THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

The Fryup island of Alviss is home to the last remaining colony of dwarf auks, sparrow-sized cousins of the similarly flightless great auk, which became extinct in the mid-19th century.  Around fifty nesting pairs inhabit small caves at the foot of the island’s virtually inaccessible sea-cliffs, creating a unique natural barrier against predation.  Deptford warblers, so named for their habit of congregating around the wreck of the Deptford coal barge at low tide, are prevalent at the northern tip of Mardoll.  Because of their association with shipwrecks, it is said that if a sailor encounters a Deptford warbler, he must skip and sing a shanty before he sets sail.  The Fryup islands boast the only only recorded British sightings of a number of species, including the Abyssinian scimitarbill, the pearly-eyed thrasher, and the fearful owl.

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