.63 young fledged per pair and is comparable to productivity recorded in 2005, and 2006 on Burhou and in recent years on other British puffin colonies

Photographs of puffins carrying fish suggest a diet of Gadidae fish, while Professor Mike Harris’ observations suggest a diet of sandeels. In either case the numbers and size of the fish suggest a healthy diet.

Shags had a very poor season with very few pairs successfully rearing any young Management Recommendations for 2008

Continued persistent disturbance of gulls nesting in the “designated “gull free zone” close to puffin burrows in same area as in 2007. To be effective, this must start and be maintained early in the season, but is very weather dependent.

Continued control of bracken within 50m of a puffin burrows

Culling of the remaining Great Black-backed Gulls that have been identified as preying on puffins.

Establishment of a second nesting site to encourage storm petrels, and continued playing of the storm petrel call

at the site established in 2007 to encourage new breeding birds.

Close Burhou to visitors until the 1st August to ensure that all puffin chicks have fledged.

Continue to enforce the boundaries of puffin colonies to prevent visitors from trampling burrows in the open

season.

Put a screen in place alongside the hut and a hide close to the main colony to allow observation of occupied burrows with minimum disturbance. If particular persistent gulls are observed ‘harassing’ puffins records should be kept on

the number of times it attempts to kleptoparitises puffins and the number of provisioning attempts of those puffins close to the ‘offending gulls’ so that provisioning data can be compared.

Monitoring recommendations for 2008 (based on research this year and as recommended by the States Ramsar Management Plan)

Complete gull census on the island

Monitor the productivity of a sample of Herring gull nests

Census of breeding puffins

Record productivity of breeding puffins

Put in place dummy puffins to encourage recruitment of puffins to the colony.

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Record productivity of breeding shags

Monitor the nesting boxes established for storm petrels If ringing is to be carried out on storm petrels this should

be undertaken at the optimum time to establish the breeding population at the beginning of June (Bolton, pers.comm.)

Establish a dry stone wall behind the storm petrel artificial nests to encourage more

recruitment.

Acknowledgements

Without the assistance of the following people the research and management work would not have been possible: Bill Black, Mark Wordsworth, Rowland Neil, Tim Finding, Helen Booker, Mark Bolton, Professor Mike Harris, Professor Sarah Wanless, Jeremy Sanders (who encouraged Professor Harris’ visit), and the States Works Department.

References

Danchin & Cordonnier (1980). A study of the birds of Alderney 1979-1980. Report for C.R.B.P.O Paris. Finney SK, Harris MP, Keller LF, Eslton DA, Monoghan P and Wanless S. 2003. Reducing the density of breeding gulls influences the pattern of recruitment of immature Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica to a breeding colony. Journal of Applied Ecology 2003 40: 545 – 552. Kress, SW; Nettleship, DN. 1988 Re-establishment of Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica ) at a former breeding site in the Gulf of Maine. Journal of Field Ornithology. Vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 161-170 Harris, M.P. (1976) The present status of the Puffin in Britain and Ireland. British Birds. 69 239-264. Harris, M.P. (1984) The Puffin. T & A.D. Poyser. Carlton.

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Appendices Appendix 1. Storm petrel nesting box (from Mark Bolton, RSPB)