From islet to island

I managed to walk through the glass, motion sensor automatic sliding doors (of the relatively small local supermarket, equivalent to a corner shop in the UK)… but then just stood there, overwhelmed by the stuff … apparently it’s almost Christmas (according to the amount of decorations and Christmas chocolate at least)… and there’s tons of food on shelves, in fridges and freezers, an overwhelming number of different cereals on the shelves (recently restocked it has to be said) amongst lots of other commodities that to mainland people are ‘normal’ – even here in what can feel like the slow lane. I got some very strange looks (I mean more than the usual curious stares that I usually get) as I gaped and walked in a trance around so many possibilities. Eventually I managed to pick up essentials (yoghurt, muesli, baked beans (yes they do stock it here 😅), chocolate covered biscuits and an ice cream – rest assured fruit and veg already existed in the house!) and scarped quickly. Heading up hill to get a dusk view of the islet I had left earlier in the day.

Since last writing we have been super busy over on the islet (ok so some things never change!)! With an ever increasing number of chicks that are hatching, nest checks have become a super exciting and busy time… getting to each nest – who will be in, is there a cracked egg shell… does that mean there’s a chick?! Sometimes you can just see the cute fluffball + beak poking out under the adult (the adult usually still incubates the chick in the first few days 🙂 ). There is no end to the cuteness of the fluffballs that weigh in at 7-8g when first hatched! At the other end of the spectrum our first few hatched chicks are proper chunkers/tanks now… the eldest weighing in at over 60g! Just about the same as a fully fed adult !

Spot the beak! (painted colours on the adult aid quick identification of which adult is in the nest)

Amongst the nest checks, and with careful instruction from one of my supervisors, we have been deploying GPS tags on some of the adults – this somewhat typically nerve wracking task has been accentuated by the working-not working of technology. Thankful to say though that we seemed to have turned a corner, having got our first bird and track back this week! Super exciting to see where these birds are going and looking forward to seeing more tracks in the coming weeks :).

The returned bird!! Photo: Ben Porter, 2019

Amongst these we’ve also fitted in mist netting – catching a few Cory’s shearwaters still hanging around and hearing the haunting whinnying giggle of the little shearwaters and the in tune squeaky toy calls of the winter stormies :), we were treated with seeing a STUNNING moon rise too… and even very occasionally, we’ve fitted in a walk or two (with cameras…) – time to chill and catch up with ourselves!

We have had a few boats arriving and departing… despite the ever increasingly stormy seas where the possible days are few and far between. But after two weeks of inducting Ben to the ways, works and life of the islet, it was my turn to ‘jump ship’ switching out with Sarah (returning from some time off). Damp and windy are understatements of the boat’s arrival and departure to the islet. But thankful to say we all got safely on and off (respectively) and the islet team have very well stocked shelves again :). A bitter-sweet departure for me leaving behind, a place which has amazingly become a home for me and a bubble over the last 7 weeks, the stormies and cute fluffballs, but most of all two friends who are carrying on the research for me! I know I am leaving the islet and research in very capable hands and looking forward to hearing updates :). If you’d like to stay tuned I’d recommend keeping an eye out on Ben’s blog: https://benporterwildlife.wordpress.com.

Meanwhile… I arrived back to the house I stay in and the realities of being back on the mainland are slowly sinking in… Mains power, light switches, piping hot showers, toast, people and cars are just a few of the many novelties… I now have a week to sort and catch up with myself, before heading north east across the water, back to the UK to spend time with family and catching up with friends. I am already looking forward to returning to the islet in January… but for now, rest, recoup, chocolate… and soon… being reunited with family.

Until next time!

Hannah