New record

15 to 20 Sep – A first-winter bird was watched in bracken along the East Side on 15 & 16 Sep, then in Millcombe on 19^th & 20^th (A. Williams). Record accepted by DBRC – the first for Lundy since Sep 2005.

New record

3 Sep – A first-winter bird was mist-netted in Millcombe (Richard & Rebecca Taylor, Tony Taylor). Record accepted by DBRC.

New record

23 to 26 Aug – One in blackthorn scrub in upper Millcombe on 23^rd (Dean Jones) was seen again in Millcombe on 25^th, then trapped and ringed there on 26th (Rebecca & Richard Taylor, Tony Taylor). Record accepted by DBRC.

New record

5 Sep – One was feeding actively in lower Millcombe (Richard Taylor et al.). Record accepted by DBRC.

Unidentified Hippolais warbler

2 Jun – A Hippolais warbler seen briefly in Millcombe on 2 Jun was thought probably to be an Icterine Warbler, but views were inconclusive and the bird shot off up the valley, never to be seen again (Dean Jones). Record accepted by Devon Bird Recorder as 'unidentified Hippolais warbler'.

New record

27 & 28 Aug – One first seen and photographed as it fed in oaks on the north side of Millcombe at about 08:30 hrs on 27^th was still present the following morning, when it was feeding in trees below Brambles (Joe Parker, Luke Marriner). Record accepted by DBRC.

New record – subject to acceptance by DBRC

25 Aug – One was found in Millcombe Walled Garden allotments during the evening.

New record

4 Sep – One seen on the Terrace (A.M. Taylor, R. Taylor). Record accepted by DBRC; the 31^st year in which this species has been recorded, but the first since Aug 2005.

New records

10 to 13 Sep – One first seen on the southern side of Millcombe, below Millcombe House, on 10 Sep was trapped and ringed on 13^th (Richard Taylor, Tony Taylor).

20 & 21 Sep – A second bird, first seen in upper Millcombe, below Government House, on 20 Sep (Andy Jayne) was trapped and ringed on 21^st and was seen again in Millcombe on 22nd (Chris Dee et al.). Records accepted by DBRC.

Melodious Warbler, Millcombe, 21 Sep 2012 © Andy Jayne

New record

5 Oct – One was watched for about 10 minutes from the Terrace and Lower East Side Path (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). Initially perched on the willows near the Terrace Heligoland Trap, the bird worked its way along and up the sidelands towards Quarry Cottages, before diving back down towards the Terrace, where it could not be relocated. Record accepted by DBRC.

New records

31 Jul – A first-year bird was mist-netted in Millcombe (on the slope up to the Ugly) mid-morning. It was not seen in the field, either before capture or after release (Dean Jones).

31 Aug – One was watched and photographed in willow scrub at the Terrace (Dean Jones).

Records accepted by DBRC.

New records

23 Aug – One was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Luke Marriner & Joe Parker).

27 Aug – An unringed individual was photographed along the Lower East Side Path (Luke Marriner).

3 Sep – One was seen along the Terrace (Joe Parker).

Records accepted by DBRC.

Melodious Warbler, Millcombe, 23 Aug 2023 © Luke Marriner

New record

28 to 30 Aug – One photographed along the Lower East Side Path between Mousehole & Trap and Gannets' Combe on 28^th (Daniel, Angus Croudace et al.) was potentially the same individual as seen in Millcombe on 30^th (Angus Croudace).

Record accepted by DBRC.

New records – subject to acceptance by DBRC

21 Aug – One was found near the junction of Quarter Wall and 'Pointless Wall' (the wall running towards Quarter Wall from the north side of the Airfield) at approximately 14:55 hrs on 21 Aug (Ezra Sherwell). It was relocated about 30m west of Quarter Wall Gate at about 19:25 hrs (Andy Jayne).

2 & 4 Sep – One was found in Millcombe Wood during the evening of 2 Sep (Ezra Sherwell), with the same or another seen in the Secret Garden on 4^th.

First for Lundy

1 Oct – One, mist-netted in Millcombe, was ringed and photographed (John Haddaway & John Horton); a long overdue first occurrence of this species on Lundy. Record accepted by BBRC.

Booted Warbler trapped in Millcombe, 1 Oct 2013
© John Horton

Report assessed as not proven

28 Sep – The submission for one in the rushes around Pondsbury was assessed by BBRC as ‘not proven’.

Report assessed as not proven

29 Oct – The submission for a Booted or Sykes's Warbler (Iduna caligata or I. rama) along the Terrace was assessed by BBRC as 'not proven'.

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 28 Mar 2025; Latest 24 Oct 2013 (one).

High autumn-passage count

24 Aug – A count of 30 remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest autumn-passage day-total since publication of The Birds of Lundy.

Breeding confirmed

One was singing in Lower Millcombe on 6 Jun and breeding was confirmed when an adult was seen carrying food in St John’s Valley on 17 Jun and an adult female with a brood patch was trapped there on the same day. Fledged young were seen near Brambles on 14 & 16 Jul. The only previous instances of confirmed breeding on Lundy occurred in 1934 and 1935.

Breeding season

Although birds were seen sporadically during the late spring and early summer, there was no reported evidence of breeding behaviour to follow-up on confirmed breeding in St John’s Valley in 2010.

High spring-passage counts

2-4 May – Counts of 50 on each of these three dates remain (as of the end of 2023) the highest spring-passage day-totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Exceptionally late autumn record

24 Oct – One in Millcombe (Tim Davis) was the latest ever recorded on Lundy.

Ringing movements between Lundy and north-west France

A first-year bird ringed at Donges, Loire-Atlantique, north-west France, in Aug 2015 was controlled on Lundy in Apr 2017 (see below for full details). This is the third Sedge Warbler to be ringed at the same French reedbed site in late summer and controlled on Lundy during a subsequent spring migration. Altogether, there have been six Lundy Sedge Warbler movements to or from the Loire-Atlantique, reflecting not only the importance of wetlands in this region for fattening-up prior to trans-Mediterranean and trans-Saharan flights in autumn, but also the intensive ringing effort there. Since 2002, thousands of Sedge Warblers have been ringed annually in Donges; over 10,000 individuals were handled in 2011 alone! These have generated numerous controls in other countries, the great majority in the UK.

Notable spring-passage count

9 May – A count of 31 was one of the higher spring-passage day-totals of recent years (see May 2012 above).

Early spring record

9 Apr – One singing from the 'Secret Garden', lower Millcombe, was the equal earliest since publication of The Birds of Lundy (the earliest ever was one on 7 Apr 1940).

Notable autumn-passage count

6 Aug – A count of 29 was one of the higher spring-passage day-totals of recent years (see Aug 2009 above).

Early spring record

9 Apr – One in Millcombe was the equal earliest since publication of The Birds of Lundy (the earliest ever was one on 7 Apr 1940).

