Landing in the summer dusk at 11pm was slightly eery and the island had a more mysterious feel.
This nocturnal behaviour means that they are notoriously difficult to count. They return to their nesting sites in darkness to avoid predation. Log in below.RSPB Principal Conservation Scientist Mark Bolton believed that could be down to a number of factors. The fortunes of many other seabird species are closely tied to sandeels, whose stocks have diminished in recent years.”Frustrated fishing skippers are demanding urgent action on gill net and longline fishing by overseas vessels which they claim are acting aggressively and littering the…Already a subscriber? So, as midnight approached the birds began to flock back to land, their flight was quite erratic as they circled the Broch seeking out their own nest site and I even witnessed a mid-air collision! Driftwood has always been important to Shetlanders, as we live in an almost treeless landscape, and I believe it's engrained into every one of us to squirrel away every last piece! Armed with a pair of binoculars and dragging my good friend Helen along, we were in good spirits as we boarded the Solan IV for the short crossing to the now uninhabited island.Going into Mousa at night is a completely different experience to going in on a day trip. That said, it's still an unwritten rule here in Shetland that wood laid up above the tideline must be left for the gatherer to collect, even if it has been there so long that it has started growing a fine coat of moss, or that it has been there for all of living memory and has begun the long process of rotting back into the ground, the wood is sacred and should be left well alone! Approaching the 2, 000 year old Broch was very atmospheric, it was shrouded in mist, giving a real air of mystery and intrigue.Fascinating as the Broch is, the real reason for our visit was to see the Storm Petrels returning to their breeding colony within the Broch walls. Prone to predators they return to the breeding grounds at dusk to avoid capture from the Great Skua (Bonxie) and Black Backed Gulls. So, for anyone who is still in doubt, I suggest a midnight trip to Mousa, and for those who just wish to experience the best that Shetland has to offer, then I would highly recommend a trip to see the Stormy Petrels!Mousa is home to 11, 000 breeding pairs, with 3-400 breeding pairs making their home within the walls of the Broch. Contributors must observe normal standards of decency and tolerance for the opinions of others.Job losses at Sullom Voe oil terminal are “obviously a blow to the individuals affected,” said council leader Steven Coutts.The population of Europe’s smallest seabird, the storm petrel, doubled at Mousa in just 12 years, according to new figures released by RSPB Scotland.“Rats, mink and feral cats all prey on storm petrels and the presence of such predators has led to the disappearance of some colonies in the UK.
Over 6000 of these birds nest here in the rocks and within the broch. Storm Petrels on Mousa Arriving back at Sumburgh airport on the afternoon of the 25th, I'd managed to pull together a last-minute bed and breakfast for a couple more days on the Shetland mainland.
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