We know of at least 19 prepared samples from around the world. Among them is the Faroese stuffed Raven from the Leiden Museum in Nederland, held by Hein van Grouw on the photograph.
In the autumn of 2007 a diluted Raven was shot on Fugloy (see the photo of the stuffed one above). This Raven could not really fly, so the Craws bullied it all the time. Since then we have had several observations of diluted Ravens, seen a single time. Diluted birds usually have bad feathers, which don’t isolate them from the cold, so it is very likely, that they can’t survive a Faroese winter.
People have claimed to see White-speckled Ravens several times since the last was shot in 1902. One observation is from the winter in 1947, a second is from the autumn in 1948 on Nólsoy (Ryggi 1951) and finally the third is from around Easter 1965 near Sandvík (Nolsøe & Jespersen 2004).
If these 3 observations actually were White-speckled Ravens, then I must ask – why were they all only seen once? White-speckled Ravens have fine feathers and should be able to manage as well as the black Ravens. Also I find it very difficult to believe, that White-speckled Ravens have been flying around in the Faroes without being noticed. The oldest known ringed black Raven was 21 years and 11 months old, when the ring was read.
I am totally convinced, that all of the White-speckled Ravens, seen in the Faroes since 1902, must have been diluted Ravens.

The high number of grey gannet chicks fits very well with the big number of mackerel and in between also sand eels, that have been present around the Faroe Islands this summer. I therefore conclude, that the Faroese gannet population are doing fine in spite of the regularly catch of some chicks.

You can see the father together with the triplets on one of these photographs from July this year. The quality of these pale feathers seem to be to poor for these chicks surviving a Faroese winter.

“Tjaldur ver vælkomið til okkum heim”...

As usual, wool from sheep was laying all over the field, so that you could warm your feet… Also, there was plenty of nylon, which gave strength to the wool, that cut the bones in your legs... In case it wasn’t enough, we even left plenty more rubbish to welcome you – various wires and ropes, rusty fence rolls, and even barbed wire. Don’t even think about complaining about our welcome. You - our long missed national bird…

This book is one of a kind and the first ever that explains how the lives of islanders impact nature. For example, you can read text and see detailed photographs about how the ketcher is built up, hunting regulations, the breeding colony, estimated number of puffins, as well as of other Faroese seabirds. Furthermore, Jens-Kjeld gives his opinion about the current decrease in seabird populations.

The book costs 250 kr. + postage. By the book here

H.N. Jacobsen's bookstore has published a unique guide to the birds breeding in the Faroes Islands. This is the first guide which includes all the Faroese breeding birds. The book contains both text and photographs for each bird species.

Jens-Kjeld Jensen is the author of the guide, which can be bought at H. N. Jacobsen's bookstore. Visit their website at www.hnj.fo

On 9 March 1998, I ringed 5 turnstones in Nólsoy’s harbour, one of them with ring number 8864314. During the following 10 winters, I have seen ringed turnstones in the exact same location, without any luck in catching them. However, on 21 March 2008 - almost exactly 10 years later - my friend Hans Eli Sivertsen was in Nólsoy with his camera. On that day he took several good quality photographs of one of "my" turnstones, to the extent that we were able to read the number of the ring and confirm, that it was one of the birds I had ringed. This and earlier observations of ringed turnstones in the Faroe Islands indicate, that these turnstones probably breed in North Greenland or as far as Ellesmere Island.

Growing concerns for seabird populations in Nordic Seas

Large scale, climate related ecological changes have disrupted the food web of marine birds in Nordic waters. Over recent years, a decreasing number of birds have shown up in the colonies, and local populations are in trouble with few chicks being raised. Comprehensive and complex changes are now happening in the marine ecosystem, underlining more than ever the need to manage all other factors which affect seabirds such as commercial fisheries, oil spills, seabird harvest and environmental pollutants. This is the conclusion from a group of seabird experts that met in the Faeroe Islands one week ago.

Mikkjal hunting old Fulmars

"TJALDUR VER VÆLKOMIÐ TIL OKKUM HEIM"

Let's hope, that the responsible land owners notice these pictures...