Notable spring-passage count

30 Apr – A count of 30 was one of the higher spring-passage day-totals of recent years (see May 2012 above).

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 32 dates from 16 Apr (one) to 28 May (one), with a maximum of 12 on 1 & 3 May. 

Autumn – Recorded on 14 dates from 16 Jul (one) to 28 Sep (one), with four on 10 Sep being the highest count.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 12 (10); May 12 (22); Jun 0 (0); Jul 1 (2); Aug 3 (2); Sep 4 (9); Oct 0 (0); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0). 

Number ringed during the year: 80

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 36 dates from 16 Apr (one) to 14 Jun (one), with a maximum of 16 on 4 May. There was no evidence of breeding.

Autumn – Migrants were recorded on 20 dates from 26 Jul (two) to 16 Oct (one), with an early peak of 12 on 3 Aug. One in Millcombe on 16 Oct was among the latest records for the island (the latest of all being one on 24 Oct 2013 and one on 21 Oct 2006).

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 9 (11); May 16 (21); Jun 1 (4); Jul 3 (4); Aug 12 (7); Sep 5 (8); Oct 1 (1); Nov 0 (0). 

Number ringed during the year: 72

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 36 dates from 28 Mar to 23 May. The first of the year was a single bird seen below Millcombe House, on the exceptionally early date of 28 Mar (Joe Parker) – the earliest ever for Lundy – followed by one trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 10 Apr. There were further records of one to four birds on five dates to 21 Apr, followed by influxes of 11 on 22 Apr, 16 on 25^th (including 15 ringed in Millcombe and one seen at Quarter Wall Pond) and 11 on 28^th. The only double-digit count in May was of 13 on 1^st. Among the influx on 25 Apr, was a French-ringed bird that had originally been caught on the west coast of France as a first-year bird in Aug 2024 (see below for full details), fitting in with a now well-established pattern of movements to and from a critically important autumn feeding area. In addition, a Sedge Warbler trapped in Millcombe on 29 Apr had been ringed as a first-year bird near Land's End in Jul 2024 and recaptured in western France just six days later (see below for further details).

Autumn – Post-breeding dispersal and return migration kicked off with two in Millcombe on 19 Jul. There were records on a further five dates later in the month, including the first confirmed juvenile on 27^th and a peak of seven birds on 28^th. Into Aug, one on 2^nd was followed by four on 6^th, two ringed in Millcombe on 10^th, one ringed on 13^th, and three ringed on 15^th. Later in the month there were three on 21^st, five on 23^rd (of which three at Pondsbury), and one in Millcombe on 30^th. Into Sep, one was ringed in Millcombe on 2^nd and there were three on 4^th (two Millcombe, one Pondsbury), followed by singles on 22^nd & 25^th the latter at the Terrace and the last of the year.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 1 (1); Apr 16 (15); May 13 (20); Jun 0 (0); Jul 7 (6); Aug 5 (8); Sep 3 (4); Oct 0(0); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 101

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year was one singing below Millcombe House on 13 Apr (Thomas Weston). There was a ten-day gap until the next was logged, another single bird, on 23^rd, followed by an influx in the last week of Apr, when there were 10 on 25^th, 13 on 26^th and 11 on 27^th.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 13 (6);

Ringing movements

The first two ringing movements detailed below refer to the Spanish- and French-ringed individuals mentioned at the foot of the table on p.198 of The Birds of Lundy.

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 24 Jul 2024 (ring no. BPE8246) was controlled on Lundy on 29 Apr 2025. (279 days; 143 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult at Coria del Rio, Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain (37°17’N, 6°03’E) on 25 Apr 2007 (ring no. Madrid N364976) was controlled on Lundy on 2 May 2007 (7 days; 1,547 km; N 5°). This shows rapid movement north during spring migration; from southernmost Spain to Lundy in exactly a week. This is the third movement shown by ringing of a Lundy Sedge Warbler to or from Spain.

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°19’N, 2°04’W) on 13 Aug 2006 (ring no. Paris 5337496) was controlled on Lundy on 3 May 2007 (263 days; 468 km; NNW 337°). This is the fifth first-year Sedge Warbler to have been ringed in France in autumn and controlled on Lundy during a subsequent spring migration.

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 22 Apr 2006 (ring no. T930767) was controlled at Laguna de la Nava, Palencia, Castilla y Leon, Spain (42°05’N, 4°45’W) on 6 Apr 2008 (715 days; 1,010 km; S 181°). This is the fourth movement shown by ringing of a Lundy Sedge Warbler to or from Spain and the second involving Laguna de la Nava, which is designated as a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) and as an EU Special Protection Area.

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on 14 Aug 2008 (ring no. Paris 6034085) at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°19’N, 2°04’W) was controlled on Lundy on 20 Apr 2009 (249 days; 468 km; NNW 337°). This is the second adult Sedge Warbler to have been ringed in France in autumn and controlled on Lundy during a subsequent spring migration and shows an almost identical movement to the first-year bird ringed at the same location in Aug 2006 (see above).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on 29 Jul 2010 (ring no. Paris 6354503) at the reedbed of Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d'Uzet, Charente-Maritime, France was controlled on Lundy on 28 Apr 2011 (273 days; 691 km; NNW 336°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Noyant, Soulaire-et-Bourg, Maine-et-Loire, France on 9 Aug 2008 (ring no. Paris 6040074) was controlled on Lundy on 25 Apr 2014 (2,085 days; 501 km; NW 324°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 30 Aug 2014 (ring no. D184287) was controlled at Terril de Pinchonvalles, Avion, Pas de Calais, France on 11 Sep 2014 (12 days; 533 km; E 100º).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Squire’s Down, Stalbridge, Dorset on 1 Sep 2016 (ring no. D995351) was controlled on Lundy on 1 May 2017. (242 days; 163 km; W 278°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 20 Apr 2017 (ring no. Z981823) was controlled at Hasfield Ham, Gloucestershire on 22 Apr 2017 (2 days; 188 km; ENE 63°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°19’N, 2°04’W) on 18 Aug 2015 (ring no. Paris 7502526) was controlled on Lundy on 20 Apr 2017 (611 days; 468 km; NNW 337°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult female at Le Bonhomme, St-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°02'N 1°38'W) on 05 Aug 2015 (ring no. Paris 7447202) was controlled on Lundy, 30.4.19 (1,364 days; 505 km; NNW 335°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at South Milton Ley, Devon on 09 Aug 2018 (ring no. ADB7438) was controlled on Lundy on 07 May 2019 (271 days; 116 km; NNW 331°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°19’N, 2°04’W) on 15 Sep 2018 (ring no. Paris 8372245) was controlled on Lundy on 07 May 2019 (234 days; 468 km; NNW 337°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Lough Beg, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, Ireland on 03 Sep 2018 (ring no. S730803) was controlled on Lundy on 10 May 2019 (249 days; 263 km; ESE 106°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Mars-Ouest, Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°02'N 1°38'W) on 06 Aug 2018 (ring no. Paris 8298291) was controlled on Lundy on 14 May 2019 (281 days; 500 km; NNW 335°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Sandouville, Seine-Maritime, France (49°29′N 0°19'E) on 30 Aug 2018 (ring no. Paris 8752046) was controlled on Lundy 07 May 2019 (250 days; 400 km; WNW 298°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult female at Blackditch, Wicklow, Ireland on 17 Jul 2016 (ring no. Z246781) was controlled on Lundy on 08 May 2020 (1,391 days; 232 km; SSE 156°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 26 Apr 2020 (ring no. ABH2037) was controlled at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France on 03 Aug 2020 (99 days; 468 km; SSE 157°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult at Bahine, Guerande, Loire-Atlantique, France on 02 Aug 2019 (ring no. Paris 8702105) was controlled on Lundy on 08 May 2022 (1,010 days; 460 km; NNW 340°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Mars-Ouest, Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°07'N 1°40'W) on 22 Aug 2024 (ring no. Paris 10014023) was controlled on Lundy on 25 Apr 2025 (246 days; 498 km; NNW 335°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 24 Jul 2024 (ring no. BPE8246) was controlled at Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France (47°19’N, 2°04’W) on 30 Jul 2024 (6 days; 407 km; SE) and on Lundy on 29 Apr 2025 (9 months 5 days; 143.8 km; NNE).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 29 Apr 2022 (ring no. APR5902) was controlled at Chenal, Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d'Uzet, Charente-Maritime, France on 19 Aug 2025 (1,208 days; 690 km; SSE 156°).

