Location:
The Firth of Forth is the estuary (firth) of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. The firth and its islands are important for nature conservation with several Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Forth Islands SPA consists of a series of islands supporting the main seabird colonies in the Firth of Forth. The islands of Inchmickery, Isle of May, Fidra, The Lamb, Craigleith and Bass Rock were classified on 25th April 1990. The extension to the site as classified on the 13th February 2004 consisted of Long Craig Island, which at the time supported the largest colony of roseate tern in Scotland.
The Firth of Forth is the estuary (firth) of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. The firth and its islands are important for nature conservation with several Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Forth Islands SPA consists of a series of islands supporting the main seabird colonies in the Firth of Forth. The islands of Inchmickery, Isle of May, Fidra, The Lamb, Craigleith and Bass Rock were classified on 25th April 1990. The extension to the site as classified on the 13th February 2004 consisted of Long Craig Island, which at the time supported the largest colony of roseate tern in Scotland.
Location of the islands in the Forth Islands SPA (Maps by RSPB)
Roseate Tern history
Scotland had roseate terns listed as a scarce but widespread breeder in the mid-nineteenth century; however, since 1974, the population declined which was attributed to the expanding gull population and breeding roseate terns were confined almost exclusively to the Firth of Forth. The initial stronghold for roseate terns in the Firth of Forth was the island of Inchmickery however as the numbers declined, the population shifted to Long Craig island, however the breeding pairs continued to decrease.
In 2006, two roseate terns showed interest on the Isle of May and between 2004 and 2008, Long Craig Island had a 5-year peak mean of only 3 pairs. This site was the last place in the Forth Islands SPA where a roseate tern pair nested in 2009 and there have been numerous hybrid pairs breeding there since this then.
Scotland had roseate terns listed as a scarce but widespread breeder in the mid-nineteenth century; however, since 1974, the population declined which was attributed to the expanding gull population and breeding roseate terns were confined almost exclusively to the Firth of Forth. The initial stronghold for roseate terns in the Firth of Forth was the island of Inchmickery however as the numbers declined, the population shifted to Long Craig island, however the breeding pairs continued to decrease.
In 2006, two roseate terns showed interest on the Isle of May and between 2004 and 2008, Long Craig Island had a 5-year peak mean of only 3 pairs. This site was the last place in the Forth Islands SPA where a roseate tern pair nested in 2009 and there have been numerous hybrid pairs breeding there since this then.
Breeding Tern Species:
There are five extant colonies of common terns around the Firth of Forth (Long Craig Island, Leith Docks, The Leithies, Great Carr and Isle of May), with the likelihood of a further four colonies when conditions are right (Grangemouth Docks, Rosyth Docks, Carlingnose Pier and Port Edgar Marina)
There are five extant colonies of common terns around the Firth of Forth (Long Craig Island, Leith Docks, The Leithies, Great Carr and Isle of May), with the likelihood of a further four colonies when conditions are right (Grangemouth Docks, Rosyth Docks, Carlingnose Pier and Port Edgar Marina)
Existing colonies (1-4): 1 – Long Craig Island. 2 – Leith Docks. 3 – The Leithies. 4 – Great Carr. 5 - Isle of May. Potential/ ephemeral colonies (A-D): A - Grangemouth Docks. B - Rosyth Docks. C - Carlingnose Pier. D - Port Edgar Marina (Knowles, 2017)
Apparently Occupied Nests (AONs) of common, Arctic and Sandwich terns in Firth of Forth during 2017 (Knowles), 2017.
The common tern colony at Leith Docks increased 40% compared to 2016 and it is now the second largest common tern colony in the UK (after Coquet Island). This is therefore most likely a source population for all the smaller colonies in the area, which is important from the point of view of metapopulation management.
Common tern and chick by Brian Burke
Partnership:
The Forth Islands are owned and managed by a range of organisations:
The Forth Islands are owned and managed by a range of organisations:
- The Isle of May is a National Nature Reserve managed for its nature conservation interest by Scottish Natural Heritage. Since 1973, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) have been running a long- term study on 5 species of seabirds (European shag, razorbill, common guillemot, Atlantic puffin, black-legged kittiwake) that breed on the island.
