THE Bermuda Audubon Society presented the island's schools with a documentary on Nonsuch Island this week.

Intended for use as an educational tool, copies of were given to Education Minister Terry Lister by Society president Andrew Dobson.

The schools also received a set of new seabird posters produced by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, an organisation also headed by Mr. Dobson.

The poster illustrates the three species of seabirds which breed in Bermuda, the cahow, longtail and common tern, as well as 16 other species which have occurred in Bermuda as rare visitors or vagrants.

"Our stated aim was to produce a DVD to assist environmental education in our schools," Mr. Dobson explained. "The documentaryfocuses on Nonsuch Island in particular and includes some extraordinary footage of our endemic national bird, the cahow.

"Thanks to infra-red cameras, it was possible to film the nocturnal bird for the first time ? revealing extraordinary footage of the adult, entering the burrow, inside the burrow with its chick, and then departing out to sea. Young birds were filmed exercising outside their burrows and then making their first flight." The Bermuda Audubon Society made the film in conjunction with Castletown Productions. It had its premiere earlier this year.

Mr. Dobson continued: "This is a most appropriate time to produce the documentary about the cahow because (Government) Conservation Officer Jeremy Madeiros is translocating young birds to Nonsuch.

"This is the latest chapter in the cahow recovery programme, started by former Conservation Officer David Wingate some 40 years ago. The present islands on which the cahows breed are low-lying and in danger of eroding away with the increasing occurrence of hurricane damage and rising sea level.

"Nonsuch is higher above sea level and has plenty of room for nest burrows. It is hoped that Nonsuch Island will be imprinted on the departing young cahows, and that they will return there as adults to breed."

He added that "students should find the natural history of Nonsuch Island fascinating" as it showcases a range of animal life including the yellow-crowned night-heron, the longtail, the West Indian topshell, land crabs and green turtles.