This is a personal quest. And a research expedition. And also a creative endeavour.
This summer, I will continue an ambitious solo journey by sea kayak in search of all of Scotland’s seabird species. My quest involves paddling to remote seabird colonies all around the west of Scotland. My aim? To find each of Scotland’s seabird species and record them by audio recordings, photography, filming, and writing – and hopefully to record the haunting, hair-raising, ethereal call of the Great Northern Diver: the Call of the Loon.
I completed the first part of this adventurous conservation expedition last year and successfully recorded the calls of 23 of my target list of 30 species of seabird. I even managed to record a brief call of a loon. Along the way, I met with seabird researchers, carried out my own field research and learnt so much about our fascinating endangered seabirds as they spend their summer attempting to breed. The story of the 2024 Call of the Loon expedition can be read here: https://rolandarnisonadventures.wordpress.com/category/call-of-the-loon/
In 2025 I plan to be bolder in my quest to record the remaining seabirds on my list, and to carry out more research into the abundance and behaviour of seabirds. I am planning to paddle to even more remote seabird colonies, around the Atlantic-battered coasts of the Western Isles, including a 65km solo crossing to the seabird heaven archipelago of St Kilda. As in 2024, I will also meet and interview seabird researchers to learn more about their work and about why so many of our seabirds are faring so badly.
After the 2025 expedition, I will continue to share my love of seabirds and what I have learnt about their plight, through social media, blogs, lectures, potentially a radio documentary and more. I want the world to celebrate our seabirds!
The Call of the Loon Expedition 2024 route
OUR SEABIRDS ARE IN TROUBLE
And we don’t fully understand why. But an impressive body of research coordinated by the Seabird Monitoring Programme shows seabird population changes over the last twenty years. The Seabirds Count report gives a shocking picture of major declines for most of the seabirds: 19 of the 23 species surveyed in Scotland have suffered population declines over the last 20 years. The reasons are varied and not always clear, but climate change, predation and competition for food are all significant factors. Avian Flu has caused further declines for some species since the Seabirds Count survey was completed. Scottish populations of Leach’s Storm Petrel – a small nocturnal bird that lives in crevices – have crashed by almost 80%. Kittiwakes, those beautiful onomatopoeic small gulls who give an evocative soundtrack to many a sea cliff have fallen by 57%. Puffins – everybody’s favourite – have lost a third of their population in Scotland in 20 years.
Changes in seabird populations in Scotland
There is a clear need for more research to better understand the reasons behind these dramatic declines – and to act to protect our seabirds. The Call of the Loon expedition is intended to contribute to this goal.
A great skua chasing me off its territory. Scotland is home to almost two thirds of the world's great skuas.
A puffin on the 2024 expedition
A pair of kittiwakes calling on the isle of Lunga. Scottish populations of kittiwakes have more than halved in twenty years
WHERE? WHEN? HOW?
I plan to set off on a long solo kayaking journey in May 2025, visiting many islands around west Scotland. My intended route is shown below. The 2024 expedition ended at Barra in the Western Isles and my priority in 2025 is to explore the uninhabited islands south of Barra - Pabbay, Mingulay and Barra Head – before heading up the west side of Barra and the Uists, taking in some of the outlying islands before the big bold challenging crossing to St Kilda – and back! If time allows, I will continue northwards around Harris and Lewis.
Planned route for the 2025 expedition
All through the 2025 expedition I will aim for the locations of particular seabird colonies I have identified but I will also paddle along many miles of remote coastlines where I am likely to encounter many more seabirds and possibly discover previously unrecorded seabird colonies.
I will be self-sufficient – carrying all the kit and supplies and wild-camping as I go. I will drink clean fresh water from springs and, with luck, harvest and catch some of my food as I go.
A remote camp on Isle of Rum on the 2024 expedition
With each seabird species I encounter, I will spend time photographing, filming and capturing the sounds of the birds and their habitats. One of the aims of the expedition is to capture good quality audio recordings of each seabird species – I have already captured many good recordings on last year’s expedition and I hope to record more. I will be using professional sound recording equipment for this, alongside my cameras to photograph and film the world of seabirds on the perilous boundary between land and sea.
