Overview

The North England Reserves team are looking for two dedicated and enthusiastic people to help with species protection at the breeding tern colony at Hodbarrow. The roles have been created to ensure minimal disturbance and predation of the little, Sandwich and common terns to increase productivity of this nationally significant colony.

There will be a six month post running from March to August and a three month post from May to July. The post holders will have a good natural history knowledge and experience of identifying and counting terns and breeding waders, the ability to integrate and work within a small team, organisational skills to co-ordinate a team of volunteer helpers and good people skills to maintain excellent reations with visitors and locals

You will be dedicated to ensuring the success of the breeding terns and tasks will involve deterring large gulls from nesting and feeding on the breeding island by a combination of nest raking and use of non lethal technology such as laser scaring and distress call playback. Monitoring of the tern colony to record seasonal progress and presence of predators may involve early, late or night time working, and the post holder will be required to liaise with professional predator control services to lethaly remove foxes and mink if necessary. Please indicate in your application whether you wish to be considered for the six month, three month or both posts.

Hodbarrow provides the ideal nesting opportunities for a nationally important tern colony on the flooded site of the former iron mines near Millom. In particular up to 48 pairs of litte terns are a major conservation priority for the site. Over 400 pairs of sandwich terns and 50 pairs of common terns have also bred on the site, but recent low productivity due to both mammalian and avian predation has meant measures to protect the colony have recently been increased.

Anti-predator fencing around the breeding island has proved successful against foxes, but last year lesser black backed gulls were the main source of chick predation. A number of measures are to be tried this year with the use of laser technology as a non lethal scaring method being trialled. This will be part of a wider national trial to look at the success and best practise of this method.

Hodbarrow is managed by a small team working on the Cumbria Coast, based at Campfield Marsh reserve. As there are no other staff based at Hodbarrow you will show a high degree of self motivation and carefully follow procedures for lone working and on site safety

This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. You will be asked to declare unspent convictions and cautions at offer of employment stage.

Salary starting at
£16,504 – £17,880 per annum pro rata

Hours & contract information
Hours: Full time
Contract: 6 months fixed term