Concern over slow start to seabird breeding season - National Trust for Scotland

Our seabird experts have raised concerns after observing a slow start to the seabird breeding season, which runs from April to September each year, as well as a reduction in nesting activity for key species such as fulmars, guillemots and shags.

The data was gathered during annual monitoring surveys, carried out by our ranger teams and groups we support on our islands, to measure the health of the seabird population in our care.

With over 1 million seabirds nesting at Trust places every year, our charity has recruited additional staff to work on new initiatives aimed at protecting Scotland’s natural heritage. Two new seabird ecologists, James Crymble and Elizabeth (Liz) Morgan, have joined the Trust at a crucial time; one of their first jobs has been to help rangers to complete the annual monitoring surveys and record vital data about the seabird species that breed in Scotland.

James, who has worked as a seabird researcher on islands around the world, brings his experience managing invasive species and island biosecurity to the Trust. Liz is a seabird scientist and qualified bird ringer with a PhD in seabird ecology, and has wide-ranging expertise that will be an asset to our efforts to protect Scotland’s wildlife for future generations to enjoy.

James said: ‘Preliminary results are in from our rangers’ recent monitoring surveys and, although numbers do seem to be down for many species, it is not all doom and gloom. Kittiwakes, which have undergone dramatic population declines in Scotland over the last 30 years, appear to be bucking the trend this year with numbers increasing at most of our locations. It is a mixed picture for other species at our sites, with no fulmars breeding on Canna this year. However, their numbers are looking better on Fair Isle, making it a larger colony now than at St Kilda, which has traditionally been the largest in the UK. We are working to determine the root cause.’