WMIL team returns to Canna for final monitoring visit
The team, John Tayton (WMIL), and volunteers John Webster, John McTague, and Corinna Goeckeritz met in Mallaig on the evening of Monday 10th and arrived on Canna Tuesday 11th after a surprisingly calm crossing, along with Martin Carty who would be surveying the raptors on the island. The rest of the day was spent settling in, briefing the volunteers, and sorting out equipment stored on the island, also speaking to Geoff Soe-Paing about the long term monitoring that he had been carrying out.
Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th the final phase monitoring grid was begun, adding open wire monitoring stations midway between each of the 720 existing monitoring station tubes around the perimeter of Canna and Sanday, whilst checking the existing stations for any rat sign. No rat sign was found, although many were found to be empty due to heavy wood mouse activity. An extra line of 79 open monitoring stations was laid around the fields on Canna. Also 1500 bait stations were taken from storage and shipped to Rum on Thursday 13th, some office equipment was provided by Wendy, and the ATV brakes serviced. On Saturday 15th the lines on Langanes, Geugasgor and Lamasgor were laid while the volunteers had a well earned day off.
Sunday 16th some outstanding lines were completed and an extra line of 38 stations placed around Sanday fields. Also a full round of monitoring checks was begun, and completed on Monday 17th . No rat sign was found. Some stations were found to be empty of chocolate wax after only three days, due to a high level of wood mouse activity. Almost all stations had some sign of wood mouse activity, either gnawing on the chocolate wax and/or droppings. Very few had any other sign due to birds, rabbits or stock. A small number had been removed by stock. Tuesday 18th, a further round of monitoring was begun, to be completed on Wednesday 19th . No rat sign has been found.
John Tayton, WMIL
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