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The Status of Northern Gannet in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04

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The Status of Northern Gannet in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04 The status of Northern Gannet in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04 Sarah Wanless, Stuart Murray and Michael P. Harris ABSTRACT In 2003/04 there were about 261,000 occupied nest-sites of Northern Gannets Morus bassanus, in 24 colonies, in Britain & Ireland. Three new colonies had been established since the last census in 1994/95. Although the British and Irish population was 12% higher than in 1994/95, the average rate of increase (1.2% per annum) over this period was appreciably lower than during the previous decade. e probably know more about the There are relatively few breeding colonies and breeding distribution and abundance most are on offshore islands or stacks. Probably Wof seabirds than of any other avian because of their spectacular locations, gan- group (Croxall et al. 1984; Brooke 2004), and, netries hold a particular fascination for undoubtedly, the Northern Gannet Morus bas- ornithologists and there is a well-established sanus (hereafter ‘Gannet’) is one of the seabirds tradition of visiting colonies and making about which we know most. It is the largest, and counts. Censuses of the entire world population arguably the most spectacular species in the were made in the 1900s, 1939, 1949, 1969/70, North Atlantic. Its breeding range extends from 1984/85 and 1994/95 with the result that Brittany north to Iceland and east to the changes in numbers at individual colonies and Murman coast of Russia, and from the Gulf of in the world population are better known than St Lawrence to Labrador in the west Atlantic. for any other relatively common bird (Gurney 1913; Fisher & Vevers 1943, 1944; Wanless 1987; Lloyd et al. 1991; 250000 Murray & Wanless 1997). The available historical information indicates that numbers in Britain & Ireland declined during much of the nineteenth century, mainly 150000 owing to excessive harvesting of eggs and chicks for human con- sumption. Following protection, however, numbers had started to Apparently occupied nests Apparently recover by the end of the century. 50000 Initially, the rate of increase was 1900 1950 2000 slow but, from about 1939 Year onwards, it gained momentum Fig. 1. The long-term increase in the British and Irish population of and for much of the second half Northern Gannets Morus bassanus, 1904-2004. of the twentieth century the 280 © British Birds 98 • June 2005 • 280-294 Northern Gannets in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04 /SNH/CEH Stuart Murray 148. Stac Lee, St Kilda,Western Isles, 21st June 2004.This spectacular, 180-m-high sea rock holds more than 13,000 pairs of Northern Gannets Morus bassanus, half of which are crammed onto the summit table. world population increased at an average rate of two not counted were those on Ortac and Les approximately 2% per annum (p.a.). The Etacs in the Channel Islands. Detailed changes increase in Gannet numbers is thus best consid- at individual gannetries are presented elsewhere ered not as a population explosion, but rather (Wanless et al. 2005a,b). In this paper, our aim as a long-term recovery from intense persecu- is to present an overview of the total popula- tion. This recovery occurred during a period tion, to describe three new colonies (two in when feeding conditions were favourable, with Scotland and an embryonic one in Wales) that good stocks of small- to medium-sized pelagic have been founded recently, and to highlight the shoaling fish such as mackerel Scomber scom- slowing down of the rate of increase of the total brus, herring Clupea harengus and sandeels population. Ammodytes spp. (Nelson 2002). These long- term trends in the British and Irish population Counts are summarised in fig. 1. Most British and Irish Gannet colonies are on Recent censuses of British and Irish colonies steep cliffs on offshore islands. Gannets are have been carried out every ten years and, since large and conspicuous and this facilitates the one was scheduled for 2004/05, counts of gan- rapid discovery of new colonies. Since Seabird netries were of relatively low priority during 2000, colonies have been founded on Sule Seabird 2000 (Mitchell et al. 2004). Nonetheless, Skerry and Westray, both in Orkney, and on St during the course of this comprehensive inven- Margaret’s Island, Pembrokeshire (fig. 2). tory of British and Irish seabirds, carried out Counting nests at all but the smallest gannetries between 1998 and 2002, counts were made of is a formidable undertaking, hence the larger 14 of the 21 extant colonies. The gannetries colonies tend to be counted infrequently and covered tended to be the smaller, more acces- usually only during dedicated surveys. sible