Ringing control: A Sedge Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Carey Floodplain, Dorset on 30 Aug 2025 (ring no. BXF3262) was controlled on Lundy on 07 May 2026 (250 days; 185 km; WNW 287°).

First for Lundy

29 Oct – One was watched at close range along the East Side, just north of St Helen's Combe (J. Smith, A. Jayne, R.A. Duncan, T. Palmer, R.J. Taylor). An excellent set of photographs and video clips was taken and the bird was trapped and ringed, when it was aged as an adult. Record accepted by BBRC, constituting the first for Lundy and Devon.

Paddyfield Warbler, 29 Oct 2008
© John Smith

First for Lundy

3 Oct – One, mist-netted in Millcombe, was ringed and photographed (John Haddaway & John Horton). This is the first record of this species for Lundy and Devon and came hot-on-the-heels of another long-anticipated Lundy ‘first’, Booted Warbler, caught by the same ringing team two days previously. The breeding range of Blyth’s Reed Warbler is expanding westwards and this, together with improved identification criteria and observer awareness, has led to a large increase in the number and frequency of British records in recent years. Record accepted by BBRC.

Blyth's Reed Warbler trapped in Millcombe, 3 Oct 2013
© John Horton

New record

25 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.); Record accepted by DBRC; only the second for Lundy.

Blyth's Reed Warbler trapped in Millcombe, 25 Oct 2016
© Justin Zantboer

New record

3 Jun – One singing from 'Smelly Gully', lower Millcombe (Richard & Rebecca Taylor, Tony & Ann Taylor). Record accepted by DBRC; only the fifth record for Lundy, the last being a singing male near Stoneycroft on 26 May 1997.

New record

6 Sep – A first-winter bird  was watched and photographed at close range in St John's Valley (Tim Jones et al.).

Record accepted by DBRC; the sixth for the island.

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 17 Apr 2014 & 2015 (singles); Latest 25 Oct 2014 (one).

All records since 2006, during both spring and autumn passage, have been of one to three birds only. There have been several records of singing birds in spring, but there is no suitable breeding habitat on the island.

Early start to autumn migration

15 Jul – One; the first July record for the island.

As of mid-2020, this remains the only occurrence in July.

Early spring record

17 Apr – One trapped in St John's Valley remains the equal earliest ever recorded on the island.

Late autumn record

25 Oct – A skulking individual was feeding in ivy overhanging the cliffs at the mouth of St Helen's Combe. This remains the latest record since publication of The Birds of Lundy, though the latest ever was on 4 Nov 1982.

Early spring record

17 Apr – One near Government House remains the equal earliest ever recorded on the island.

Reed Warbler, Quarters, 8 Jun 2016 © Tim Jones

New record count for spring passage

30 May – Five on this date (two singing in Millcombe, one at St Helen's Copse and two along the Terrace) was the highest spring-passage count ever recorded for the island.

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 14 dates, 17 Apr (four) to 12 Jun (one), with a maxium of five on 7 May.

Autumn – Recorded on 20 dates from 17 Jul (one) to 23 Oct (one), with a maximum of four (all trapped and ringed) on 21 Sep.

Number ringed during the year: 24

New record count for autumn passage

21 Sep – Four on this date was the highest autumn-passage count ever recorded for the island.

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 14 dates, 20 Apr to 4 Jun, with a maxium of three on 17 & 19 May.

Autumn – Recorded on 20 dates from 30 Aug (one) to 15 Oct (two), with a maximum of four on 8, 9 & 16 Sep, matching the record autumn count set in Sep 2023.

Number ringed during the year: 24

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year was one trapped and ringed on 13 Apr. This was followed by one in Millcombe on 25 Apr, then two on 15 May (one in Millcombe, one on the plateau at 'Pointless Wall'), and two on 18 May (Millcombe and Stoneycroft).

Autumn – Logged on 11 dates from 17 Jul to 28 Sep. One was ringed in Millcombe on 17 Jul. One was in Millcombe on 23 Aug and one was ringed there the following day and retrapped on 25^th. In Sep, one was ringed in Millcombe on 4^th and singles were seen on the Terrace on 7^th, 8^th & 10^th. At the end of the month there were singles on 24^th & 26^th and two on 28^th, the latter – somewhat surprisingly given the regularity of Oct records – the last of the year.

Number ringed during the year: 7

Summary of all records

Spring – A sub-singing bird seen and heard around Millcombe Pond and the walled gardens on 24 Apr was the first migrant of the year. This was followed by one to three birds daily from 25 to 27 Apr, then singles on 1 & 2 May.

Ringing

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Gunwalloe, Cornwall on 22 Aug 2012 (ring no.Y752659) was controlled on Lundy on 17 Apr 2014 (603 days; 133 km; NNE 19°).

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as an adult at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly on 18 Apr 2017 (ring no. S327850) was controlled on Lundy on 20 & 22 Apr 2017 (2 and 4 days; 180 km; NE 40°).

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Blackers Rock, Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland (54°35'N 6°33'W) on 13 Aug 2017 was controlled on Lundy on on 06 May 2019 (631 days; 404 km; SSE 162º). See also this webpage of the Causeway Coast Ringing Group.