- Fidra is owned by and managed by the RSPB while Inchmickery is owned by the Moray Estates but is managed for its nature conservation interest by the RSPB.
- The Lamb and Craigleith are both privately owned and are managed for nature conservation through the Scottish Seabird Centre.
- Long Craig Island is owned by the Forth Road bridge company and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
- Bass Rock is privately owned and there is no management agreement, however the owner is sympathetic to the natural heritage value of the site.
- Inchcolm is managed by Historic Scotland.
Common Tern Raft deployed at Port Edgar (Photo by Chris Knowles)
Presence of the LIFE Project:
Roseate terns formerly bred on a number of islands in this SPA, but no longer do so. Common terns still nest here but are in decline. The loss of roseate terns and decline of other tern species is believed to be linked mainly to displacement and possible predation by large gulls, but non-native mammalian predators may also be a factor. The LIFE Project aims to investigate biosecurity and invasive species management programmes at these islands.
In addition, we will work with landowners and managers of the islands in the SPA to complete a strategic review of tern management and restoration opportunities in Year 1 of the project. This will inform the location of the tern rafts to provide gull-free nesting areas during the project. It will also identify longer-tern opportunities for island restoration and guide more strategic management of the invasive species that occur widely across the SPA.
Update
The assessment of gull management and tern rafts was completed in summer 2016. The conclusion was that the scope for creating gull-free zones on Inchmickery and Fidra was limited, because of the number of nesting gulls, together with their declining conservation status and previous unsuccessful attempts to remove them. Instead, the assessment of management options report identified two sites where conservation measures can be implemented, i.e. Long Craig and Port Edgar Marina.
The final contribution of the LIFE Project was to employ for the first time a tern warden to work with stakeholders throughout the SPA. As a result of the assessment, the activities undertaken by the tern warden are now concentrated around the monitoring and preparatory work for the restoration of Long Craig and deployment of rafts in Pert Edgar Marina.
Roseate terns formerly bred on a number of islands in this SPA, but no longer do so. Common terns still nest here but are in decline. The loss of roseate terns and decline of other tern species is believed to be linked mainly to displacement and possible predation by large gulls, but non-native mammalian predators may also be a factor. The LIFE Project aims to investigate biosecurity and invasive species management programmes at these islands.
In addition, we will work with landowners and managers of the islands in the SPA to complete a strategic review of tern management and restoration opportunities in Year 1 of the project. This will inform the location of the tern rafts to provide gull-free nesting areas during the project. It will also identify longer-tern opportunities for island restoration and guide more strategic management of the invasive species that occur widely across the SPA.
Update
The assessment of gull management and tern rafts was completed in summer 2016. The conclusion was that the scope for creating gull-free zones on Inchmickery and Fidra was limited, because of the number of nesting gulls, together with their declining conservation status and previous unsuccessful attempts to remove them. Instead, the assessment of management options report identified two sites where conservation measures can be implemented, i.e. Long Craig and Port Edgar Marina.
The final contribution of the LIFE Project was to employ for the first time a tern warden to work with stakeholders throughout the SPA. As a result of the assessment, the activities undertaken by the tern warden are now concentrated around the monitoring and preparatory work for the restoration of Long Craig and deployment of rafts in Pert Edgar Marina.
Bibliography:
Knowles, C (2017) Forth Islands SPA Tern Warden - Season Report 2017. Roseate Tern LIFE Recovery Project. RSPB unpublished document.
Macleod-Nolan, C (2016) Review on Roseate Tern LIFE Project SPAs. EU LIFE Roseate Tern Recovery Project. RSPB unpublished document.
LIFE (2015) LIFE Nature and Biodiversity Technical Applications Forms. Part A - Administrative information. EU LIFE Roseate Tern Recovery Project
Knowles, C (2017) Forth Islands SPA Tern Warden - Season Report 2017. Roseate Tern LIFE Recovery Project. RSPB unpublished document.
Macleod-Nolan, C (2016) Review on Roseate Tern LIFE Project SPAs. EU LIFE Roseate Tern Recovery Project. RSPB unpublished document.
LIFE (2015) LIFE Nature and Biodiversity Technical Applications Forms. Part A - Administrative information. EU LIFE Roseate Tern Recovery Project