Sean bird monitoring and wirks advisor, Skellig Michael, 2021. April

Tender description

It is envisaged that the successful tender will propose one suitably qualified and experienced individual to spend extended periods of time on Skellig Michael during the period April to October 2021. The following will be required. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES A) Works Monitor and ecological Advice. The Office of Public Works (OPW) and National Monuments Service undertake work on the rehabilitation and maintenance of the built heritage of the island. To help ensure that such works are sustainable from a seabird and wider biodiversity conservation perspective, an objectives is: (1) The provision of real time information and advice with regard to the presence and sensitivities of breeding seabirds located in or close to areas of activity related to the conservation of the island’s built heritage. This will entail monitoring of ongoing works as required, and provision of on the spot advice. Work item A1 will involve working closely with staff on the island, and also working with the NMS, OPW and NPWS (in particular NPWS Regional Management). B) Targeted survey and monitoring of these seabird species. (2) Building on the recent work, establish a monitoring regime to track the breeding outcomes of a representative amount of focal plots/nest sites for a range of species including but not limited to: Storm Petrel, Puffin, Manx Shearwater, Kittiwake and Fulmar (3) Building on the recent work, complete the breeding survey of Strom Petrel and continue the regular monitoring of the North, South and East steps for this species (4) Undertake a breeding census of Skellig Michael’s Manx Shearwater population. Work items B2 – B4 will involve working closely with NPWS (in particular Birds Unit) to undertake the necessary work. SECONDARY OBJECTIVE C) Ecological Surveys. (5) NPWS are pursuing projects to improve scientific knowledge of the biodiversity of the Kerry Islands (including invasive species). This involves for example specialist surveys & inventories of taxa, or collection of ‘material/samples’ to contribu