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as an adult male at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 8 Jul 2019 (ring no. AVH4186) was controlled on Lundy on 19 Apr 2020 (286 days; 144 km; NNE 31º).

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as a juvenile at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly on 06 Jul 2019 (ring no. AVF4022) was controlled on Lundy on 19 Apr 2021 (653 days; 180 km; NE 40°).

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly on 11 Aug 2020 (ring no. AVF4870) was controlled on Lundy on 04 May 2022 (631 days; 180 km; NE 40°).

Ringing control: A Reed Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly on 31 Aug 2020 (ring no. AVF4914) was controlled on Lundy on 07 May 2023(2 years, 8 months, 7 days; 180 km NE).

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 31 Mar 2021 (one); Latest 23 Oct 2007 (one trapped and ringed; see below).

Record late date in autumn

23 Oct – One trapped and ringed remains (as of the end of 2024) the latest ever recorded on the island (the previous latest being one on 20 October 1969).

Notable spring-passage count

27 Apr – A count of ten is the second-highest day-total recorded in spring since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007, being exceeded only by a count of 12 on 17 Apr 2023.

Notable autumn-passage counts

24 Aug & 20 Sep – Counts of four on both dates remain (as of the end of 2024) the highest day-total recorded in autumn since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007.

Late date in autumn

18 Oct – One flushed at the western end of Quarter Wall (Andy Jayne) is among the latest-ever records for the island.

Notable spring-passage count

21 Apr – A count of six is the highest day-total recorded in spring since 2009 (see above).

Early spring record

9 Apr – One reeling in St John's Valley, equalled the (then) earliest-ever date for the island of 9 Apr 1981 & 1990 but was comprehensively beaten in 2021.

Record early date in spring

31 Mar – One reeling from thick scrub below The Ugly at 10:30 hrs remains (as of the end of the end of spring 2025) the earliest ever recorded on Lundy.

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 15 dates, from 12 Apr (one) to 1 May (one), with an exceptional 12 on 17 Apr – the highest day-total in either spring or autumn since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007 (see also 2009).

Autumn – Recorded on only three dates, with singles on 10 & 20 Sep, and three on 21 Sep.

Number ringed during the year: 7 (all in Apr).

Summary of all records

Spring – Passage migrants were logged on 15 dates, from 12 Apr (three) to 4 May (one), with a peak count of four on 28 Apr. Three individuals were trapped and ringed.

Autumn – The only records were individuals seen on 3, 7 & 11 Sep.

Number ringed during the year: 3 (all in Apr).

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year, a reeling bird in St John's Valley at first light on 9 Apr, was followed by records on a further 12 dates, up to and including 1 May, with a peak of six on 21 Apr.

Autumn – Logged on six dates from 10 Aug to 23 Sep. Two were ringed in Millcombe on 10 Aug and three were in the damp flush north of the Water Tanks, plus one just north of Old Light, on 20 Aug. Unusually for autumn passage, one was heard reeling above Quarry Beach on 21 Aug. One was at Stoneycroft on 23 Aug and one in Smelly Gully (lower Millcombe) on 19 Sep, followed by one trapped and ringed on 23 Sep.

Number ringed during the year: 6 (three in Apr and three in Aug/Sep)

Reeling Grashopper Warbler, 13 Apr 2025 © Neil Barnes

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year was a single bird reeling below the Terrace on 8 Apr (andy Jayne), followed by two reeling in St John's Valley at about 08:45 hrs on 16 Apr (Thomas Weston), and one reeling in Millcombe at just after 10:00 hrs on the same day (Greg Lee). There were further records of single birds on 18^th (reeling Millcombe – Chris Dee et al.), 19^th (reeling, south end of Terrace – Tim Jones) and 25^th (flushed from scrub, Upper East Side Path – Greg Lee).

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 24 Feb 2019 (the earliest ever for the island, preceding by more than 10 days the previous earliest date of 7 Mar 1983); Latest 3 Nov 2009 (the latest ever for the island, beating by a day the previous record-holder, one on 2 Nov 1978).

New spring-passage maximum count

16 Apr – 1,000 were estimated to have passed through the island – the highest spring count on record (the previous peak being 800 on 12 Apr 1982 and 20 Apr 1992). As of the end of 2023, this remains by far the highest spring-passage total ever recorded on the island.

New last date in autumn

2 & 3 Nov – The last of the year, a single bird, was the latest ever recorded on Lundy (see above).

Notable autumn-passage count

22 Aug – A count of 300 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals of recent years.

Extended spring passage

Late May & early Jun – Birds were still passing through at the end of May and into early Jun, perhaps reflecting difficult weather conditions en route, with counts still reaching double digits on 26, 30 & 31 May.

Extended spring passage

May & Jun – A trickle of migration continued throughout May and well into Jun, concluding with one on 13th.

Notable autumn-passage count

16 Sep – A count of 250 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals of recent years.

Exceptionally early spring passage

Feb & Mar – The first of the year were two on the extraordinarily early date of 24 Feb, with a further singleton on 28th. After four on 5 Mar, spring migration really got under way in the second half of the month, with peaks of 51 on 24th and 55 on 26th.

The exceptionally early spring migration in 2019 coincided with unusually mild weather in Feb. This contrasts markedly with 2018, when a cold, late spring (after the 'Beast from the East') meant that the first Sand Martin was not logged until 15 Mar and counts did not reach double digits until 7 Apr.

Notable autumn-passage count

8 Sep – A count of 500 remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest autumn-passage count since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007 (though still a long way short of the all-time autumn maximum of 2,000 on 18 Sep 1978).

Summary of all records

Recorded on 84 dates from 17 Mar (one) to 4 Oct (two), with a maximum spring-passage count of 340 on the fairly early date of 2 Apr, and an autumn peak of 120 on 13 Sep. Northbound movements in spring were much more evident than return migration in the autumn, comprising ten counts of 40 or more between 19 Mar and 25 Apr, compared with only one such count (the 13 Sep maximum) during the main autumn-passage period for this species, late-Jul to the end of Sep. The next-highest number logged in autumn was 31 on 22 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 68 (8); Apr 340 (24); May 7 (16); Jun 3 (4); Jul 5 (6); Aug 6 (6); Sep 120 (18); Oct 7 (2); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 1

Summary of all records

Recorded on 95 dates from 17 Mar (13) to 10 Oct (one), with spring-passage peak counts of 96 on 20 Mar and 120 on 28 Apr, and autumn maxima of 200 on 30 Aug and 60 on 7 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 96 (10); Apr 120 (21); May 101 (18); Jun 2 (5); Jul 23 (10); Aug 200 (10); Sep 60 (19); Oct 1 (2); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 0

Sand Martin, Quarry Pond, 28 Apr 2024 © Richard Campey

Summary of all records

Spring – Recorded on 35 dates from 18 Mar to 29 May. The first of the year was a single bird logged on 18 Mar. Higher counts included 25 on 30 Mar, 54 on 31 Mar, 77 on 9 Apr, 72 on 12 Apr, 42 on 17 Apr, 45 on 23 Apr and 153 on 26 Apr.

