After protection from hunting on the wintering range in 1982/83, complete surveys of Greenland white‐fronted geese at all known Irish and British wintering resorts have been carried out annually. These showed that this population increased by 5.0% per annum from 16,541 in spring 1983 to 30,459 in spring 1995, characterised by a 6.6% annual increase during 1982/83–1991/92, followed by a less rapid increase in subsequent years. In addition, regular counts of at least eight wintering flocks also exist prior to 1982/83. Five of these (including the two most important, Islay in Scotland and Wexford in Ireland) showed no trend before protection, but significant increases after legislation. Two other flocks at protected sites showed increasing numbers prior to changes in legislation, followed by stable numbers afterwards and the eighth flock increased in number before and after protection. On Islay, a significant increase in crude adult annual survival rate (based on census data) occurred after the hunting ban. Numbers on Islay continue to show linear increase. At Wexford, there was no significant difference between crude adult survival before and after the hunting ban where, after a short period of increase, numbers stabilised at 8,000–10,000 after 1990. There were no significant differences in the proportions of young birds before and after protection in these two flocks. Despite overall population increase, seven flocks have become extinct during 1982–1995 and a further five are close to extinction. Eighteen flocks have declined since protection, 35 showed no significant trends and 20 showed increases. Multivariate analysis suggests size, number and quality of feeding areas, levels of disturbance, flock size and latitude influence flock status ‐ smallest most southerly flocks on fewest, poor quality limited feeding ranges showing most serious declines. The consequences of increasing concentration of the population at a few wintering areas need urgent attention and mechanisms should be sought to maintain current range, particularly on traditional semi‐natural or low intensity agricultural land.
The maximum count of Greenland White-fronted Geese wintering at Wexford, southeast Ireland (where over a third of the population winters) increased from 7910 in 1984/85 to 9530 in 1989/90. Although the population tends to be highly site-loyal on the wintering grounds, 14% of 700 marked geese seen in two consecutive winters changed site. Counts elsewhere in the wintering range and the recorded movements of marked birds indicate that a large influx of geese from Scotland to Wexford occurred in 1988/89. In the previous and subsequent winters large numbers of geese from Wexford remained in Scotland. No sex-related difference in birds changing site could be detected, but 68% of known-age birds which moved did so in their second and third winters when pairing is most frequent. Only 39 marked geese were recorded moving within winters (an average of 2.8% of the population each year), virtually all of these involved geese staging on route to or from wintering sites within Britain and Ireland. The maximum numbers are reached at Wexford in January/February when marked birds arrive from more northerly staging areas within Britain and Ireland.
SummaryIn 1987 an action plan for the recovery of the European populations of Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii was launched. Intervention on the breeding grounds has included the wardening of sites to prevent human disturbance, the provision of nest-boxes to discourage predation, patrolling and controlling to reduce predator presence, planting of Lavatera arborea to shelter nesting birds, and use of the media to establish local interest and commitment. Intervention in the wintering area has focused on Ghana and the reduction there of trapping pressure, through the “Save the Seashore Birds Project-Ghana”, which has involved site protection, legal reform, training, surveys and education programmes.
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