The 2016 programme of bird group meetings began on 19 January with Steve Halliwell’s excellent talk ‘St Kilda the lonely Isle’, based on 4 visits to the group of islands which have double World Heritage Site status.
The 15 resident bird species include significant breeding populations of Gannets, Petrels, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Puffins, Razorbills, and Guillemots, but we learned that the sustainability of the birds is threatened by climate change, lack of active management of the bird colonies, and the recent arrival of the Arctic Skuas. The latter are serious predators.
The talk was wide ranging covering geology, extreme weather, botany and the history of human settlement which itself became unsustainable in 1930.
The audience or bird watchers, digi-photographers and science group members enjoyed a stimulating and entertaining morning.
After refreshments the Bird Watching Group reconvened for the AGM.
Last Updated on January 18, 2017