UK Seabird Monitoring Programme

We are now also on 🦋@bluesky 🦋 - follow us at bsky.app/profile/smp-se… 🪶

Dover Cliffs. Walked to place where I used to sit and watch nesting Kittiwakes (see ALT text). Quiet now, not even a Fulmar. Sea fret didn’t help! Did the amazing climb down to beach. Breeding Stonechats at top, Black Redstart & Rock Pipits going down. Raven over into the mist.

"I must go down to the sea again" Soon to be back out into the wide, wild sea. Puffin on the Northumberland coast. ⁦@TheSeabirdGroup⁩ ⁦@smp_seabirds⁩

Mixed seabird results at Ceann a' Mhara #Tiree yesterday, good numbers of Guillemot and Shag chicks, but Kittiwakes mostly down to 1 chick per nest with quite a few dead chicks visible- hopefully the result of recent poor weather & not Avian Flu (HPAI)... @smp_seabirds

In the words of the great song by the late Tom Petty……”I’m learning to fly!..” A fledged Little Tern in the Medway😊 Such things are gold dust in Kent…but two sites have managed to produce them this year….so four in total. Pic by @Bknight_3 #SuperSeabirdSunday @smp_seabirds

Finally made it to South Stack RSPB. Bit late for the Black Lark, but memorable climb down (& back😮‍💨) to the lighthouse. Spectacular views of the packed Guillemot ledges and flyby auks at eye level, but only one Puffin seen. Choughs just played with the strong wind! @smp_seabirds

For Super Seabird Sunday I present the noisy and vibrant tern colony at Cemlyn, N Wales. Mostly Sandwich, with lots of young👍, but Arctic & Common too. #SuperSeabirdSunday @smp_seabirds @SteelySeabirder

⚠️ Advance warning that this weekend certain areas of the BTO website will be unavailable. This includes 'My BTO', and event and membership registration. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Top part-time job opportunity at BTO

My Anglesey highlight by far - Cemlyn Bay! Such great views of thriving colony of Sarnies, Arctic & Com Terns (with loads of young👍)….then views of visiting Roseates…..and, finally🙄, a Black Guillemot in the bay!😊 Hats off to the young wardens👏 @smp_seabirds

📢Job alert! We’ve got a great opportunity for a part-time Seabird Monitoring Support Officer to join the @_BTO Surveys Team!🔭📈 ℹ️For more information and to apply: bto.org/jobs 🗓️ Deadline for applications: Thursday 24th July 2025. #Seabirds #CitizenScience

Please continue to report all sightings of dead birds for possible testing for avian influenza: 📌In England, Wales & Scotland: gov.uk/guidance/repor… 📌In Northern Ireland: daera-ni.gov.uk/services/daera… 📌In Republic of Ireland: …heck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report

Gethin from BTO Cymru was recently interviewed about SMP & the Kittiwakes of Mumbles Pier for the upcoming show 'Nôl o'r Dibyn' - a four part series co-production between S4C & the European Broadcasting Union focusing on urban wildlife mitigation projects. 📺Keep a look out!👀

Are you 16 or under this September & mad about birds? Apply now for the Martin Garner Spurn Young Birder Competition at #MigFest! 🎉 Show your skills 🎁 Win prizes 🎟️ Free festival entry 🗓️ Deadline: 20 July 👉 bit.ly/MGSYB_2025

Not sure what to expect at #MigFest? This 10-minute film from last year gives you the full flavour — migration magic, birds, people & the buzz of Spurn in September. 🎥 Watch now: youtube.com/watch?v=_XZfYz… 🎟️ Book 2025 tickets: bit.ly/3T5Q9Ks

SMPnews is out - bto.org/smp-news 🥳 Issue 3 includes a call for 'Odd-servations' from #seabird colonies. Additionally, we've created a feedback form where you can let us know if anything significant that happened at your colony in a given year: bit.ly/SMP_SiteObserv…

Medway 6/6 Challenging day for nesting gulls/terns and for our count! Abandoned early due to rain storm. Confirmed just 50 prs Sandwich Tern and big fall in Meds since May, BHG nos fair…but c 10 L/Tern AON😊 Poor season due to earlier NE winds? @smp_seabirds @TheSeabirdGroup

Great to see Rye Meads featured with lovely account of Com Tern & B/H Gull breeding histories at the site. It would be great if regular observers at our other gull/tern sites (Stockers, Maple Lodge, Amwell and Hilfield) could sign up to SMP and submit data🙏 Thanks😊 @smp_seabird

Featuring Rye Meads!! 🔗bto.org/smp-news @RSPBRyeMeads @Hertsbirds @HMWTBadger

📖SMPnews is out now - Issue 3 | Spring 2025🌱 This newsletter is for anyone interested in #seabirds, #wildlife, #CitizenScience or simply enjoys a good read! Thank you to everyone who contributed.👏 🔭 Check it out at bto.org/smp-news 👀 @_BTO @JNCC_UK @RSPBScience

To all SMP surveyors, thank you for everything you do for seabirds! 🌊🐣 Survey coverage is powered by you, and we are so grateful for all the effort that goes into monitoring inland and coastal seabirds - thank you! 🥳 #VolunteersWeek @_BTO @JNCC_UK @RSPBScience