Autumn – There was a trickle of post-breeding dispersal and/or early return passage in Jul, involving one to three birds on six dates between 5^th and 27^th. These were followed in Aug by two on 2^nd, 20 heading south over the Village on 10^th, 84 on 13^th (comprising 33 milling over the Lambing Shed then moving off south, 38 south at Gannets' Bay, and 13 over Barton Field), three on 14^th, 15 on 15^th, six on 20^th, four on 21^st, a notable 50 on 22^nd, eight on 23^rd, and two on 24^th. As for other hirundine species, unsettled weather during the first ten days of September kept numbers on the low side, with a maximum count of 10 on 8^th. There were scattered records of one to three birds over the following days, then six on 16^th during a brief 'weather window' and three on 18^th, followed by a slightly more respectable 15 on 21^st. A day of major hirundine passage brought 286 on 22^nd, followed by 66 on 23^rd and 16 on 24^th but only single-digit counts thereafter, including singles on five dates in October between 5^th & 14^th, and a final two over St John's Valley on 21^st.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 54 (9); Apr 153 (26); May 6 (10); Jun 0 (0); Jul 3 (6); Aug 84 (13); Sep 286 (17); Oct 2 (6); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 8

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year were two over Brick Field during morning census on 4 Mar. Higher counts later in the month included 18 on 17^th (comprising six NW over Tillage Field and 12 at North End), 16 on 26^th and 28 on 30^th. Favourable weather conditions saw a push of migrants heading north in the first couple of daysin April, with notable totals of 166 and 183 on 1^st & 2^nd respectively, coinciding with smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins, and strong visible migration of Linnets. However, with a deterioration in the weather, ahead of the arrival of 'Storm Dave', just one Sand Martin was logged on 3^rd, as it battled the wind over Pondsbury. Later in Apr, notable daily totals logged included 293 on 13^th, 338 on 20^th, and 179 on 24^th.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 28 (12); Apr 338 (28); 

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 16 Feb (2019), beating the previous earliest date – 11 Mar in both 2000 & 2007 – by over three weeks; Latest 16 Nov 2015 (one).

Breeding confirmed

Breeding was not reported until early Sep, when a pair had large young in a nest in the village, although this is likely to have been a second or third brood.

Notable spring-passage count

26 Apr – An estimated 5,000 passed through the island – at the time the second-highest one-day total on record for spring migration (counts reached this figure on three dates in April and May 2004, while 6,000 were estimated on 26 April 2005). Other exceptional one-day estimates during 2008 spring passage included 3,000 on 16 & 27 April and 20 May. All of these totals are dwarfed, however, by estimates of 15,000 in Apr 2009 and May 2012 (see below)

Breeding confirmed

Nests were built in the gas store, the Church porch and the fire-engine shed, with fledged young around the village on 26 Jul. A nest with very small young, presumably a second brood, was in the fire-engine shed on 31 Aug, and four young fledged from the Church porch in the first week of Sep; also a probable second brood.

New record set for spring-passage maximum

22 Apr – A new record was set for both spring and autumn migrations when 15,000 were estimated to have passed through. (NB this figure was equalled on 1 May 2012).

Breeding confirmed

With nests in at least four different locations – the beach building, Church porch, gas store in lower Millcombe, and fire-engine shed – 2009 was the best year on record in terms of the number of breeding pairs, though the often wet and windy weather from Jul to Sep may have suppressed the number of young fledged successfully due to starvation and/or chilling. The nest in the fire-engine shed held two dead, but fully feathered chicks and two live chicks on 3 Sep. However, at least four young fledged from the gas store and were being fed in Millcombe on 8 Aug.

High autumn-passage counts

10 & 27 Sep – Counts of 5,000 on both dates are among the higher autumn-passage day-totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007, matching the identical estimate made on 25 Sep 2015, though eclipsed by an estimate of 12,000 on 23 Sep 2022.

Breeding confirmed

Active nests were found in the gas store in lower Millcombe and in farmyard buildings in the first week of Jun, with presumably a second (or even third) brood about to fledge from the gas store on 7 Sep.

Late date in autumn

15 Nov – One on this date was unusually late, though there were later individuals in both 2015 and 2020 (see below), whilst the latest ever recorded remains one on 3 Dec 1978.

Early date in spring

12 Mar – 20 on this date were the second earliest spring migrants on record (the earliest being on 11 Mar in both 2000 and 2007).

Breeding confirmed

9 Jul – A nest was located at the southern end of Government House (a new site) on 9 Jul (L. Jaggard).

Exceptional spring-passage count

1 May – A colossal 15,000 estimated (equalling the record set in Apr 2009), based on spot counts, averaging 100 birds per minute passing over St John’s Valley between 11:00 and 13:00 hrs, with movements continuing until 18:00 hrs (Colin McShane).

Breeding confirmed

During the period 29 May to 2 Jun, nests were located in the gas store in lower Millcombe, in the store shed at the southern end of Government House, and in the pigsty at Pig's Paradise, with birds also prospecting in the Church porch. An adult was sitting on a nest at the latter site 19-21 Jun, while nest-building in the gas store durin the same period suggested loss of the first nest. On 25 Aug, two active nests included a pair feeding two young in the Church porch and a pair in the gas store. Three chicks were ringed inthe gas store on 29 Aug.

Delayed spring passage

Numbers in Apr/May were quite low in comparison with recent years; presumably a reflection of the cold, late spring in 2013. The fact that as many as 417 were still moving north on the late date of 5 Jun strongly suggests that migration was significantly delayed.

Breeding confirmed

A pair was holding territory around Pig's Paradise on 2 Jun and a pair was feeding young in the gas store in lower Millcombe on 30 Aug and 12 Sep.

Breeding confirmed

During the period 7–12 Jun nesting pairs were found in the gas store in lower Millcombe and in the Casbah. Birds were also seen in the Church porch and Pig's Paradise pigsty, but there was no evidence of of active nests at either site at that time. A pair at the Casbah had young about a week old on 21 Aug; probably a second brood.

Late date in autumn

16 Nov – One flying over St Helen's Field was unusually late, though there was a later individual 2020 (see below), whilst the latest ever recorded remains one on 3 Dec 1978.

Breeding confirmed

A pair nesting in the Church porch were collecting mud from Pig's Paradise on 12 Jun and the nest contained half-grown young on 16 Jul. A pair was prospecting inside the gas store in lower Millcombe in Jun and another pair was seen regularly around the village at the same time, but no further nests were discovered.

