Amazing Arctic Terns

The impressive adult Arctic Tern

On the head mate!

A track from one of the birds off the farnes

Dr Chris Redfern in action

Dr Chris Redfern - the man behind the success

Welcome back old friend.

 

Monday 13^th June comments: Over the last two weeks the BBC Springwatch team have been bringing you some excellent footage from the Farne Islands from Shag project work to the (almost) unbelievable story of the Arctic Terns.

During the late summer last year, up to seventeen adult Arctic Terns were fitted with geo-locators, devises which allow movements of birds to be tracked during the winter. These devises would remain on the birds throughout the autumn, winter and early spring until (hopefully) they would be recaught (as these birds are site faithful) and the data downloaded.

This spring seventeen were recaught and the information processed. The results were staggering as the various media outlets reported:

BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-36466763

Newcastle Evening Chronicle: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/arctic-tern-farne-islands-record-11435193

 

However this didn’t just happen overnight as it has been three years in the planning. First with me but the real hard work was carried out by Dr Chris Redfern. Over the last two years, Chris has applied (successfully) for funding and the permits required to carry out the work, then purchase the trackers before capturing the birds to put them on. Chris was then successful in finding and removing these devises this spring, so the real congratulations should be to the man behind the scenes; Chris Redfern.

Wildlife still continues to amaze even the hardest of scientist and don’t you just love it?