Location and description<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Rauna (58\u00b0 33,5\u2019 N, 6\u00b0 40\u2019 E) is a small and low-lying island of boulders in Farsund municipality, Agder. It is a bit more than 1 km off the mainland and is the only island outside the Lista peninsula. The shallow sea area between Rauna and the mainland is included in the protected area along Listastrendene (the Lista beaches). The island and adjacent sea form a seabird reserve that covers an area of approximately 256 da, but only about 120 da are above mean high-water mark. Approximately 50 da are covered by vegetation (grass and herbs), while the rest consists of boulders. Rauna is part of the Lista moraine. There is a large burial site on the island with a beacon on top. The only other building on the island is a stone cabin, part of \u00d8sthassel rescue station, which was operated from 1872 to 1972. The small harbour on the island was also built during that period. The area is very exposed and, in stormy weather, the waves wash over large parts of the island.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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<\/a>\r\nPhoto: www.norgeibilder.no (TerraTec AS)<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Access<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Rauna can only be reached by boat. The seas off Lista are very rough, and it may be very difficult to get ashore at Rauna, even in summer. The harbour is poor, and only small boats can be moored properly. Access to the island is generally prohibited from 15 April to 15 July, and no one is allowed to move closer than 50 m from the shore. This regulation does not apply to local landowners and property holders.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/a>\r\nPhoto: Knut S. Olsen<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Wildlife<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The fauna of breeding birds at Rauna included large colonies of the small gull species (black-headed gull\u00a0Chroicocephalus ridibundus<\/em>\u00a0and common gull\u00a0Larus canus<\/em>), terns (arctic tern\u00a0Sterna paradisaea<\/em>, common tern\u00a0S. hirundo<\/em>\u00a0and sandwich tern\u00a0S. sandvicensis<\/em>), several different waders, black guillemots\u00a0Cepphus grylle<\/em>\u00a0and ducks. The large gulls were a minority in the 1970s. Between the protection of Rauna in 1980 and the turn of the millennium, however, the populations of large gulls and common eiders\u00a0Somateria molissima<\/em>\u00a0grew continuously. The colonies of common gulls and terns collapsed in the late 1990s following many years of poor reproduction.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Since the turn of the millennium, greylag geese\u00a0Anser anser<\/em>, great cormorants\u00a0Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis<\/em>\u00a0(the continental subspecies) and European shags\u00a0P. aristotelis<\/em>\u00a0have all established as new, permanent breeding species at Rauna. Shelducks\u00a0Tadorna tadorna<\/em>, mallards\u00a0Anas platyrhynchos<\/em>\u00a0and ringed plovers\u00a0Charadrius hiaticula<\/em>\u00a0also breed annually.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Harbour seals\u00a0Phoca vitulina<\/em>\u00a0and grey seals\u00a0Halichoerus grypus<\/em>\u00a0can be seen at Rauna regurlarly, but they do not breed. Fortunately for the birds, mink\u00a0Neovison vison<\/em>\u00a0have been absent since the 1990s.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In addition to the activities generated by the rescue station and the lighthouse, people have hunted and collected eggs and driftwood at Rauna, and sheep have grazed on the island. The tradition of collecting driftwood contributed to exempting all landowners from the prohibition of access to Rauna in the breeding period, but this activity actually ceased long before that.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Up until the protection in 1980, egg harvesting was extensive and not viable as in e.g. North Norway. In practice, the nests were often plundered and all eggs of all species were collected, often late in the incubation period. The eggs were hardly ever eaten, and it is known that, among other things, they were used to fertilize the fields. The protection regulations do not allow egg collection and hunting on Rauna is prohibited until 1 October. After this date, geese, ducks and cormorants are hunted when it is possible to get ashore. It is particularly popular to hunt ducks and geese coming in for an overnight stop in the evenings. The large numbers of dabbling ducks and geese that often stay at Rauna in September therefore become scarce quite soon after 2 October.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There is a tradition to run sheep on Rauna, but the grazing has been limited in recent years. Despite this, the grazing pressure has increased substantially since 2000, seriously affecting the vegetation. Tall stands of grass, nettles and other herbs that previously covered large areas have now disappeared. Especially in years with long lasting dry spells in May and June, the vegetation at Rauna is completely eaten. Otherwise, in autumn, the vegetation is again grazed down, which is bad for the next growing season. The main problem is that there is very little cover left for chicks and nests, resulting in huge losses of eggs and young birds. Common eiders and lesser black-backed gulls\u00a0Larus fuscus<\/em>\u00a0are hit particularly hard, and each year, hundreds of eider eggs and lesser black-backed gull chicks are eaten by great black-backs\u00a0L. marinus<\/em>, herring gulls\u00a0L. argentatus<\/em>\u00a0and crows\u00a0Corvus cornix<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In the early 1970s, the work on seabirds at Rauna started with nest counts and ringing. From 1980 to 1987, populations were counted for the county governor usually by counting individuals and by ringing of gull chicks. From the 1988, Rauna was included in the The National monitoring programme for seabirds, and total nest counts have since been conducted. Rauna was one of the first sites where colour rings were put on gulls, starting in 1995. The breeding success of certain species has been assessed since 1988, while the registration of chick production of large gulls started after the millennium. Since being incorporated into SEAPOP in 2008, fieldwork at Rauna has been carried out by people connected to the Norwegian Ornithological Society.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The SEAPOP sites in Mandal includes five islands, where four lie two and two. These were chosen as monitoring sites for two gull species because they have had a relatively stable population since the beginning of the 1980s, and are easy to access.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The easternmost colonies in Mandal municipality are called Store and Lille Slettingen (57\u00b0 57\u2019 N, 07\u00b0 29\u2019 E). Further west we find Stor\u00f8y (57\u00b0 59\u2019 N, 07\u00b0 26\u2019 E), and furthest west close to the border to Lindesnes municipality, we find \u00d8stre and Vestre Klovoholmene (58\u00b0 00\u2019 N, 07\u00b0 20\u2019 E). Slettingene and Klovholmene have been protected as nature reserves since 1980, while Stor\u00f8y is not protected. The Slettingene islands are divided by a strait. They are approximately 700 m in extent, and cover 100 da. Stor\u00f8y is 900 m from south to north, and covers an area of 26 da. None of the islands have been inhabited in recent times, so there are no buildings. All islands are quite far out in the archipelago and therefore affected by the coastal oceanographic climate of the southern coast of Norway. The Norwegian name of the island Slettingen describes the area\u2019s topography well, where gneiss and migmatite are the dominating rocks. These are relatively acidic and nutrient-poor and resistant to weathering. Although rock outcrops limit vegetation, we still find quite a few herbs and heather on these islands. Sheep graze on Stor\u00f8y. There are no trees at Slettingene, but on both Stor\u00f8ya and Klovhomen there are a few birch\u00a0Betula pubescens<\/em>, Sitka spruce\u00a0Picea sitchensis<\/em>\u00a0and common juniper\u00a0Juniperus communis<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Slettingene, Stor\u00f8y and Klovholmene are only accessible by boat, and it can be a bit rough around the islands. All have natural landing areas for smaller boats. Slettingene and Klovholmene are protected as nature reserves, and access to the islands prohibited from 15 April to 15 July.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n
Photo: Tor A. Olsen<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHuman activity<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Photo: Knut S. Olsen<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFieldwork<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Photo: Knut S. Olsen<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMandal<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Location and description<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Photo: Morten Helberg<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAccess<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n