Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the main factor in limiting the number of puffins, which dig shallow burrows in the soft turf, or occupy
old rabbit burrows. Control measures may need to be introduced if the birds are to return.
FIG
93.
There are still a small number of puffins in the area, but breeding has not been recorded for many years, due
to predation by rats. (Harold Grenfell)
The
County History
also records other factors that have affected seabirds on the Worm in the past.
'Fortunately the promontory is now, and has been for some years, a nominally protected area, but in spite
of this, its small colony of Cormorants is frequently raided and the nests destroyed by human agency.'
The destruction had been going on for some time. In 1862 Kit Morgan, a resident of Parkmill, writing in
his topic
Wanderings in Gower
, enthusiastically related the 'sport' that could be had on the Worm:
There are thousands of birds to be found here - gulls, cormorants, lundibirds (guillemots) and
puffins. They fly in crowds over your head. If you take a boat and sail round the Head you can
shoot away until you are tired.
Therewasstillaseriousproblemin1949whenArthurWebbnotedthat'oflateyearsevensuchacommon
bird as the herring gull has had a hard struggle for survival, even on the supposedly protected Worm's
Head'. Worms Head was at the time a statutory Bird Sanctuary protected under the Wild Birds Protection
(Glamorganshire)Orderof1948.ThiswasthelastinaseriesofProtectionOrdersrenewedvirtuallyevery
five years following the Wild Birds Protection Act of 1880. The Act was, however, suspended for a short
period from February 1918 to June 1919, following a request by Glamorgan County Council, in order to
allowtheeggsofguillemots,puffinsandrazorbillstobetakenforfood.In1948JohnBeynon,thentenant
of the Worm, had contacted Glamorgan County Council:
As tenant of Worms Head I am writing to you to see if anything can be done to protect the wild
birds on the Head. I understand there is a bye-law passed for that purpose but not put in force.
