Ailsa Craig

With just a few days before the festival itself gets underway there are just a few opportunities left to let you know what a wonderful place Arran is and what you might be missing out on if you haven't come to see us for this years festival! On wednesday there will be a special visit to Ailsa Craig with Arran Power and Sail and RSPB Scotland. My crystal ball will not be able to bring you images from this RIB trip yet- but last week I was able to get out to the island (this time with Ocean Breeze Ribtours)and what an amazing day it was!

Ailsa Craig, is also known as "Paddy's Milestone" is situated in the southern part of the Firth of Clyde. On a clear day it is visible from the Scottish Mainland and from Northern Ireland. The island itself is a spectacular volcanic plug, formed of basalt columns and a special micro-granite, prized for years as a material for winning curling stones.
Today, Ailsa Craig is an RSPB reserve. It is not one that you can visit easily, due to it's isolated position several miles offshore. You won't find all of the usual creature comforts of other RSPB reserves, in fact landing is not guaranteed by any commercial boat trips heading out there- but if you visit during the breeding season, from your vantage point at sea you will be able to view almost 70,000 gannets as well as black guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and even puffins. Ailsa is the 3rd largest gannet colony in the uk, and when we visited, the cliffs and sky were white with these graceful birds.

Puffins were wiped out on Ailsa many years ago due to an invasion of rats that came with he miners who settled the island in the 19th and early 20th century. When the RSPB took over, they began the tricky task of eradicating the rats. It wasn't easy, but the benefit to puffins was clear- they returned to the island as soon as the rats were gone. Now up to 100 pairs breed there- and the number is rising.

For more information about Ailsa Craig why not visit the RSPB's webpage on the island. If you can't make it next week, don't worry, Arran Power and Sail and Ocean Breeze Ribtours also run trips throughout the season, many in collaboration with RSPB Scotland.
You will find details of all the fantastic RIB trips and other journeys by sea taking place during the Arran Wildlife Festival on this page: http://www.arranwildlife.co.uk/boats_programme.html

Images from the 2009 Festival

View of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Pladda from Kildonan.

Intrepid seafarers brave the choppy waters for a once in a lifetime trip to RSPB reserve Ailsa Craig, home to 40,00 pairs of gannets, as well as guillemots, puffins and razorbills.

Rob Logan of Forestry Commission Scotland has a license to check barn owl nests and during the festival people were able to watch him do this (from a safe distance). Barn owls are protected by law and it is illegal to disturb them unless like Rob you have a license issued for a specific conservation purpose.

On board the Holy Isle ferry with Howard Wood from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust, finding out about Scotland's first No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay.


On the summit of Holy Isle.

The Seawatchers set up camp at the Southend of Arran. Amongst the many seabirds seen, a rare pomerine skua was spotted.


Terry Southall rings a song song thrush at Kildonan.


Kirk and Gen get help making a bug box from their dad, joiner George Inglis at the Family Fun Day.

Jenny Meade of COAST at the fun day.


Fiona Laing is chair of the Arran Natural History Society and Kate Sampson head ranger at NTS Brodick Castle, Country Park and Goatfell Property.


Graeme Walker of SNH practicing for his Bats and Beer presentation later that evening.


Ross Kerr has a go with the black grouse radio tracking equipment.


Gay and Andy Christie from Hessilhead Wildlfie Rescue Centre.


Tom Vella Boyle of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust at the Fun Day.


The staff at Brodick Co Op volunteered to help with the tea room and ran a raffle.


Liz Maclean, manager of Brodick Co-op gets into the spirit of the Fun Day.


Gemma Totty has her face painted at the Family Fun Day.


Community of Arran Seabed Trust divers demonstrate the marine wildlife of Lamlash Bay on board Arran Power and Sail's RIB.