I'm pleased to pass on the good news that the hide has now reopened. MWT suggests that the wearing of face-coverings remains desirable, and advises hand sanitisation protocols are followed. Hide windows should be left open for the foreseeable future to maximise airflow through the building.
As warden, I feel rather guilty that I have been the only user of the hide for the last 16 months, but it is spotlessly clean! All Black-Headed Gulls have now left, and the predatory Lesser Black Backs are no longer visiting, enabling the Great Crested Grebes to parade their 2 offspring from their third nesting attempt. The Shelduck were not so lucky, with a brood of three and another pair with 8 young disappearing within 48 hours of appearing on the lake, as did the Tufted ducklings. Even the Canada Geese suffered huge losses, with an estimated 3 young surviving to fledging from about 10 pairs. 3 pairs of Cormorant have fledged 6 young, and 2 pairs of Reed Warbler raised young in front of the hide.
I hope those using the hide will continue to be aware that Covid has not gone away, and use the building in a responsible way that does not put themselves or others at risk.
That's great news Chris! I wonder if you have noticed any differences in wildlife behaviour or breeding success rates with the absence of people?
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ReplyDeleteInteresting, Edd. There has been no discernible difference in behaviour of species in front of the hide, which supports my pre-Covid thoughts that birds are not disturbed by noise of e.g. School Groups, but rather by sudden movement close to the windows. If the movement is further back in the hide, I think the darker interior masks most of the action. Breeding success, I believe, is mostly affected by water levels and predators. The Black-Headed Gulls fledged about 100 young this year, rather than the 300 in a better year, due to a large flood in June, and the Lesser Black Backs plundering the second round of egg-laying. As last year, it is only the third attempt at breeding that is successful for the Grebes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris. That's good to know, I was just curious if any species had benefitted from the lack of people. There are winners and losers when people are nearby, for example the Arctic Terns abandoned the Skerries as Peregrines moved in due to the wardens leaving the island in the pandemic, but Little Terns reclaimed a colony on South Uist because dogs were not being walked out there.
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