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Conservationists to count breeding birds after 'puffin wreck' winter Conservationists to count breeding birds after 'puffin wreck' winter
(4 months later)
Nipped fingers and handfuls of guano will be the order of the day for wildlife rangers on the Farne Islands as they embark on an epic census on Friday to discover whether puffin numbers have plummeted after a year of extreme weather.Nipped fingers and handfuls of guano will be the order of the day for wildlife rangers on the Farne Islands as they embark on an epic census on Friday to discover whether puffin numbers have plummeted after a year of extreme weather.
The 10 National Trust rangers living on the islands must dangle their bare fingers down 60,000 puffin burrows in the next two months to determine whether breeding pairs have fallen after the worst puffin "wreck" for 66 years.The 10 National Trust rangers living on the islands must dangle their bare fingers down 60,000 puffin burrows in the next two months to determine whether breeding pairs have fallen after the worst puffin "wreck" for 66 years.
The wreck in March, which saw 3,500 birds wash up dead along the north-east coast of Britain, was caused by icy easterly winds. It followed a summer when the puffins on the archipelago off Northumberland were flooded out of their underground homes, with more than 40% failing to breed.The wreck in March, which saw 3,500 birds wash up dead along the north-east coast of Britain, was caused by icy easterly winds. It followed a summer when the puffins on the archipelago off Northumberland were flooded out of their underground homes, with more than 40% failing to breed.
"We're very concerned," said David Steel, head ranger on the Farne Islands. "We were very optimistic until last summer [2012] when we had a very wet summer and breeding success was poor. Then in March [2013] we've had this other extreme weather that actually killed quite a lot of puffins.""We're very concerned," said David Steel, head ranger on the Farne Islands. "We were very optimistic until last summer [2012] when we had a very wet summer and breeding success was poor. Then in March [2013] we've had this other extreme weather that actually killed quite a lot of puffins."
The census occurs every five years and since it began in 1939, puffin numbers on the Farnes have soared from 3,000 breeding pairs to 36,835 pairs in 2008. But that figure was a 30% fall from the high of 2003, raising fears that the extreme weather and warmer seas brought about by climate change may be affecting the puffins.The census occurs every five years and since it began in 1939, puffin numbers on the Farnes have soared from 3,000 breeding pairs to 36,835 pairs in 2008. But that figure was a 30% fall from the high of 2003, raising fears that the extreme weather and warmer seas brought about by climate change may be affecting the puffins.
The birds spend winter floating on the North Sea, and feed by diving for sand eels. But in stormy weather the water becomes too turbid to detect their prey. Warmer sea temperatures may also be driving the sand eels further north.The birds spend winter floating on the North Sea, and feed by diving for sand eels. But in stormy weather the water becomes too turbid to detect their prey. Warmer sea temperatures may also be driving the sand eels further north.
But puffins are resilient, long-lived birds – the oldest Farne resident is 32 years old – and Steel said that last year may not be as disastrous as it first appears. The "wreck" killed the old, sick and young but wardens have reported good numbers returning for the breeding season.But puffins are resilient, long-lived birds – the oldest Farne resident is 32 years old – and Steel said that last year may not be as disastrous as it first appears. The "wreck" killed the old, sick and young but wardens have reported good numbers returning for the breeding season.
Puffins have flourished on the Farnes thanks to the National Trust's careful management of the 40,000 visitors who take boat trips to the islands each year – and the absence of ground predators. There are no foxes or rats, although wardens are monitoring this carefully after a ship ran aground on the islands in March.Puffins have flourished on the Farnes thanks to the National Trust's careful management of the 40,000 visitors who take boat trips to the islands each year – and the absence of ground predators. There are no foxes or rats, although wardens are monitoring this carefully after a ship ran aground on the islands in March.
Counting puffins is undertaken by carefully reaching into each burrow with a bare hand so that rangers can gently detect the presence of monogamous pairs and whether they are sitting on an egg.Counting puffins is undertaken by carefully reaching into each burrow with a bare hand so that rangers can gently detect the presence of monogamous pairs and whether they are sitting on an egg.
"I've got a really enthusiastic team here and for the first couple of weeks they are going to love doing the census," said Steel, a veteran of three puffin counts. "But after a while, they may be sick of it. The amount of bites and scars they are going to have will be interesting.""I've got a really enthusiastic team here and for the first couple of weeks they are going to love doing the census," said Steel, a veteran of three puffin counts. "But after a while, they may be sick of it. The amount of bites and scars they are going to have will be interesting."
• National Trust puffin webcam• National Trust puffin webcam
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