Kittiwakes on Mumbles Pier update

(c) A Crutchley

On Tuesday 11th June Andrew Crutchley of EDP completed the first of the 2013 season’s Kittiwake counts at Mumbles Pier. He reported that ‘The mitigation ledges are being used quite extensively this year, with nesting birds on all of them – albeit with a clear preference for the lifeboat station (which is not unexpected). I counted something like 94 Apparently Occupied Nests (AON), with numerous other ‘proto-nests’ and loafing birds around the colony. 

It will be interesting to see whether this comparatively high level of activity continues through the breeding season – last year many/most of the nesting birds left the Pier during the summer and I don’t think that productivity at the colony was very impressive. However, I did note on Tuesday that those nests which are active and apparently occupied seem to be much more solidly built and substantial than they were last year, so it may be that the birds just need time for the ledges to weather-in and for their construction methods to bear fruit in these conditions.’

(c) A Crutchley

Fingers crossed the birds are successful this year as there is a lot of room for expansion and it would be great to the see the colony grow in conjunction with the redevelopment of the pier. I've said it before, but well done to all those involved in making this work. Andrew said he would be interested in receiving any thoughts, comments, observations from locals on the success or otherwise of the work carried out at andrewc@edp-uk.co.uk.