Friday 29 March 2013

Souter stack(jack rock) this afternoon

 The last couple of days Ive walked about a mile and a half of the Don in search of Otter sign. This is because of the stretch of this waterway Ive been allocated to carry out the up-coming survey that's being carried out by the Durham wildlife trust.A couple of these areas Ive not visited in years, so it was nice to view them again and see what changes have taken place. Pretty fruitless regarding Otter sign with only "maybe" prints at one spot and the remains of old spraint in another area, but the Water vole signs were very good!! Also another Bullfinch territory within Jarrow was found that was new to me.

This afternoon I visited Jack rock (Souter stack) to see how this breeding colony around this area was looking at the moment.
The Fulmars look to have occupied for the moment all of thier old preferred nesting ledges and hiddy-holes along the cliff faces and stacks...Lots of Fulmar chat going off!




 Kittiwakes haven't fully returned as yet to nesting ledges judging by the numbers present around this area today and also in Marsden.
 The Cormorant colony had 45 birds present on Jack rock on this visit this afternoon, courtship/pair bonding and nest building going off. None on Marsden rock or the smaller stack just to south of this bay here as yet.

Single Shag present also.....(Still waiting to see a success story breeding wise here).
Only 2 Razorbills on the main cliff face on this visit.

Small up-date regarding the Redheads landing Kittiwake colony.
Many a email has been sent and responses had- emails, phone calls and via Facebook.
The RSPB and Natural England have been consulted by the Port of Tyne regarding the planned development, also ST council obviously .
Legally they are within their rights to remove nests out of the breeding season and make future nesting here not possible, morally,thats another thing...........
It hit the local paper last week-
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/nesting-birds-mean-river-work-is-suspended-1-5511428

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