Continued monitoring at the "summer reported rat sighting areas" has shown no rat sign or activity. Checking all the monitoring in the bait stations has been completed on Sanday, and at Lamasgor, In-Bye (including Canna House), Garrisdale, Compass Hill, Water-tanks, Terraces, Guegasgor, Sloc, Tarbert Road, Tarbert Paddocks, East Plateaus and Coroghon. No rat sign has been detected. Monitoring outside the bait stations has been checked at Lamasgor, In-Bye (including Canna House), Compass Hill, Garrisdale, Water-tanks, Terraces, Tartbert Road, Tarbert Paddocks and East Plateau. No rat sign has been detected. Monitoring inside and outside the bait stations was checked on the southern side of the island at one of the boat-access sites (Haslam). No rat sign has been detected.

 

Monitoring equipment, mainly chocolate wax, is being made in small batches most days after regular field work. A delivery of canes arrived. These will be used to mark the monitoring stations and for the long-term monitoring line. The ATV got a flat tyre at the end of the day during the week, but this was repaired with the assistance of Murdo Jack.

 

"Rodent motels" (a wooden box with bedding and food for rodents, which are used as an early method of detection in case rodents get accidentally re-introduced to the island, and can have traps added) were constructed for placement in all the farm and out buildings.

 

Weather has been poor, with two days lost to bad conditions . On these days surplus bait was taken to the pier in preparation of transportation to Falkland Islands, "rodent motels" were made and chocolate wax blocks.

Biz Bell, Dave Boyle and Paul Garner-Richards - WMIL, Sunday 29^th October 2006