High autumn-passage count

25 Sep – A count of 5,000 is the one of the higher autumn-passage day-totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007, matching by the identical estimates made on 10 & 27 Sep 2009, though eclipsed by an estimate of 12,000 on 23 Sep 2022.

Breeding attempts confirmed, but outcome unknown

A pair was nest building in the Church porch on 8 &10 Jun (outcome unknown) and there was an occupied nest in the Casbah at the end of Jul
(outcome also unknown).

Breeding confirmed

Pairs bred at the Timekeeper’s Hut (= Felix Gade memorial) where a nest with three or four young was found on 1 Aug (Peter Williams), and at the Tillage/Brick Field pig-sty, where a recently fledged juvenile was seen on 4 & 5 Jul (Mike Archer) and a nest built unusually low to the ground contained a second brood of at least three chicks on 6 Aug (Dean Jones).

Breeding confirmed

Pairs were feeding young chicks in the Church tower and in the shed at the southern end of Government House on 10 Jun (Dean Jones). Successful breeding was confirmed when four fledglings, from a nest in the pigsty, were perched on a fence in Brick Field on 2 Jul and a fourth active nest was found at Quarry Pond on 20 Jul (Dean Jones).

Exceptionally early spring passage

The first of the year were two over the Village during the late morning of 16 Feb, with another three elsewhere during the day, making this the earliest ever date for Swallow on Lundy.

The exceptionally early spring migration in 2019 coincided with unusually mild weather in Feb. As for Sand Martin, this contrasts markedly with 2018, when a cold, late spring (after the 'Beast from the East') meant that the first Swallow was logged on 15 Mar but counts were generally low until late Apr.

Notable spring-passge count

12 May – A  conservative estimate of 5,000 was one of the higher day-totals of recent years.

Breeding confirmed

A total of four pairs attempted to breed, but only three managed to fledge chicks (Tillage/Brick Field pigsty, Quarry Pond and Church porch). The first fledglings were seen in the Church porch on 5 Jul, and the same pair of adults were incubating a second brood by 25 Jul, but this and another pair that attempted a second brood both seemed to fail at the early egg stage.

Breeding confirmed

Three pairs nested: in the Church porch, next to the Black Shed, and in a natural site at Quarry Pond. Four young fledged from the Church porch on 4 Jul, whilst the other two pairs both fledged three young. A second brood was attempted in the Church Porch and young were being fed during the first half of Sep, but they failed to fledge successfully.

Exceptionally late date in autumn

30 Nov – One over Millcombe was the latest since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007, though just short of the latest ever record on 3 Dec 1978.

Record March count

A count of 162 on 29 Mar remains (as of 2026) the highest count on record for that month.

Spring passge disrupted by bad weather

Poor weather in the second week of May meant that many migrating Swallows were struggling to feed – some were warmed up in the Lodge bathrooms and later released. Both Swallows and martins were grounded on the Landing Bay beach on 8^th and several were found dead in the gas store and Casbah in Millcombe on and around 10^th. Cold, wet and extremely windy conditions struck again on 20 May, when passage hirundines were grounded on the Beach Road and along the tracks in Millcombe.

Breeding confirmed

In all, three pairs made breeding attempts: in the Church porch where seemingly one young fledged, while a subsequent attempt there failed at the egg stage; another pair tried at Government House but failed; and another next to the Black Shed also failed and moved on. There was no indication of nesting at either Quarry Pond or the pigsty in 2021.

Notable spring-passge count

25 Apr – An estimate of 5,000 was one of the higher day-totals of recent years.

Breeding confirmed

Three pairs bred: a pair successfully fledged eight chicks from two broods in the Church Porch; a pair in the porch of Old House North failed at the egg stage but went on to fledge four chicks from the Gas Store; and another pair successfully fledged two chicks from the Casbah.

Exceptional autumn-passage count

23 Sep – 12,000 were estimated have flown over the Castle in four hours – the highest autumn-passage day-total since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Summary of all records

The first of the year was one on 16 Mar, with a further single bird on 22^nd, followed by eight on 23^rd, then daily records from 26 Mar to mid-Jun. Passage peaked between mid-Apr and mid-May, with 584 on 14 Apr, 1,300 on 15^th, 1,000 on 16^th and 500 on 17^th, followed by a further high count of 600 on 23^rd, then rising again to 1,000 on 1 May, 1,500 on 2^nd, an exceptional 17,000 on 7^th, and a further count of 1,000 on 11^th. The estimate of 17,000 on 7 May is the highest ever Swallow count for Lundy, during either spring or autumn passage, exceeding the previous record of 15,000 set on 22 Apr 2009. One pair bred successfully and three chicks from a late brood were ringed on 6 Sep. Autumn passage was disappointing, with a slow start and a very modest maximum of 594 on 29 Sep – one of only seven counts of 100 or more during the month when peak numbers in the thousands could normally be expected (e.g. 12,000 on 23 Sep 2022). The last of the year was one on 3 Nov.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 48 (9); Apr 1,300 (30); May 17,000 (31); Jun 35 (29); Jul 20 (22); Aug 29 (24); Sep 594 (30); Oct 360 (25); Nov 3 (3); Dec 0 (0).

New record count for Lundy

7 May – An estimated 17,000 was the highest number ever recorded for the island in either spring or autumn.

Breeding confirmed

6 Sep – Three pulli (nestlings) were ringed; a rather late brood in the gas store in lower Millcombe. An earlier nesting attempt, in the metal-roofed pig-shelter on the enclosure next to the Tavern Garden, failed.

Number ringed during the year: 30

Summary of all records

Logged on 225 days from 16 Mar (one) to 12 Nov (one). Peak spring-passage counts (all those ≥ 500) included 519 on 18 Apr, 1,444 on 20 Apr, 519 (again!) on 21 Apr, 753 on 28 Apr, 550 on 7 May, 572 on 8 May, and 1,242 on 17 May. One pair bred (see above). The first three-figure count of late summer, signifying the start of the main return passage, was 105 on 29 Aug, followed by 250 on 30th. The highest counts of the autumn came as usual in Sep, with 1,265 on 16^th, 550 on 18^th and 430 on 21^st, though numbers reached 500 again on both 1 & 19 Oct. The last were two on 4 Nov, followed by single birds on 6^th, 11^th & 12^th.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 18 (12); Apr 1,444 (28); May 1,242 (31); Jun 106 (28); Jul 12 (31); Aug 250 (30); Sep 1,265 (30); Oct 500 (31); Nov 2 (4); Dec 0 (0)

Breeding

18 Jul & 1 Aug – A pair was visiting a nest in the covered entrance way to Old House North, behind the Tavern, on 18 Jul. Four chicks were ringed there on 1 Aug. This was the only known breeding attempt during the year.

