Geoff continues to check the monitoring grid. Since the last report there have been two further complete checks. The table below shows the results. No rat signs were detected, but as would be expected the percentage of blocks nibbled by mice increased as the winter progressed. By January 94% of stations had mice nibbles, indicating that probably most of the island has now been recolonised by wood mice following the eradication. In some cases the nibbling was so severe that the wax block had gone and only waxy mouse droppings were left.

Result of monitoring work; Rounds 8-12.

Geoff will do another check in February. Then a WMIL team, headed by Johnny Tayton and with Corinna Goeckeritz, John McTague and John Webster will return from 11-29^th March 2008 for the final check and will then remove all remaining bait stations and sort out the remaining materials left in the loft at the Square.

On Friday 1 February 2008, the trawler, Spinningdale was wrecked on the shore of Village Bay, St Kilda. Thankfully, the crew of 14 were all airlifted to safety by a Coastguard helicopter. However, in light of the Canna experience, the National Trust for Scotland is concerned about the problems for the island’s birdlife should any rats get ashore from the trawler. The incident has therefore triggered a contingency response and two specialist staff have been deployed to the island to set up traps and a monitoring grid to check for rats. This is using the procedures in the Canna contingency and monitoring plan developed by WMIL for the Canna Seabird Recovery Project.

Finally our congratulations go to Geoff and Eilidh on the birth of their twins, Jack and Meggie. All are well and well done Geoff for coping with the new additions to the family and also completing the last monitoring round during an exceptionally wet and windy month.

Bob Swann

Project Administrator

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