Kittiwakery Tower – Saltmeadows – Gateshead
Kittiwakery at Saltmeadows
by Nathalie Stevenson
A brand new artificial nesting structure called ‘Kittiwakery’ was constructed in early 2023 on private land at
H Nichol, Gateshead, adjacent to the existing Saltmeadows Tower. The nesting structure is a pilot project funded by the developing DBS (Dogger Bank South) offshore wind farms and managed by local consultancy Shoney Wind Ltd, based in South Shields.
Kittiwakery in Gateshead – © 2024 Martin Kitching/Shoneywind
Unlike the triangular Saltmeadows tower, Kittiwakery is a four sided structure, and has different types and sizes of ledges on each of the faces. Two of the faces have linear ledges, one face has large boxes, and the other has small boxes. The different ledge types aim to provide a comfortable nest microclimate in the ‘not too hot, not too cold Goldilocks Zone’ by mitigating against north easterly winds and afternoon solar exposure.
Kittiwakery in Gateshead by Paul Buskin from the 2023 season
In 2023, Shoney Wind placed artificial nests on the ledges hoping that Kittiwakes would be tempted to visit the structure. Whilst no Kittiwake were recorded breeding on Kittiwakery in 2023, many Kittiwakes inspected the structure and stole nest material for building nests on the adjacent Saltmeadows tower.
Initial success
In March 2024, Shoney Wind subcontractor Groundwork North East and Cumbria, installed ‘decoy/fake’ adult sized Kittiwakes and more artificial nests on Kittiwakery.
Kittiwakery in Gateshead – © 2024 Martin Kitching/Shoneywind
On 1 May 2024, Andy Rickeard of Northumbria Ringing Group observed two individual Kittiwakes on the SSE face of Kittiwakery, which is in direct line of sight of the Saltmeadows tower. One Kittiwake inspected a nest, and another bird stole nest material. On the 23 May 2024 Andy Rickeard also observed a bonded pair adding new nest material to a fake nest, with one of the adults apparently ‘sitting tight’ on the nest.
The Shoney Wind survey team comprises local experts, including Shoney Wind’s Field Biologist Martin Kitching, two surveyors from Biodiverse Consulting and Andy Rickeard. Despite the large amount of manual survey effort, it was clear that cameras could capture more data, especially at night so on the 31 May 2024, Biodiverse Consulting installed 2 motion detection cameras on two linear ledges as a preliminary trial.
As of early July 2024, over 200 daytime observations of Kittiwakes visiting Kittiwakery have been recorded. Some of these have been short visits, but a handful of birds have been observed for prolonged periods occupying and defending specific nest locations, and adding fresh nesting material to artificial nests. Copulation was recorded on one of the ledges by Martin Kitching on 31 May 2024.
Kittiwakery in Gateshead – © 2024 Martin Kitching/Shoneywind
The daytime data shows that all faces of Kittiwakery have been inspected by non-breeding Kittiwakes but the two faces that have some visibility of the existing Saltmeadows have been most popular in 2024. The two cameras have recorded 1000s of further records, particularly at night when the surveyors are having a well-earned rest!
Whilst none of the birds on Kittiwakery laid any eggs in 2024, the behaviour of the Kittiwakes is promising, and bodes well for 2025 .
For regular updates, please visit Shoney Wind’s blog : » www.shoneywind.com/blog/
Photo by Andrew Rickeard
First nest on the Kittiwakery Tower – May 2024