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Our work here
The seabird colony at Fowlsheugh provides an impressive wildlife spectacle. Like all UK seabird colonies, however, it faces long-term threats from fisheries and climate change.
The RSPB is managing the reserve for the benefit of seabird conservation, by providing a focus for marine policy initiatives and by supplying important population data. Meanwhile we are working to enhance the visitor experience, whilst prioritising the welfare of the birds.
Counting seabirds
We aim to maintain the whole seabird colony at or above 123,000 individuals, including increased numbers of guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and kittiwakes.
We are also working to boost the herring gull population and to maintain small numbers of puffins and shags. Work includes monitoring the breeding productivity of kittiwakes, annual gull population counts and whole colony population counts every three years. We will also monitor great skuas summering at the reserve.
Colony care
We are working to minimise disturbance to the colony during the breeding season, with cliff-top signposting for visitors and an agreed protocol for boats at the cliff face. We will also enhance visitor safety by maintaining steps and footpaths, installing trail markers, rerouting any hazardous sections of the cliff edge path, and providing clear warning signs.
Other wildlife
We are working to enhance the reserve's wider biodiversity. This includes maintaining a mosaic of cliff top vegetation, developing an appropriate grazing regime, and continuing to survey all wildlife, including plants, invertebrates, marine mammals and terrestrial mammals – especially water voles.
People appeal
We are working to maintain visitor numbers at 8,000 per year.
We are also working to build the support of key stakeholders and neighbours, and will raise the local profile of the reserve with better road signs, new interpretation facilities and increased media coverage. This will allow us to promote marine and seabird conservation more effectively.