The mice capture work continues by between two and three Edinburgh Zoo staff. Gareth arrived on Tuesday 27th September and Edwin departed on Wednesday 28th September. There have been between 30 and 80 Longworth live traps set in various locations, with a total of 56 mice caught to date. It is understood that the mice moved to Edinburgh Zoo are doing well – with two litters born, and another due.
Rat trapping continues. To date 21 rats have been caught. The trap sets have been removed from Tarbert Road as a number of mice continue to be live-trapped there by the mice team.
Establishing the bait station grid continues. Over 3280 stations have been put out to date - Tarbert Road and slopes, part of the Plateau, the in-bye area, Compass Hill, Tarbert parks, all the slopes (except the steeper areas and/or rope access areas) and much of Sanday.
Weather continued to affect the project with another two days were lost to bad weather (bad enough to cancel the Monday and Saturday morning sailings of the Calmac ferry). However, inside work was completed as well as cleaning sheds around the in-bye area, packing ready for the house move, delivering bulk bags of bait stations, canes and wires around the island.
Jill Harden (NTS, Archaeology) and an NTS Thistle Camp departed on Saturday 1st October on the late ferry after the morning ferry was cancelled, delaying the move to Tighard until that evening. The volunteers are now all in The New House and the WMIL team are in Tighard. NTS volunteers - Iain Smith departed and Jim Watt arrived on Saturday 1st October.
Biz Bell, WMIL. Sunday 25th September 2005
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