The Black-legged Kittiwake colony on Sable Island was not successful.  The kittiwakes had established nest platforms on clumps of vegetation near the top of a high eroding dune.  These clumps were not rooted or otherwise `attached' to the surface, but had separated from the vegetated top of the dune and were actually sliding down the steep eroding face - albeit slowly, in stops and starts. The sliding accelerated during windy wet weather.  By August 1, nine nest platforms remained - the others had slid and were destroyed.

Black-legged Kittiwakes normally build their nests on narrow rocky ledges above the ocean.  Sable Island, being a landscape of sand-in-motion, offers no suitable cliff-colony habitat for nesting kittiwakes.  What were they thinking...?

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