UKH

Some positive news for climbing, some negative news for conservation, but as the number of nesting Kittiwakes on the Diamond has been very few the area can be accessed early this year.  There are still Cormorants nesting well above the cliff, and if you come across any nests please report them and stay clear.

Normally Kittiwakes wouldn't fledge until mid August, unfortunately due to Avian flue and increased sea temperatures, their numbers have steeply declined this year.  

I guess when the planet is a completely barren wasteland we'll be able to climb wherever we want whenever we want. Something to look forward to at least.

How does the increased sea temperatures have an impact, I presume it causes a reduction in Kittiwake food supply but I'd be interested to know some details.

Fish are attracted to the lower sea temperatures, so as the temperatures are higher the density of the fish populations are much lower.

I'd highly recommend reading the following, if you're interested in the subject. It's really well written, and written in a way that is suitable for 'non-birders' and birders alike. It'll add another layer of depth to sea cliff climbing, as it goes into pretty much all the birds you tend to see, with a chapter focussing on each - kittiwakes, gulls, guillemots, puffins, shags, shearwaters and more.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-seabirds-cry/adam-nicolson/kate-boxer/...

surely that depends on the species of fish ? Probably true for fish such as Cod but I doubt fish typical of tropical reefs prefer cold water.

Ta, and to Rob for the book recommendation

If you visit some of the more grotty rubbish-filled Lancashire quarries, you'll get a wee glimpse of that 'barren future'....

One effect of increased sea temperatures is that sandeels (a primary prey for many seabirds) seek lower temperature, and hence, deeper water. This then either takes them out of reach of seabirds, or the seabirds have a greater calorific expenditure from diving deeper and reduces the margin for survival or providing enough food for they young.