Remaining bait stations in the eastern end of Sanday, In-bye and Tarbet Parks were removed. The wires were straightened and put in bundles of 50 wires. These were stored in the loft in the main implement shed. Most of the bait stations have been stored in Coroghon Barn (100 have been stored in Tarbet Barn). All other bait stations will remain in place. Only the bait stations in the buildings have Ditrac™ bait still present, all other stations have chocolate wax.
Permanent trap sets could not be established before the team left the island as RJ McLeod’s were still working on the pier and main road. Maps with suggested trap placement sites will be provided to Bob Swann (NTS, Project Administrator) and these will be established as soon as possible.
Long-term monitoring over the summer will be completed by NTS staff and volunteers. Suggested monitoring stations and areas and tick sheets (for recording data) will be supplied to NTS (Bob Swann). Training tools (candles, soap and chocolate) with rat and other non-target animals’ teeth marks have been left in the loft of the main implement shed. All monitoring equipment (notebooks, candles, soap, wire, tape, etc.) are also in the loft. Only one long-term monitoring line has been established around the coast of Sanday (216 stations). The final check in Iolasgor was completed on Thursday 30th March and no rat sign was found in the previously active areas.
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.
Two bait stations (black, lockable) and two buckets of Ditrac™ bait have been left with Packy for the MV Spanish John II. These will be given to the boat when it next visits the island.
All permanent access ropes were either pulled in, or labelled ‘Official Access Only’ for use during the summer by the monitoring team. Both the "rat team" and Highland Ringing Group will be using these ropes.
The remaining glass recycling from Canna House was removed from the island on the Calmac ferry. No days were lost to bad weather.
John Webster (NTS volunteer), and Brian and Sue Bell (WMIL) left on Thursday 30th March. Martin Carty (NTS, Sea Eagle monitoring) departed on Friday 31st March. The remaining NTS volunteers (Ellie Burt, Scott O’Hara, Dave Tayton and Judi Forsyth) and all WMIL staff (Biz Bell, Paul Garner-Richards, Lyn Byrne, John Tayton, Luke Banse and Richard Bakere) left on Saturday 1st April.
WMIL would like to thank the Canna Island community for their support and assistance throughout this first phase of the Canna Seabird Recovery Project. We look forward to returning in October, and completing the eradication phase of the project.
WMIL would also like to thank all the NTS volunteers and staff for their excellent work, support and commitment throughout the project. Without their enthusiasm and effort, the project would have been much more difficult to undertake. We look forward to working with you all again either on Canna or some other location in the UK or around the world.
Biz Bell and Paul Garner-Richards - WMIL, Saturday 1st April 2006
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