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Storm Petrels

We have ringed storm petrels for many years at Fife Ness (just passed 1000 in 2005) on ground belonging to the golf course. We usually start in early July and continue well into August. We have learnt that clear calm weather with no recent fronts crossing the North Sea is best. We tend these days to restrict ourselves to such nights and we now catch much higher totals. About 1 in 6 of the birds caught are either ringed or subsequently controlled and we have had quite a number with Norwegian rings on. A very good catch might be 50 in a night but often it can only be a handful. We have caught 2 Leaches petrels over the years but might possibly catch more if we used a tape with some Leaches petrel on it. We may try this in 2006. Last year an unknown species of petrel circled the nets (almost certainly a soft plumaged petrel) but in general it is just storm petrels caught. We are always pleased to welcome other ringers and trainees and the latter may be pleased to use A2 rings - which need practice - and not many other species take them. Again contact by Email is best but it needs to be remembered that first catches may not be made until after 1 am.