We've all heard how the reduction in fish stocks is apparently having an adverse effect on our seabirds - here's a small chance to potentially put some of our photographs to use...
I was recently speaking to a chap who's been observing/researching puffins for a long time and he asked me if I'd observed any Puffins returning with unusual prey species. I was able to recall a couple of occasions from a few years ago and have been able to lay my hands on shots of the birds to aid in ID of the prey.
I know a lot of you have, or will be, visiting Puffin colonies around the UK at the minute. If any of you see any evidence of Puffins catching/returning with food species other than Sand Eels, Sprats or Pipe Fish could you let me know via the PM link above. If you have photo evidence of the food species for confirmation of ID, then even better! Time (as in date/year) & location of the shot would also be helpful if you can provide 'em.
If I can confirm the species aren't Sand Eel/Sprats/Pipefish, then I'll pass the details on to the researcher if you're happy for me to do so.
Nick,
If you get the chance could you ask your pet expert why was there such a low number of puffins in the 1950's (most internet sources I have looked at say that colonies then were almost becoming extinct, but none say why or even suggest a reason). There was certainly no shortage of fish then.
There has been a dramatic change upwards in this bird's numbers over the last 40 years and a dramatic decline of fish stocks in that same period.
John - I'm not entering the politics of the rise & fall of the predator/quarry. I leave those things to people more qualified than me as I simply don't know enough of either side to express an informed opinion.
Here I'm simply asking for reports of 'unusual' prey items to pass onwards. I would guess that these would help show if the quarry species are changing over time or not.
Discussion
3 repliesWe've all heard how the reduction in fish stocks is apparently having an adverse effect on our seabirds - here's a small chance to potentially put some of our photographs to use...
I was recently speaking to a chap who's been observing/researching puffins for a long time and he asked me if I'd observed any Puffins returning with unusual prey species. I was able to recall a couple of occasions from a few years ago and have been able to lay my hands on shots of the birds to aid in ID of the prey.
I know a lot of you have, or will be, visiting Puffin colonies around the UK at the minute. If any of you see any evidence of Puffins catching/returning with food species other than Sand Eels, Sprats or Pipe Fish could you let me know via the PM link above. If you have photo evidence of the food species for confirmation of ID, then even better! Time (as in date/year) & location of the shot would also be helpful if you can provide 'em.
If I can confirm the species aren't Sand Eel/Sprats/Pipefish, then I'll pass the details on to the researcher if you're happy for me to do so.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
If you get the chance could you ask your pet expert why was there such a low number of puffins in the 1950's (most internet sources I have looked at say that colonies then were almost becoming extinct, but none say why or even suggest a reason). There was certainly no shortage of fish then.
There has been a dramatic change upwards in this bird's numbers over the last 40 years and a dramatic decline of fish stocks in that same period.
John
Here I'm simply asking for reports of 'unusual' prey items to pass onwards. I would guess that these would help show if the quarry species are changing over time or not.
When I'm at Bempton next week I'll keep my eye's extra peeled
Regards
Rob