Shearwater Release 02/09/2025

 This has been a very busy period for The Pembs Manx Shearwater volunteer team and Sea Trust's staff and volunteers. There were hundreds of birds stranded at Newgale along with other central locations with Fishguard Port and it's surroundings providing it's own hazzards for these lovely but vulnerable little sea birds. Attracted by the lights at night they fly in, land and cannot take off again. This leaves them in danger of attack by hungry gulls as well as rodents, and we (Sea Trust) encountered a good many birds that had met their demise this way. So the race was on to save as many as we could and return them safely to the open sea. With a good deal of organisation the birds were collected, boxed and then ringed by licensed ringer Richard Dobbins ready for release.

With space quickly running out in the Ocean Lab arrangements were made for their release at sea rather than off the shore to give them a better chance of survival. Step up Andy Rickard skipper of the Cartlet Lady who made her available this afternoon to get the job done. So Cliff, Lloyd, new intern Abby and myself delivered the birds to the marina at Neyland and set out for deep water. Some six miles or so out of the Haven we hove to and released the 24 Manxies into the wilds of the oceans. They now face an eleven thousand Kilometer journey to the southern seas around Argentina and will most probably not return for two to three years when they've matured to adulthood. I'm glad to say we've given them the best chance of survival and I do hope they make it.

All set and ready to go

 

 

Cliff gauging conditions for release.

 

First one away.

Andy's turn.

 

Then Lloyd.

 

Even new intern Abby had a go.

 

 

There goes another.

 

Happily back on the water.

 

After a job well done.