ones and results from these indicated that Aerial surveys of ten of the major colonies numbers were still increasing (Wanless & Harris were carried out in 2004. Such surveys require a 2004). As planned, a co-ordinated survey of slow, twin-engine aircraft; an experienced pilot; Gannets was carried out mainly in 2004, and at least two photographers with a reasonable this paper presents counts for 22 of the 24 tolerance of airsickness; and good weather. The colonies for which counts were attempted. The ideal time for a survey is between mid May and British Birds 98 • June 2005 • 280-294 281 Northern Gannets in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04 the aerial photographs. Hermaness Sule Sule The 2004 survey was Stack Skerry carried out using similar Foula Noss methods to those used in Westray Fair Isle 1984/85 and 1994/95 Sula Sgeir (Murray & Wanless 1986, 1997). Each gannetry was Flannan Isles photographed several times St Kilda and from several different Troup Head angles, using 35-mm reflex cameras fitted with 50-mm lenses and using 64 or 100 ASA colour-slide film, to Bass Rock ensure complete coverage. Ailsa Craig The resulting colour trans- parencies were used to form a mosaic of the colony to avoid missing areas and Scare Rocks double-counting. In general, Clare Bempton Island the same count-section boundaries were adopted as Ireland’s Eye in the previous two cen- suses. Little The only practical Skellig Great Saltee counting unit is the ‘appar- Grassholm ently occupied site’ (AOS), a Bull St Margaret’s Rock Island site occupied by one or two Gannets, irrespective of whether nest material is Les Etacs present. Slides were pro- Ortac Channel Islands jected onto a suitable surface and each AOS Fig. 2. The locations of Northern Gannet Morus bassanus colonies marked off as it was in Britain & Ireland in 2004. counted. Sites clearly occu- mid June, but covering all the colonies within pied by nonbreeders were excluded wherever this time frame is dependent on favourable possible. Counts were made by one or two weather conditions, in particular excellent visi- observers and the figures presented here are the bility, low wind speeds and a high cloud-base. means of these counts. Even when photographs Surveys must also fit in with military activities; are of high standard, there is variation both for example, St Kilda, Scare Rocks and Sule among counts made by the same observer and Stack are all subject to various restrictions. among those made by different observers In general, breeding Gannets are unaffected (Harris & Lloyd 1977). Within-observer differ- by slow aircraft whereas most nonbreeding ences in 2004 were generally less than those birds fly off. The usual procedure is, therefore, between observers, with values for the latter of to wait until these birds have left before starting the order of 5-10%. These values were similar to to take photographs. At the Bass Rock and those recorded in the 1984/85 and 1994/95 Grassholm, however, the nonbreeders remain surveys (Murray & Wanless 1986, 1997; Wanless stubbornly on the ground. Consequently, aerial 1987). photographs of these two colonies include both Direct field counts of apparently occupied the breeding and the nonbreeding components nests (AON) were made at nine colonies. On of the population. Visits were therefore made to Foula, AOS were counted directly, while at Sule the Bass Rock on 17th July 2004 and to Skerry both a direct field count and a count Grassholm on 5th September 2004 to establish from a land-based photograph were made. the boundaries of the breeding areas shown by Details of methodology and totals for all the 282 British Birds 98 • June 2005 • 280-294 Northern Gannets in Britain & Ireland in 2003/04 Table 1. The most recent counts of gannetries in Britain & Ireland. Counts from photographs were apparently occupied sites (AOS), most field counts were of apparently occupied nests (AON). Colony AOS/AON Date of count Method Source % p.a. change since last count Scotland Bass Rock 48,065 21 June 2004 Aerial Wanless et al. (2005a) 1.9 photography Troup Head 1,547 1 July 2004 Field count Mavor et al. (2005) 20.5 Fair Isle 1,875 13 June 2004 Field count D. Shaw/Fair Isle Bird 8.6 Observatory (in litt.) Noss 8,652 8-14 June, Field count Marshall & Thomas (2003) 1.9 9-30 July 2003 Hermaness 15,633 26 June, Field count Duffield (2003) 3.0 22-26 July 2003 Foula 919 3 July 2004 Field count S. Gear (in litt.) 8.7 Westray 14 21-22 June 2004 Field count K. Judd/RSPB (in litt.) Sule Skerry 57 8 July 2004 Ground D. Budworth/ photograph A. Blackburn (in litt.) Sule Stack 4,618 26 May 2004 Aerial Wanless et al. (2005a) -0.6 photography Sula Sgeir 9,225 26 May 2004 Aerial Wanless et al. (2005a) -1.2 photography Flannan Isles 2,760 26 May 2004 Aerial Wanless et al. (2005a) 6.7 photography St Kilda 59,622 21 June 2004 Aerial Wanless et al.
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