Schools drop in on seabird 'neighbours'

Strachur, Tighnabruaich and Kilmodan primary schools are taking part in an exciting project this summer term which is revealing the wonders of their seabird neighbours.

 

Local ecologist and seabird specialist Katharine Lowrie is leading workshops along with local artist, Inge Bos, supported by all the teachers and volunteers of the schools.

 

“The sea influences the lives of our children and wider communities," said Katherine.

 

"We see the sea from the playground, community woodland and on the way to school.

 

"Gulls screech over our heads, oystercatchers and curlews probe for invertebrates on the village shinty pitch and gannets shoot through the sky at over 60 miles per hour in their incredible dive for fish.

 

"I want our community to re-connect with these amazing birds. Birds that travel thousands of miles to find food and thrive in one of the most hostile environments on earth.

 

"Millions of seabirds call Scotland their home- it’s internationally important for them- but they need our help,” Katharine added.

 

The children have been learning the names of the seabirds and how to recognise their weird and wonderful calls.

 

From eider ducks, to Manx shearwaters and black guillemots, the schools are finding out about the birds’ special adaptions for life at sea, where they breed, how they feed their chicks and their importance in the marine food web.

 

“We have been using home-made charcoal to sketch the forms of the birds. This encourages the children to get more familiar with seabirds and to recognise their special features," said Inge.

 

"They’ve made collages using newspaper, feathers, fabric, and pastels. The creations are fantastic and will decorate new seabird interpretation boards which will be constructed and located on Cowal for all to enjoy."

 

The workshops include quizzes, videos, word searches, crafts, games, beach sculptures, litter picks and poetry.

 

Katharine even has a box of ‘treasures’, which she has been showing the kids, from her seabird work in the Caribbean and South America, including a brown pelican skull and magnificent frigatebird feathers!

 

Many seabirds are declining due to over-fishing, bycatch, climate change, plastic pollution, and invasive species.

 

Seabird Neighbours project has created a platform for discussing these threats, as well as exploring how they can be combatted.

 

“The children have come up with all sorts of ideas to help," said Megan Stirling, head of Tighnabruaich Primary School.

 

"From reducing plastic consumption, to eating locally and seasonally, to avoiding eating threatened fish species, to buying second hand things, fixing and mending, cycling to school and making sure not to waste food.

 

"There are so many things we can do, and it can be fun and hugely satisfying,” she added.

 

One of the most beneficial aids to seabird and marine conservation are Marine protection Areas (MPAs).

 

Properly protected no-take zones have allowed fish stocks and other sea life to rapidly recover around the world.

 

The ground-breaking community of Arran’s MPA has been very successful with sea life flourishing and seeding into other areas of the sea so greatly benefiting fisher folk, local people, and tourism.

 

Through the Seabird Neighbours project, children from Tighnabruaich primary school found out more about this fantastic initiative on a school trip to the Community Of Arran Seabed Trust’s (COAST) Discovery Centre.

 

“Thanks to funding from Nobel Caledonia Charitable Trust and passengers on their wildlife cruises, we have been able to realise this much-needed project," said Katharine.

 

“I would love our children to understand and care about seabirds and the marine environment that we all depend upon and to replicate the project in other schools. If our Seabird Neighbours project can plant a seed of intrigue and wonder in the natural world into our children, then we will have succeeded.”

 

Katharine will be giving a free presentation to the local community about seabirds on Thursday June 15 at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome.