Not far from the summit cairn of Ailsa Craig we found this unprotected greater black backed gull nest. Now the rats have gone, this ruthless bird has no predators. We have seen these gulls straffing a colony of razorbills, forcing them into flight then eating their eggs.
Just a short distance away, down a grassy bank, lay the top of the gannet colony on the west craigs. It was quite tempting to go down and get some good closeups of the nesting gannets. But these gannets were incubating their eggs. If they had been disturbed and left the nest, the gulls would have swooped down and stolen the eggs. I contented myself with this distant view.
Marauding black backed gulls were not the only problem facing the gannets. Thirteen fishing boats, at least two of which were registered to Belfast, were trawling round and round Ailsa Craig. From the heights we could see where their nets had stirred up the sea bed. It seemed a great pity that so many fish were being scooped out of the sea, right under the beaks of the breeding gannets.
05/05/2008
I wonder if you might have seen the BBC News item concerning "Maximus" the gannet chick, recently abandoned by his parents on Bass Rock and rescued by the Scottish Seabird Centre who had been monitoring him remotely (by camera). He was born late in the season and his parents couldn't cope with tending him as well as surviving themselves. Quite heart-rending. I had no idea that gannets lived for 37 years! Like you, I do hope we leave them (and the puffins and the seals and the guillemots et al) with enough food. Thanks for this, and all the other wonderful posts.
ReplyDeleteHello Pam thank you.
ReplyDeleteNo, I had missed Maximus, what a sad story.
That is a great blog you have! I have linked to it.
:o)
Thank you, Douglas - I am hugely honoured! Your blog has been a great inspiration to me. I shall link my humble scribblings to it in return. =)
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam, I have enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDelete:o)