V 14 No.4 - The Scottish Ornithologists' Club

200 C.S. Lloyd & S.C. North
S8 14 (4)
Methods
The seabird colonies on Troup and Pennan
Heads each contain two sub-colonies,
separated by areas with few breeding
seabirds (Figure 1). The two colonies are
themselves divided by about two kilometres
of coast (pennan harbour westwards) which
holds only 60-70 pairs of Fulmars and 10-15
pairs of Herring Gulls. In 1986 the cliff was
divided into sections roughly according to
rock faces and bays. Sketch maps and
photographs were provided to ensure that,
as far as possible, these sections were the
same as those used in 1979.
In 1979, counts at Troup Head were
made between 18 and 25 June, and at Pennan
Head on 11 July. All counts were from
land. Troup and Lion's Heads were visited
on foot on four days between 29 May and
10 June 1986. Then on 23 June the whole
stretch from Collie Head to Aberdour Bay
(see Figure 1) was examined from a boat
close below the cliffs. This appears to be the
first time the seabirds on these cliffs have
ever been censused from the sea. All counts
were made between 0900 and 1600 (BST) on
days without strong winds or rain. Units
and methods used followed recommended
counting techniques (Sea bird Group 1980,
Sea bird Group/NCC Seabird Colony
Register instructions) and were exactly
the same in both years, apart from the
additional sea coverage in 1986. Apparently
occupied sites were counted for Fulmars,
apparently occupied nests for Shags, Kittiwakes
and other gulls, and individual birds
on land in breeding habitat for Razorbills,
Guillemots and Puffins (the auks).
N
I
1 km
Fig. 1 Map of the study area showing places named in the text and main seabird colonies