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Dawn Chorus: Seabirds of Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland [1]

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Date: 2023-07-09

When we first sat down to explore an itinerary for our long-awaited trip to Ireland, my sister and I were immediately drawn to the wild, ragged coasts of the isle’s west and north. We found the raw beauty and rich history and culture of the coastal landscapes so intriguing we ended up spending most of our 3-week trek along the Wild Atlantic Way and Antrim Coast. While every day brought amazing adventures, a trip highlight for this birder was a day trip to Rathlin Island, lying 6 nautical miles north of Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.

The island of Ireland showing locale of Rathlin Island.

For an island only 4 miles from east to west, and 2 miles north to south, Rathlin Island hosts a spectacular array of wildlife, including Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony. Our May trip coincided with peak breeding season for tens of thousands of cliff-nesting seabirds.

We took the early ferry from Ballycastle to Rathlin Island on a fair-weather day, crossing choppy waters where the Sea of Moyle meets the Irish Sea. From Rathlin’s port at Church Bay, we hopped on a small shuttle bus that wound ~5 miles westward to the Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre, a visitor’s center and viewing platform managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (i.e., lighthouses).

One step off the bus and exhilaration set in. Waves of Black-legged Kittiwakes flew about in a cacophony of piercing calls. To the south, thousands of Common Guillemots crowded shoulder-to-shoulder on 200-foot basaltic “stacks” surrounded by the wild Atlantic.

Map of Rathlin Island (zoom)

We noticed Kittiwakes flying to/from the shallows and outlet of nearby Kebble Lough in a constant stream. As they flew by, I could see clumps of grassy mud in their beaks, which I guessed was destined for their nests. The RSPB Kittiwake video below illustrates this well.

We toured through the Seabird Centre then stepped out onto a viewing platform offering spectacular panoramic views of the nesting colony. Five seabird species were actively nesting: Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Guillemots, Razorbills, and Atlantic Puffins.

Looking north from the Seabird Centre viewing platform.

Sis marveling at the show

A bit about each seabird species and a few photos:

Northern Fulmar — a “tube-nosed” seabird about the size of a small gull. They nest in loose cliff-based colonies, using small cliff faces sometimes several miles from shore. They are non-migratory and observed year-round. Rathlin Island is the most important breeding site for this species in Northern Ireland. A 2021 census on Rathlin Island found 1,038 Fulmar, a 38% decline since the 1998-2002 census.

Nesting pair of Northern Fulmar on a narrow ledge. (zoom)

Black-legged Kittiwake — a delicate, medium-sized gull with a small yellow bill, dark eye, and short, black legs. This species may be the most abundant gull in the world and is certainly the most numerous breeding gull in the UK. The Rathlin breeding colony is the largest in Northern Ireland, with a 2021 census estimate of 13,706 occupied nests. The population is declining in some areas of the UK, perhaps due to a shortage of sand eels, a primary prey of many seabirds.

Incubating Kittiwakes hug their small bit of Rathlin real estate.

A pair in the process of nesting building.

Common Guillemot — in North America this bird is called Common Murre; in the UK it’s called Common Guillemot. Same bird — Uria aalge. I know, confusing. A member of the Alcid family (Auks), this species is one of the most abundant seabirds in the northern hemisphere. Guillemots are extremely gregarious, with colonies numbering in the tens of thousands. A 2021 census of Rathlin Island found ~150,000 individual Guillemots, a 56% increase from a 1998-2000 census, making the Rathlin Guillemot breeding colony the largest in the UK.

Fun fact : a 20-21 day old Guillemot chick ready to leap from its cliff nest to the open ocean is called a “jumpling”.

Common Guillemots do not make nests. Their single egg is laid/incubated on bare rock or soil. Each egg’s pattern and color (white, green, blue, and/or brown with black or lilac spotting) is unique to help the parents recognize them. After laying, the female takes a long look at the egg before starting to incubate.

Common Guillemots pack in at such high densities, nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbors. Allopreening (social grooming) between mates and between neighbors helps to reduce parasites and may help to reduce stress.

Common Guillemots first breed at 4-6 years old and have an average lifespan of ~20 years.

High-rise Guillemot habitat

Razorbill — a medium-sized Alcid, black above and white below with a thick, black, blunt-ended bill marked with thin white lines. Razorbills breed on both sides of the Atlantic, nesting on cliff ledges, in clefts and holes, or under boulders. A survey on Rathlin in 2011 recorded 22,975 individuals; a 2021 survey documented 22,421 individual birds, making it the UK’s 3rd largest Razorbill breeding colony.

Razorbills also lay their eggs on bare rock or ground. (zoom)

Like other Alcids, Razorbills mainly eat fish (sand eels, herring and capelin) but also crustaceans and marine worms. (zoom)

Razorbill perched on a near vertical cliff. (zoom)

Atlantic Puffin — an unmistakable stocky Alcid with black upperparts and white or brownish gray underparts, distinctive black head with white cheeks, and large multicolored bill. About 10% of the world population of Puffins breeds in the UK and Ireland. A 2021 census of Rathlin found 407 individual birds, a decline of 74% since the 1998-2002 census. Introduced predators, namely rats—arriving more than a century ago, and ferrets—released in the 1980’s to control the rabbit population, are a key threat to Puffins and other seabirds on Rathlin Island. A predator eradication program was recently launched on Rathlin Island, with the aim to remove all rats and ferrets by 2026.

Atlantic Puffins dig tunnel nests in soft soil, lining the burrow with grass, leaves, and feathers. Males exhibit strong nest-site fidelity.

Puffins form long-term pair bonds or relationships and are long-lived, averaging 30+ years.

Puffin nesting area (red circle) at the RSPB Rathlin Island Reserve.

Several seabird species other than the “Big 5” highlighted above breed on Rathlin Island, though in small numbers. These include Manx Shearwater, European Storm Petrel, European Shag, Great Skua, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, and Black Guillemot. I wasn’t lucky enough to see any of these nesters, but did get brief looks at a few small flocks of Northern Gannets.

Northern Gannet fly-by

Rathlin Island has garnered several conservation designations — Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Marine Conservation Zone, and Area of Special Scientific Interest — to protect and manage sensitive wildlife, plants, and habitats. Though the seabird colony may be the island’s ‘crown jewel’, substantial conservation work is ongoing to benefit Northern Lapwings, Corn Crake (a rail in steep decline in the UK and Ireland), Common Snipe, Red-billed Chough, and Irish Hares.

Poster seen at Connemara National Park advertising a Corn Crake tour on Inishbofin, an island off County Galway. I would have loved to attend this! Maybe next time.

I did observe several other birds on Rathlin Island: Eurasian Oystercatcher, Graylag Goose, Common Eider, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, and White Wagtail. But boy-o, I wish I had me big lens!

Eurasian Oystercatcher eating a mollusk.

Common Eider (male) in Church Bay harbor.

If planning a trip to Northern Ireland, I highly recommend visiting Rathlin Island! If I’m fortunate to go again, I’d lodge on the island for a couple nights to see and appreciate it properly. I’ll close out with a few photos of some lovely Harbor Seals, peacefully basking in Church Bay.

Thanks for joining today’s chorus!

What’s happening in your world of birds?

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/7/9/2179410/-Dawn-Chorus-Seabirds-of-Rathlin-Island-Northern-Ireland

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