Press Releases - January/February 2007
Item 4

No. 2007/02/13
February 2007

Second time unlucky for oiled Guillemot

The recent oil spill from the Napoli in Dorset spells very bad news indeed for Welsh and Irish seabirds. For one particularly unfortunate bird, wearing a French ring, this was its second and final oil spill.

Following the stranding of the Napoli in Dorset, many hundreds of seabirds have been washed up on beaches in the southwest. Over 700 have now been taken into care to be cleaned and released, but even more have died at sea and are still being picked up by volunteers.

For one unfortunate bird, this wasn’t its first run in with a stricken vessel either. Guillemot DA225561 was caught up in the Erika oil spill in France in December 1999, and after being cleaned up it was successfully released off the Brittany peninsula in January 2000. Seven years later, it was back in care having been oiled once again. Sadly this time it wasn’t so lucky though, and it had to be put down earlier this week, as it was unable to stand or feed.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) can now also shed light on the origins of some of the other birds caught up in the spill, as some were carrying unique identification rings. So far, 15 ringed birds have been found and reported back to the BTO, mostly Guillemots. Six of these were from Great Saltee Island off the coast of County Wexford in southeast Ireland, the oldest being a 21 year old Razorbill (sadly now dead). Others were from Sanda Island in west Scotland (including a 13 year old Guillemot), Skomer Island (Wales’ largest breeding colony of Guillemots) and even as far afield as Fair Isle in Shetland.

The map (right) shows the ringing locations of the birds found in the spill (red) and of the Erika spill in 1999 (blue)

Mark Grantham of the BTO’s Ringing Unit commented, “This isn’t a major oil spill, but it still looks as if thousands of birds may have been affected. The thing that makes this particularly serious is that most of these birds were adults en route to their breeding colonies in Wales and Ireland. It is now a race against time to get these birds cleaned up and released back to sea in time to get into breeding condition for this summer. With so many dead and sick birds, this spill will have a very direct impact on the colonies in which these birds breed.”

Anyone finding a ringed bird should report it to the BTO, even
if it’s only a Greenfinch or Blackbird. Reports can be sent in by
visiting www.ring.ac

The cliffs of Britain and Ireland are home to over one million pairs of Guillemots; around 30% of the European population, or 12% of the world population. Every year, around 10,000 Guillemots are ringed in colonies around the country, and the scheme relies on the general public finding and reporting these birds.

Please see Notes for Editors overleaf

Notes for Editors

1. BTO volunteers ring over 800,000 birds every year. Part of the BTO Ringing Scheme is funded by a partnership of the BTO and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales, and also on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland). The scheme also receives support from Duchas the Heritage Service – National Parks and Wildlife (Ireland). The volunteer ringers give freely of their time and expertise and also provide a substantial part of the Scheme’s funding.
2. Ringing, as a practical science, can only be learnt working in the ‘field’ with a qualified Trainer, of which there are over 300 in the country. The BTO runs the Ringing Scheme and issues ringing permits under license from the Government agencies. After undergoing a period of training, usually of two years or more, a successful trainee is awarded a C permit, allowing him or her to ring alone, but still on behalf of a trainer. See: www.bto.org/ringing/ringinfo/become-a-ringer.htm
3. Reports of ringed or colour-ringed birds can be reported via the web at www.rings.ac
4. Images are available for use alongside this News Release. Please contact quoting reference 2007-02-13.
5. The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.

For further information please contact:

Mark Grantham on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)
Paul Stancliffe on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)
or mobile 07845 900559 anytime