Disaster at sea: global warming hits UK birds

AI Thread Summary
The breeding failure of seabirds in Shetland is unprecedented, with significant declines noted among species such as guillemots, great skuas, arctic skuas, arctic terns, and kittiwakes. Monitoring by experts indicates that many seabird populations have experienced near-total reproductive failure this year. The situation in Orkney mirrors that of Shetland, with reports of minimal chick survival. The discussions highlight a correlation between rising sea temperatures, declining sand eel populations, and the adverse effects on seabird breeding. Some argue that these environmental changes are linked to natural weather pattern variations rather than human-induced climate change, suggesting that the current trends may reverse with shifts in these patterns. There is skepticism about attributing the seabird declines solely to global warming, with claims that other factors, including fishing practices, may also play a role. The debate emphasizes the complexity of climate impacts on marine ecosystems and the need for careful analysis of environmental data over time.
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...Martin Heubeck of Aberdeen University, who has monitored Shetland seabirds for 30 years, said: "The breeding failure of the guillemots is unprecedented in Europe." More than 6,800 pairs of great skuas were recorded in Shetland in the same census; this year they have produced a handful of chicks - perhaps fewer than 10 - while the arctic skuas (1,120 pairs in the census) have failed to produce any surviving young.

The 24,000 pairs of arctic terns, and the 16,700 pairs of Shetland kittiwakes - small gulls - have "probably suffered complete failure", said Mr Ellis.

In Orkney the picture is very similar, although detailed figures are not yet available. "It looks very bad," said the RSPB's warden on Orkney mainland, Andy Knight. "Very few of the birds have raised any chicks at all." [continued]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=546138
 
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Okay, there we go again.

Most certainly disturbing data on breeding sea bird populations in the North Sea and the correlation between higher sea temps and lower sand eel populations with the secundary effect on bird populations seems sound

But is this a result of Man's burning of fossil fuels? The studies of Andrew Masterman of the UK climate clearly show that the UK warmth since 1988 is the result of persistent warm weather patterns giving above average temps with a small contribution from higher northern hemisphere temps. The higher North Sea temps are caused by the same factors.

So what causes natural variability in UK climate?' Really it's nothing else than variations in weather patterns! That same variation that is cooling South America and South-East Africa for instance And there is little doubt trends will reverse when natural variability favors colder weather patterns across the UK and West Europe.

The specious argument that what is required to cool UK & North Sea temps is greenhouse gas emission reductions is just persisting myth forming and Kyoto propaganda.

BTW The http://archive.greenpeace.org/comms/cbio/hoover.html in the North Sea (they grind them up to make fertiliser, pig-feed etc) was and continues to be a drect attempt to get those species extinct. What a immense hoax to blame global warming. But everything can be explained with global warming, can't it. Let's open our eyes please.
 
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You would use six years of data to determine a trend? In environmental terms this is nothing short of wild guessing.

First you argue that there is no global warming, then there is, no was, but it was caused by the sun, but it is now stopping. What about all of the incorrect ice core samples that you have argued about? I thought this was the error that implied that global warming was real, when it wasn't, but now was.

Your arguments betray the significance of the events at hand.
 
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I have no clue what you're talking about. What has this to do with driving sandeels extinct?
 

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