Number ringed during the year: 60

Swallow, Quarter Wall Pond, 20 Apr 2024 © Michael Hui

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year, a single bird logged on 18 Mar, was followed by single-digit counts on five further dates to the end of Mar. The first double-figure count was 22 on 1 Apr, rising to 100 on 3rd. Though logged daily, numbers were a  bit lower over the next two weeks, until a major influx of 1,082 on 17 Apr, with strong visible migration noted between 10:30 & 17:00 hrs. Migrants were noted arriving at Benjamin's Chair on the morning of 23 Apr, with a total of 925 logged for the day. Large movements continued over the following three days, with 949 on 24^th, 1,579 on 25^th, 964 on 26^th and 965 on 27^th. Numbers were significantly lower during the first six days of May, but spiked at 1,943 on 7^th and 3,096 on 9^th – the latter the highest count of the spring, coinciding with significant movements of House Martins and Swifts. Though passage continued throughout the rest of the month, the final big push was 642 on 14^th.

Autumn – A trickle of post-breeding dispersal saw daily numbers logged reaching low double-digits on five dates in Jul (with a maximum of 20, including 14 at North End, on 11^th) and on three dates during the first three weeks of Aug (maximum 15 on 2^nd). Higher numbers towards the end of the month included 24 on 23^rd and 30 on 25^th, although unsettled weather in early Sep, with frequently strong south and south-easterly winds, meant that counts were often on the low side for the time of year. The highest counts during the first two weeks of the month were 73 on 5^th and 38 on 12^th, and below 30 on most other days. This was likely due to a very unsettled prevailing weather pattern, with strong winds and frequent showers or longer spells of rain, which made conditions unfavourable for visible diurnal migration through Lundy – as reflected in correspondingly modest numbers of Meadow Pipits and wagtails for the same period. A brief 'weather window' saw at least 240 moving south on 16^th, before a more marked change, from heavy rain and strong winds on 20^th, to progressively clearer skies and sunshine on 21^st, brought a huge surge in numbers, with an estimated 1,160 passing through that day, including 720 in a two-hour count along the East Side, 260 off the West Side, and 61 ringed in Millcombe. The majority of birds were observed moving north – potentially an example of reverse migration to avoid a large and slow-moving area of heavy rain lying through the English Channel for much of the day, at the same time as high pressure, bringing largely sunny skies, built in from the north, albeit a rather cold air-mass originating in the Arctic, accompanies by ENE winds. Passage ramped up a nother few gears the next day, with a colossal 6,200 logged on 22^nd including 5,290 over St John's Valley between 11:00 & 13:00 hrs alone and likely well over 10,000 passing through the island in total. A further 3,000 were estimated on 23^rd, and though counts dropped back to three digits thereafter, these included another notable pulse of 698 on 26^th. Movements continued throughout Oct, with double- or triple-digit counts on all except one or two days right through to 22^nd, peaking at 173 on 6th (and – remarkably the same total!) on 18^th. Numbers dwindled during the last week of Oct as chilly north-west winds set in, with daily totals in single figures, apart from 11 on 29^th. Between one and three were logged on six dates from 1 to 8 Nov, with three on 8th (one near the Rocket Pole and two at the eastern end of Halfway Wall) being the last of the year.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 9 (6); Apr 1,579 (30); May 3,096 (30); Jun 18 (27); Jul 20 (25); Aug 30 (27); Sep 6,200 (28); Oct 173 (29); Nov 3 (6); Dec 0 (0).

Breeding

A pair prospecting around the store-shed at the southern end of Government House in May built a nest there and reared five chicks, which were ringed on 26 Jun, and all fledged successfully in Jul. The adults had started on a second brood by the end of Jul and hatched four further chicks, which were ringed on 13 Aug, fledging about 10 days later.

Number ringed during the year: 219

Summary of all records

Spring – After the first singleton on 21 Mar, and three the next day, numbers rose substantially to 41 on 26^th, and an exceptionally high count for Mar of 112 on 30^th. There has only been one higher island count in Mar, when 162 were logged on 29 Mar 2021. Passage remained steady during the first 12 days of April, with 215 on 12th the highest count. This was followed by a surge of passage the next day, when 1,538 were logged on 13^th (including nearly 1,300 moving along the West Side from Old Light to North End between 10:30 & 14:45 hrs). Numbers dropped back somewhat, with 626 on 19^th and 838 on 22^nd being the highest totals until a further surge brought the peak counts of spring passage, comprising 3,149 on 23^rd and 1,710 on 24^th., the majority on both dates heading out to sea N or NE off North Light.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 112 (7); Apr 3,149 (29);

Ringing movements

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 27 Sep 2009 (ring no. X984589) during a day of strong visible migration when an estimated 5,000 passing through the island, was controlled at Icklesham, East Sussex on 30 Sep 2009 (3 days, 374 km, E 95º).

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as an adult bird on Lundy on 22 Apr 2009 (ring no. X226968) was controlled at Estanca Escoron, Ejea de Los Caballeros, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain on 30 Sep 2011; (891 days; 1,049 km; SSE 166º). When controlled in Spain, this bird would have been on at least its fourth south-bound autumn migration.

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 04 Oct 2011 (ring no. L954436) was controlled at a roost site near St Saviour Hospital, Jersey, Channel Islands on 12 Oct 2011 (8 days, 287 km, SE 141º). See also 2017 & 2021 rapid onward movements from Lundy to the Channel Islands.

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 21 Sep 2012 (ring no. Y705778) was controlled at Forninhos, Odemira, Beja, Portugal on 17 Oct 2012 (26 days; 1,543 km; SSW 192º). Remarkably, given how many have been found in Spain, this was the first British-ringed Swallow to have been controlled in Portugal.

Ringing recovery: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 11 Oct 2009 (ring no. L026271) was found dead in the Oleh region of Nigeria, on 06 Mar 2013 (1,242 days; 5,188 km; S 169º). This bird was most likely in a spring staging area feeding up for what would have been its eighth trans-Saharan flight and its fourth breeding season in Europe.

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on 14 Sep 2017 (ring no. S218358) was controlled at Longis Nature Reserve, Alderney, Channel Islands, on 16 Sep 2017 (2 days; 240 km; SE 133˚). See also 2011 & 2021 rapid onward movements from Lundy to the Channel Islands.

Ringing control: A Swallow ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 20 Sep 2021 (ring no. ANL4439) was controlled at Longis Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands, on 21 Sep 2021 (1 day; 240 km; SE 133˚). See also 2011 & 2017 rapid onward movements from Lundy to the Channel Islands.

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 4 Mar 2026 (one); Latest 7 Nov 2009 (one).

New record set for spring-passage maximum

20 May – An exceptional passage saw an estimated 3,600 passing through – a record for the island; the previous highest daily count was 1,500 on 13th May 2004.

Notable autumn-passage count

27 Sep – An estimated 750 is the third highest autumn total on record after 1,000 on 3 & 4 Oct 2005 and 800 on 16 Sep 2010.

