Hi Everybody!
First of all apologies to all of those who took the time to look at the blog last Sunday to find no updates, this was due to being stranded in Cardiff with boats to the island being cancelled, and when we finally did get back to the island we were simply too busy for me to write!
So going back to 2 weeks ago. We were finally able to escape the island for a few days to get back home and see friends and family. With the bad weather due to roll in Wednesday we were able to hastily arrange a boat to get us off the island late Tuesday night. After a few service station pit stops and a strong coffee we arrived back in Kent at 3.15am.
The day after we arrived home we were due to sit our ECDL computer test for databases (we were due to sit them back in May but as you know the weather prevented us from leaving the island), and fortunately we were able to pass them despite the hectic 48 hours that had preceded them!
It was great to spend some time catching up with people at home, although we wished we had longer to allow us to see all of the people we would have liked to.
By Sunday afternoon we were already on our way back to Cardiff, however just as we were pulling off the M4 and into the city we got a phone call to say the boat was cancelled and that we would need to stay an extra night in Cardiff. Whenever we are in Cardiff overnight the council put us up in a backpacker hostel just across from the Millennium Stadium, and to be honest it's a very good hostel with an amazing free breakfast in the morning!
In the end it was Tuesday afternoon before we were able to get back onto the island, but with a visitor trip scheduled for the day after we had to launch straight into work to "open" the island in time for their visit.
As well as the visitor trip Wednesday brought 2 wildlife surveys with it in the form of Shelducks and Moths. Only 18 Shelducks were sighted on the island (a drop of 11 from the last count), and only 2 moths remained in the trap from the night before for us to ID.
Thursday saw us begin a dry stone walling project, with the aim of repairing one of the walls on the island that has mostly collapsed. Trying to create a wall out of oddly shaped rocks is a lot more difficult than using bricks and mortar, but the final results should be a lot more rewarding. It's also a great physical workout! In the area where we are building we have set up some "batters" which have string running between them to act as a guideline for where the wall should run. Now it's simply (or not so simply) a case of finding the right rocks to build the 3D jigsaw puzzle that will be our wall.
Fridays main activity was completing a "Rocky Shore Survey" where we take a look at the marine life living on the rocks while the tide is out. We identify and count the wildlife in a square metre of the shoreline before moving up the rocks to an area 60cm higher than the last count and repeating the process.
We were able to identify 4 different types of seaweed, several periwinkles, limpets, anemones and barnacles. We also found a number of small creatures that seem to be related to shrimps as well as this little guy below:
By the time we had completed some more of the dry stone walling our working week was complete as both of the weekend's visitor trips were cancelled. Just as we were packing up our tools however we noticed that we had a few new additions to our island family. One of our Indian Runner Ducks that has been carefully minding a nest in the nettles for the last few weeks was surrounded by 9 little ducklings!
Unfortunately how long they will last is anybody's guess as the middle of a gull colony is not the best place to have your ducklings; already 4 have disappeared presumably down the necks of the gulls :(
This week's news story of the week is all about one animal that wouldn't have so much of a problem with our gulls though...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/guinea-pig-armor_n_3449820.html
See you next week!
First of all apologies to all of those who took the time to look at the blog last Sunday to find no updates, this was due to being stranded in Cardiff with boats to the island being cancelled, and when we finally did get back to the island we were simply too busy for me to write!
So going back to 2 weeks ago. We were finally able to escape the island for a few days to get back home and see friends and family. With the bad weather due to roll in Wednesday we were able to hastily arrange a boat to get us off the island late Tuesday night. After a few service station pit stops and a strong coffee we arrived back in Kent at 3.15am.
The day after we arrived home we were due to sit our ECDL computer test for databases (we were due to sit them back in May but as you know the weather prevented us from leaving the island), and fortunately we were able to pass them despite the hectic 48 hours that had preceded them!
It was great to spend some time catching up with people at home, although we wished we had longer to allow us to see all of the people we would have liked to.
By Sunday afternoon we were already on our way back to Cardiff, however just as we were pulling off the M4 and into the city we got a phone call to say the boat was cancelled and that we would need to stay an extra night in Cardiff. Whenever we are in Cardiff overnight the council put us up in a backpacker hostel just across from the Millennium Stadium, and to be honest it's a very good hostel with an amazing free breakfast in the morning!
In the end it was Tuesday afternoon before we were able to get back onto the island, but with a visitor trip scheduled for the day after we had to launch straight into work to "open" the island in time for their visit.
As well as the visitor trip Wednesday brought 2 wildlife surveys with it in the form of Shelducks and Moths. Only 18 Shelducks were sighted on the island (a drop of 11 from the last count), and only 2 moths remained in the trap from the night before for us to ID.
Thursday saw us begin a dry stone walling project, with the aim of repairing one of the walls on the island that has mostly collapsed. Trying to create a wall out of oddly shaped rocks is a lot more difficult than using bricks and mortar, but the final results should be a lot more rewarding. It's also a great physical workout! In the area where we are building we have set up some "batters" which have string running between them to act as a guideline for where the wall should run. Now it's simply (or not so simply) a case of finding the right rocks to build the 3D jigsaw puzzle that will be our wall.
Starting to rebuild the first section of the wall
Fridays main activity was completing a "Rocky Shore Survey" where we take a look at the marine life living on the rocks while the tide is out. We identify and count the wildlife in a square metre of the shoreline before moving up the rocks to an area 60cm higher than the last count and repeating the process.
Stuart and Harriet check the books to find out what Matt has in his hands
We were able to identify 4 different types of seaweed, several periwinkles, limpets, anemones and barnacles. We also found a number of small creatures that seem to be related to shrimps as well as this little guy below:
A Seaslater. Think woodlouse but a lot larger!
By the time we had completed some more of the dry stone walling our working week was complete as both of the weekend's visitor trips were cancelled. Just as we were packing up our tools however we noticed that we had a few new additions to our island family. One of our Indian Runner Ducks that has been carefully minding a nest in the nettles for the last few weeks was surrounded by 9 little ducklings!
Baby ducklings poking out from under the wings
Unfortunately how long they will last is anybody's guess as the middle of a gull colony is not the best place to have your ducklings; already 4 have disappeared presumably down the necks of the gulls :(
This week's news story of the week is all about one animal that wouldn't have so much of a problem with our gulls though...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/guinea-pig-armor_n_3449820.html
See you next week!
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