The twelfth bait and monitoring check was nearly completed this week, with only Geugasgor and one of the steep Tarbert parks not covered. These will be completed on Monday. Bait was removed and one block of chocolate wax monitoring was added to each of the bait stations.
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Heading up to the west plateau, in the snow, with a bait bucket.
Some chocolate wax monitoring was also added to the monitoring stations in certain areas (e.g. Iolasgor, Nunnery, Garrisdale). No rat sign was detected. Chocolate wax was made by the team, by melting down candles, removing the wicks and then mixing the candle wax with cocoa (see opposite).
A possible rat sighting was reported at the RJ McLeod’s camp site (under the generator). Traps have been set and will be maintained for the remainder of the project. No rats have been trapped and no rat sign has been recorded. For instance no rat footprints have been seen in any of the muddy areas around the traps.
Martin Carty continued with the sea eagle monitoring. He updates the project team with information on the birds, in particular the location of activity and behaviour of both pairs as well as other raptor species.
Richard Luxmoore, Bob Swann (NTS) and Graham Tucker (EU Life Project) visited the island to discuss the project and progress.
No days were lost to bad weather, despite snow being present on the ground for five days.
Richard Luxmoore (NTS), Bob Swann (NTS) and Graham Tucker (EU Life Project) arrived on Tuesday 28th February. Lisa Scharf (Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) and Sarah Pullar (NTS volunteer) departed on Tuesday 28th February. Martin Carty (NTS) arrived on Thursday 2nd March. Richard Luxmoore, Graham Tucker, Steve Ebbert (Alaskan Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) and Peter Dunlevy (Alaskan Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) departed on Thursday 2 March. Martin Carty departed on Saturday 4th March and John Webster, Denise Shaw and Scott O’Hara (all NTS volunteers) arrived on Saturday 4th March.
Biz Bell and Paul Garner-Richards - WMIL, Sunday 5th March 2006
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