With this being the third season since buying
our 4.2 metre bombard C4, Catherine and Paul Veron finally plucked up
the
courage to give it a run out to the Humps north of Herm with Sophie
Veron,
Jamie Hooper, Michelle Stanford and Chris Mourant forming the rest of
the
Seabird Team aboard. Launching at
Pembroke Bay at 14.00 we were soon heading east to pass Beaucette
Marina and
Bordeaux before speeding out across the Little Russell to Godin.
The visit was timed to coincide with slack
water (minimal tidal current), particularly as this was our first visit
under
our own steam. Paul and Sophie remained
in the boat while the rest of the party were landed on the rocky
shoreline. The first birds encountered
were two Shag pulli
hiding under boulders on the foreshore, which had already been ringed
on our
first visit on 24th May 2009. The team
circumvented them and headed towards the first Shag nest where the two
young
were ringed. With several Shag nests
unringed, the team decided to stick together and initially circle
around the
island to minimise disturbance. A
total
of 21 Shag pulli were ringed, the majority along the outer edges of the
island,
although the usual large cluster of rocks at the highest point of the
island
was well used by nesting Shag. Four
Great Cormorant pulli were still present although unfortunately no
suitable
rings had been brought so the nestlings were left undisturbed. The usual Puffin burrow was occupied with the
clever inhabitant too deep for ringers to reach although the bird could
easily
be seen from the entrance to the burrow.
A young Great Black Backed Gull was caught on the foreshore near
the
Puffin burrow and colour ringed.
Back in the boat, Paul and Sophie were kept
entertained by a large bull Grey Seal which watched with interest from
a
distance.
The ringing team finished off their search of
the island with one Herring Gull which was metal ringed only and
another three
Great Black Backed Gull pulli, two of which were colour ringed. Unfortunately there was insufficient time to
check the vegetation on the islet which usually hosts the majority of
Great
Black Backed Gull pulli. However there was just enough time to ring two
Guillemot
adults which were guarding two small nestlings which were too small to
ring and
an egg.
With the swell beginning to rise and not
wishing to prolong the visit for the welfare of the birds, the team
returned to
the boat, and Paul drove around into the lagoon between Godin and Galeu
where
another Grey Seal came even closer to the boat to take a look at us. We beached the boat on the sandy shore,
leaving Catherine to guard it while the rest of the team headed for the
small
amount of dry land on this islet. Given
the tiny size of Galeu it was perhaps surprising that the team managed
to ring
37 Shag pulli, along with 3 Great Black Backed Gull pulli.
Jamie managed to catch an adult Shag in the
vegetation which was ringed F13936. This
bird had been ringed as a nestling on Crevichon, Jethou by Paul on 10th
June 1991 – so it is quite an old bird, in fact older than Sophie
who
photographed it. Jamie commented on how
the winter storms had damaged the tiny storm beaches, resulting in
significant
erosion.
The team were also intrigued by a small flock
of approximately 20 Common Terns which were settled on rocks on the
periphery
of Galeu. As we approached the terns
took off calling noisily but a very quick inspection of the rocks
revealed no
signs of actual nesting activity.
With all available nestlings ringed we returned to the boat and headed back to Guernsey across the north end of Herm, taking great care to navigate the shallow channels. Again, it had been very encouraging to see Shags nesting successfully – with most nests containing two or three well-grown young.
Paul and Catherine Veron
29th June 2009