Geoff continues to check the monitoring grid. Since the last report there has been one further complete check. On round 4, 615 stations were checked, 400 (65%) had mice nibbles, fairly similar to that recorded in the previous round. No rat signs were detected. Some sections of the monitoring grid were not covered to avoid unnecessary disturbance to breeding seabirds and eagles.

Bob Swann and Ronnie Graham, with help from Martin Carty, visited Canna from 25^th to 28^th May to start the seabird monitoring work. Sanday, the west end of Canna and the south side of Canna were counted. The table below gives details of the birds counted in these areas in 2007, compared to the same areas in 2006.

Early indications are that it is going to be a late season and it is likely that not all birds have laid yet. Many shags, for instance, were still nest building, so these figure may represent minima. A full count will be undertaken in late June.

The two most obvious changes concerned Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes. The rapid decline in Herring Gull numbers continues, possibly as a result of a lack of discards, due to a local reduction in fishing activity. Kittiwakes, at the Sanday, colony showed a welcome increase in numbers, following two particularly poor years. Many birds were already incubating eggs. To avoid undue disturbance the big seabird colonies at Geugasgor and Lamasgor were not checked. However, observations from above suggested that auk numbers were low, with very few having laid, possibly indicating problems with fish availability.

The Manx Shearwater colony on the Tarbert Road was visited on two occasions at night in April 2007. On both occasions up to 8 birds were heard calling in flight over the colony. On 26^th May the colony was resurveyed by three observers playing a tape recording of a male shearwater. This usually elicits a response from any male birds occupying burrows. Over 400 burrows were checked, but no occupied ones were located. It still remains a possibility that a few pairs are still breeding as it is too time consuming to check every burrow. On 27^th May twenty burrows were checked above the Nunnery and one occupied burrow was located. 100 burrows were then checked at Garrisdale point, but no calling birds were noted.

Plans are now well advanced for the EU Life (Nature) Fund post project conference. This will be a joint conference hosted by The National Trust for Scotland, Royal Zoological Society of Edinburgh and Central Science Laboratory. It is entitled:Tackling the Problem of invasive alien mammals on seabird colonies - Strategic approaches and practical experience.

It is to be held on 18-19^th September 2007, at the Education Centre, Edinburgh Zoo. A booking form, giving full details of the programme can be found on the project website by clicking on:

Early booking is advised and any bookings after 18^th August 2007, will incur a late booking fee.

Bob Swann, Project Administrator

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