I will also carry out research into seabirds throughout the expedition, using cameras, audio-recorders, GPS devices and other equipment to record data about seabird’s locations, abundance, behaviour and health. I am currently in discussions with NHBS to trial some of their field research equipment during the expedition.
Recording a colony of kittiwakes on Canna in 2024
As in 2024, I plan to meet with scientists and others who work with seabirds, at particular seabird colonies, to learn from them and support them in their work.
In all my encounters with seabirds, I will make every effort to avoid disturbing the birds, and I will conduct the expedition in line with the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code.
RESEARCH FOR CONSERVATION
I have had discussions with many seabird scientists and research organisations, to ensure the research I carry out on the expedition is of value to the BTO’s Seabird Monitoring Programme and the wider research community and for the future protection of our seabirds. My research tasks will include recording the location of seabird colonies and the abundance, behaviour and ecology of seabirds.
I will publish a research report after the 2025 expedition to share the data and insights from both expeditions with the seabird research and conservation community and other interested parties.
I will share my higher quality sound files of bird calls with the bird research platform Xeno-Canto and I will report notable observations of specific seabirds, seabird behaviour and identifications of individual ringed birds through relevant citizen science platforms.
Thousands of razorbills at the huge seabird colony on the Shiant Islands
SHARING THE LOVE
The Call of the Loon expedition is a celebration of Scotland’s seabirds. I want to use the expedition to share my love of our seabirds and to highlight how they are under threat. I have already posted extensively on social media and written blogs throughout the expedition, featured on BBC Radio 4’s Rare Earth episode ‘Save our Seabirds’ and delivered a series of popular multimedia lectures about the expedition. Through all these media, the messages from the Call of the Loon expedition about the plight of our seabirds has reached thousands of people.
Following the 2025 expedition I plan to build on this awareness-raising campaign, with more social media, more blogs, a more ambitious lecture tour, possibly a radio documentary and ultimately I hope to write a book to inspire people about the marvellous world of our precious seabirds.
THIS IS PERSONAL
For me the Call of the Loon expedition is a culmination of years of intent, combining my life-long love of the Scottish coast and the evocative sound of its seabirds. I have spent years visiting the wild edges of Scotland – kayaking, sailing, climbing and scrambling, exploring its hidden coves and cliffs. The call of the seabirds has been with me throughout all these explorations, like a soundtrack of my life.
I am an experienced sea kayaker but this expedition has already pushed me to the next level, with many weeks of solo paddling in remote and challenging waters on the 2024 expedition. I also had to deal with a challenging situation that almost brought the 2024 expedition to an end: my attempt to recover my lost kayak by swimming for it and subsequent hypothermia, exhaustion and near-drowning are related in an expedition blog post: https://rolandarnisonadventures.wordpress.com/2024/10/08/disaster/
Paddling around the Shiant Islands
In 2025 I plan to be even bolder, with solo paddling to very remote and wild seabird colonies and some extensive open water crossings – far longer than I have ever attempted before.
As an environmental science graduate and as an experienced leader of conservation research expeditions, I am familiar with the concepts and practicalities of field research methodologies. This gives me the confidence to carry out the research tasks of the Call of the Loon expedition.
The expedition will also make good use of my passion for story telling through film-making, photography and the written word to share what I discover on the expedition with the rest of the world and tell the seabirds’ stories.
You can find out more about my background here: https://rolandarnison.co.uk/about-us/
THE CALL OF THE LOON SUPPORT CLUB
Call of the Loon equipment sponsors
The Call of the Loon has already attracted attention. Several companies are supporting the expedition with supply of specialist kit and funding. Other supporters have been donating their time and advice.
I have received an enthusiast response from the seabird research community who appreciate me contributing to their research as well as raising awareness of our often underappreciated seabirds.
This Crowd Funder is being launched to help raise funds for the remaining core costs of the expedition - transport to Scotland, expedition food, remaining navigational and safety equipment and more. Please support me if you can, and so join the Call of the Loon Support Club.
The puffins are grateful
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CALL OF THE LOON
Website: https://rolandarnison.co.uk/call-of-the-loon-expedition/
Blog: https://rolandarnisonadventures.wordpress.com/category/call-of-the-loon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roland.arnison
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rolandarnisonadventures/
Online ‘Roland WildArt’ shop featuring images from the Call of the Loon: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RolandWildArt