Capt’n Coquet’s Chronicles #156
The History of the “Night Hide” on Coquet Island
📷 The Duke of Northumberland and RSPB wardens at the hide
Up until the original automation of the lighthouse on Coquet Island in 1990, the bird wardens had lived in a two-roomed shed every summer from the 1970s. The limited facilities in the shed became second nature to island staff and volunteers who enjoyed the Robinson Crusoe lifestyle, feeling deeply connected with the seabirds around them.
It was possible to observe the nesting birds from the shed but there were no hides until an egg theft incident in 2007 changed everything. The wardens were off the island on their weekly shop when egg thieves struck and some rare roseate tern eggs were stolen.
The wardens and volunteers vowed to prevent that happening again. The immediate response was to build a temporary hide overlooking the nesting terraces. It was no more than a low scaffold tower covered in tarpaulin. Night shifts were organised, and a 24/7 system of guarding began. Night duties were cold with illumination (and a tiny bit of heat) being provided by a Tilley lamp.
Stephen Lunn, the local blacksmith artist, joined the team and built a sectional shed complete with a mini wood burning stove, seats and a tiny table. The circular windows were upgraded the following year with shutters on the windows and the flat roof modified with a circular Perspex dome, resembling a mini lighthouse. The use of Tilley lamps was now part of daily life as there was no electricity, not even in the quarters.
That hide lasted until 2016 when the island staff and volunteers pooled their ideas for a warden-designed hide. It could now be used as a base for conducting night watches and reading bird rings, but also as a cosy base for the team to enjoy and relax during their breaks.
This unique new “night hide” was also built by Stephen, with funding from the EU Roseate Tern Project, and featured a stainless steel frame and roof, proper windows, seating and a folding table that could be raised and lowered from the ceiling, an efficient mini wood-stove that had a hot plate and even a built-in boiler for making hot drinks.
It was fully dismantlable and built on a rotating base frame so the door could face away from prevailing winds. It was so well balanced that one person could turn it.
The hide became quite a feature on the island and the wardens jointly decided to paint a giant mural on one side, during their downtime, to celebrate the nesting successes of the birds under their care. The other side was adorned with artwork of puffins and terns, painted by the reserve student, Laura Morris.
The following year a solar panel and battery were fitted so lights provided illumination and a radio for listening to the weather forecasts.
It was always a joy to see all that creativity being focussed on enhancing the bird population that makes Coquet such a special place.
Dr Paul Morrison aka Capt’n Coquet was a Coquet Island manager for 38 years.
