Commence Manxy Tickling

The time had come round to start the manxy productivity survey on Bardsey. This consisted of selecting burrows that contained eggs, marking them and then returning to them latter in the year when there were just the chicks left in the burrows. 

Armed with note pads, posts, a compass and small bamboo "tickle sticks" to aid us feeling down the burrows, Steve, Chris and I set out, starting with the south end of the island.

To determine whether a burrow contained an egg or a bird we would stick our hands down the burrows to see if we could feel either. After a few nasty nips from birds and alot of swearing I decided I would give it a go with the small sticks we were provided with rather than risk my fingers being nobbled.

Hurray, one burrow complete with egg

All tickled out after a long day on the south end we headed back to the Obs, we would later repeat the same process on different sections of the island until we had a sufficient amount of study burrows.

Oh yeah and there's a cow that thinks its a dog.