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Falklands Conservation |
Middle Island (150ha or 370 acres) lies about 3 miles south of Mare Harbour, off East Falkland. It was purchased by Falklands Conservation in 1995.
Plants
58 plant species have been identified. This Island carries at least 60 species of which 45 (78%) are native. Five of the fourteen endemic Falkland plants are present: in addition to the Rock Cress, Lilaeopsis and two ragworts, we identified Falkland Cudweed, a greyish plant with small brownish flowers.
There is an abundance of Mountain Blue Grass from the low lying plain to the ridges of large sand dunes grading into Tussac Grass stands near the clifftops. On the western half of the Island, the slopes are dominated by old, dense Diddle-dee with an undergrowth of Almond Flower, several good patches of Tall Fern and even a few Native Strawberry plants. Further west the ground is badly eroded with many grotesquely shaped decaying Tussac bogs and dead Diddle-dee plants being swamped by blowing peat dust.
On the dry bed of a pond at the base of the sand dunes vegetation is lush with a solid growth of Prickly Burr, and on the sloping sandy ground, a green mat of Native water-milfoil. further towards the centre of the basin are four tiny but interesting plants: Falkland Lilaeopsis, Southern Mudwort, Lesser Sea Spurrey and a few examples of the Ranunculus called 'False Ladle-leaved Buttercup, which David Moore (1968) believed was 'uncommon' in the Falklands.
Near this drying pond basin, grasses are growing luxuriantly, including large Tussac bogs and the rare Antarctic Foxtail. Among them are at least ten healthy plants of Falkland Rock Cress. This is one of two endemic Falkland plants listed by IUCN as 'endangered'.
In hollows among the Diddle-dee are found both endemic species of Yellow Ragwort, often close together. The greener-coloured Smooth Falkland Ragwort (Senecio vaginatus) has overlapping yellow petals forming a solid head and the flowers are almost scentless. In contrast the Woolly Falkland Ragwort (Senecio littoralis) plants look grey-green and have single flower spikes with furry white buds and narrow petals which smell strongly of old straw from a horse's stable.
Birds
A total of 35 bird species have been recorded from Middle Island, including 21 definitely breeding, two probably breeding and six that may have been breeding, which suggests that 29 species could be breeding. Six other species have been seen offshore.
No live petrels have been seen or heard on the Island but a fresh Diving Petrel corpse was found near a Falkland Skua's nest and many small burrow entrances were found in steep Tussac-peat slopes. There is a colony of about 300 pairs of King Shags on the low northern cliffs bordering eroded ground. Several Rock Shags nest along the seaward side. More than 100 Rock Shag nests have been recorded in the four small colonies along the northern coast. A few pairs of Falkland Skuas occupy the Diddle-dee ridge behind the King Shags and more skuas nest on a sand beach to the east. Upland and Kelp Geese also graze on Diddle-dee berries. A few Ruddy-headed Geese breed on the Island and several pairs of the endemic Falkland Flightless Steamer Duck hold territories along the shore.
Songbirds
All nine Falkland songbirds are present, suggesting that Middle Island has no cats, rats or mice. Tussacbirds, Falkland Thrushes, Black-throated Finches, Black-chinned Siskins and the endemic Cobb's Wren are plentiful, particularly among the tussac along the southern coast. Only one Pipit has been seen, but Grass Wrens sing in Mountain Blue Grass and on Diddle-dee. Several family parties of Long-tailed Meadowlarks move about the Island, feeding on the ground and a few Dark-faced Ground-tyrants have been recorded.
Sea Lions
Two bull Sea Lions have been seen near the beach on the western point. Another large bull and a female were seen on a sand beach, and although no evidence of breeding on Middle island has been found, adults with pups have been seen and heard on Green Island nearby.
(Information from a Report on a Visit to Middle Island in January 1997 by Robin Woods)
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Patron: HRH The Duke of York CVO ADC Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature | BirdLife International Representative |