Assistant Bird Warden

1. Overall Purpose:

The Assistant Bird Warden, managed by Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT), will help support the Ornithological Warden with their duties. This supports MWT role in managing the Calf Bird Observatory on behalf of Manx National Heritage, the landowner.

2. Job role and responsibilities:

The role is a varied one and will involve helping with a variety of day to day responsibilities and duties, for example, routine daily bird census counts and bird ringing, in addition to more specific studies, including managing the Manx shearwater monitoring programme, monitoring other breeding seabirds, and helping to develop pilot studies using NocMig and Motus technology.

3. Specific roles:

3.1   Manx Shearwater Recovery Project:

You will assist in managing the Manx Shearwater Recovery Project, undertaking call-back burrow monitoring and night-time visits to colonies to catch and ring adult Shearwaters; identify accessible burrows that that would allow for catching birds for GPS tagging; and undertake nigh-time visits to colonies to catch and ring young ‘star-gazing’ Shearwaters. In addition to this, carry out agreed habitat management within the study plots and write a summary report at the end of the season.

3.2   European Shag:

You will maintain regular visits to Gibdale and Kione ny Halby colonies to undertake nest recording and assist with colour ringing for both adult and pullus. Later in the season, you will undertake fieldwork to re-sight colour ringed birds to allow productivity rates and juvenile survival to be estimated. A summary report will be written at the end of the season to report your findings.

3.3   Storm Petrel:

You will undertake night-time surveys of suitable coastline to record presence of birds inshore or coming ashore to potential nesting areas. Locations to be agreed in advice. An summary report will be completed at the end of the season to report any findings and feed into the bird wardens annual report.

3.4   Puffin project:

You will support the marine officer (MWT) in deployment and recovery of the decoy puffins, speaker system and camera traps at the start and end of the season. Carry out daily checks of the speaker system to ensure it is working correctly and review weekly the camera trap footage and ensure batteries are replaced where necessary. Any sighting to be reported to the marine officer (MWT). Assist the bird warden in ‘fencing-off’ areas that are considered sensitive breeding locations and monitor public access.

3.5   NocMig & Motus technology:

Assist with the development of these innovative technologies, including the regular deployment and reviewing of up to 3 Audiomoth units. One of these should be operated at the Observatory and one or two others can be deployed elsewhere to monitor calls of migrant birds passing over the Calf. A Motus receiver is planned for installation during 2022 and it would be expected that involvement in helping to erect the station and maintenance, including downloading data would be part of the role. An summary report will be competed at the end of the season, to add to the annual report completed by the wardens.

4. Additional supporting role

In addition to the above, some time can be spent assisting the Ornithological Warden with:

• Daily census and ringing
• Breeding bird survey transects
• Specific species studies such as seabird monitoring and nest recording for Eider, Peregrine, Chough and Raven.
  

5. Person Specification:

5.1 Experience:

5.2 Knowledge:

5.3 Skills:

5.4 Personal Qualities:

6. Details of Placement

6.1 Length of Stay:

The post is from early March to the early November (36 weeks).

6.2 Subsistence:

An allowance of £30 per week towards food will be provided and will be paid monthly.

Travel to/from the Calf (from Port St Mary), accommodation and utilities will be provided.

6.3 Working Week:

The nature of the work will require a very flexible approach, with much of the work required outside of ‘normal’ hours, including weekends and bank holidays.

6.4 Location:

The Assistant warden will be based on the Calf of Man. An islet off the south of the Isle of Man.

6.5 Leave:

There is a leave entitlement of 15 days. Due to the nature of the work, holidays are normally taken only after consultation with the line manager. This is to maintain cover to meet the requirements of two wardens remaining on the Calf at any one time to keep the Calf operational. 

6.6 Accommodation:

The Assistant Bird warden will be provided with accommodation in the farmhouse building. This accommodation is basic but adequate and should be kept clean and in good condition. Living on the Calf requires careful use of water, fuel and supplies. Basic living facilities are provided including cooking utensils, bedding and satellite TV, heating etc but the post holder is responsible for ordering and paying for their own food and personal provisions.

6.7 Training:

Training will be provided, such as ATV and tractor driving. Rodenticide training will also be given to support the Manx Shearwater project. PPE will also be provided.