Late date in autumn

7 Nov – A single bird on this date remains (as of the end of 2023) the latest since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007 (though the latest ever was on 4 Dec 1979).

Notable autumn-passage count

16 Sep – An estimated 800 is the second highest autumn total on record (after 1,000 on 3 & 4 Oct 2005).

Notable spring-passage count

3 May – An estimated 500 was one of the higher spring-passage totals of recent years (although a long way short of the 2008 record peak).

Delayed spring passage

Apr to Jun – As for other hirundines, spring migration was delayed by unusually cold weather, with none recorded until 6 Apr when one was seen near North Light. Numbers were low throughout the rest of Apr and most of May. The lateness of the season was confirmed when 40 flew north on 28 May, followed by the spring passage peak of 170 on 5 Jun.

Notable autumn-passage count

6 Oct – An estimated 700 was one of the higher autumn totals of recent years (and the fourth highest ever).

Notable spring-passage count

12 May – An estimated 700 was one of the higher spring-passage totals of recent years (although a long way short of the 2008 record peak).

Early date in spring

8 Mar – A single bird on this date remains one of the earlier spring migrants since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007 (though the earliest ever was on 27 Feb 1998 and two were logged on 3 Mar 2026).

Late date in autumn

4 & 5 Nov – A single bird was one of the later autumn records and only two days short of the latest ever, on 7 Nov 2009.

Notable spring-passage count

12 May – An estimated 1,500 was the highest spring day-total since the record count of 3,600 in May 2008, equalling the total of 13 May 2004.

Summary of all records

Recorded on 126 days from 18 Mar (two) to 25 Oct (two). After 100 on 15 Apr and 200 on 23 Apr, the spring-passage maximum was 1,500 on 1 May (equalling the second-highest number ever recorded on Lundy in spring), followed by further very high counts of 1,000 on 7 May and 955 on 23 May. An additional seven three-digit counts (ranging from 150 to 351) were logged during the period 3 to 25 May but numbers fell away rapidly at the end of the month. Small numbers of feeding/dispersing birds were logged from Jul to early Sep, but more concerted autumn passage became evident from the second week of Sep, with 12 on 9^th and 67 on 13^th, rising to 54 on 21^st, 70 on 22^nd and a maximum of 132 on 29^th – reflecting the correspondingly low peaks recorded for both Sand Martin and Swallow during autumn 2023.

Highest montly counts (and number of days recorded): 

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 2 (2); Apr 200 (25); May 1,500 (31); Jun 22 (16); Jul 19 (9); Aug 5 (4); Sep 132 (24); Oct 60 (15); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Notable spring-passage count

1 May – The estimate of 1,500 equalled the highest spring day-total since the record count of 3,600 in May 2008 (1,500 also logged on 2 May 2021 and 13 May 2004).

Number ringed during the year: 2

Summary of all records

Logged on 120 days from 17 Mar (two) to 22 Oct (three). The highest spring-passage counts were 67 on 17 Apr, then nine counts of 50 or more in May, including maxima of 79 on 9^th, 187 on 20^th, and 246 on 24^th. Autumn passage started at the very end of Aug, continuing throughout Sep and well into Oct, though numbers were modest, counts not reaching ≥50 until the first week of Oct, when there were 80 on 1^st, 51 on 2^nd and 50 on 6^th.

Highest montly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 12 (5); Apr 67 (22); May 246 (30); Jun 36 (19); Jul 9 (2); Aug 9 (2); Sep 40 (27); Oct 80 (13); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 2

Summary of all records

Spring – Recorded on 74 dates between late Mar and the end of Jun. The first the year were two logged on 23 Mar, followed by further singles on 25 & 29 Mar. The first double-digit count was 12 on 2 Apr. Higher totals in Apr included 33 on 3^rd, 46 on 8^th, 32 on 9^th, 45 on 23^rd, 63 on 24^th and 172 on 26th, followed by 54 on 3 May and 86 on 7 May. These counts were dwarfed on 9 May by a surge of migration, with 1,440 logged for the day, the vast majority of these counted from near North Light as they swept north along the west sidelands and out over the sea in quite tightly bunched, calling flocks. A count of 159 on 14 May was the only other triple-digit total logged for the season, with counts in the second half of May all <40, whilst a trickle of one to five birds continued through much of Jun, the last a singleton on 30^th.

Autumn – A flock of 13 over the Village on 10 Jul may have been non-breeders or even early dispersing juveniles. A slowly building trickle of movement through Aug brought ones and twos on 1^st, 3^rd, 12^th, 17^th & 19^th Aug, followed by three on 20^th & 23^rd 10 on 24^th, 13 on 25^th and two on 26^th. Numbers remained low well into Sep, not helped by very unsettled weather conditions. There were six on 2^nd, five on 3^rd & 5^th, and singles on 8^th & 14^th but it was not until 15^th & 16^th, when 24 were logged on both days, that numbers reached double-digits for the first time in three weeks. This was followed by another gap of a few days, then three on 20^th, and a marked influx of 51 on 21^st (including 40 at Battery Point), coinciding with a major Swallow movement following a marked change in air-mass type and previaling weather conditions. As for other hirundines, the next two days brought the biggest surge in migration of the autumn, though numbers of House Martins were less impressive than those of Swallow and Sand Martin, with 139 on 22^nd and 98 on 23^rd. A further notable pulse brought 82 on 26^th but this proved to be the last significant push of the season, with 12 on 6 Oct being the only double-digit count that month and three on 18 Oct the final sighting of the year.

Highest montly counts (and number of days recorded): 

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 2 (3); Apr 172 (27); May 1,440 (29); Jun 5 (15); Jul 13 (1); Aug 13 (10); Sep 139 (15); Oct 12 (11); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Notable spring-passage count

9 May – The total of 1,440 logged is one of the higher counts on record for Lundy.

Number ringed during the year: 8

Summary of all records

Spring – Two were seen on the exceptionally early first date of 3 Mar. These were followed later in the month by seven on 23^rd, one on 26^th, three on 28^th, 17 on 30^th and three on 31^st. Int Apr, numbers remained in single digits until an influx of 267 on 13^th, coinciding with a surge in other hirundines, particularly Swallow. Later in the month, the highest counts were 89 on 22^nd and 96 on 23^rd.

Highest montly counts (and number of days recorded): 

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 17 (6); Apr 267 (24)

New record

19 May – One along the East Side (M. Clements). This constitutes the eighth Lundy record and the fourth in spring. Record accepted by DBRC.

New record

3 May – While bird ringers were mist-netting migrant ‘common’ or Barn Swallows, a Red-rumped Swallow appeared and perched (appropriately enough) on bramble bushes along the main track outside Brambles, allowing many photos to be taken. The bird departed, as suddenly as it had arrived, with a passing group of Barn Swallows (Dave Clifton, Derren Fox, Scott Petrek et al.). Record accepted by DBRC – the ninth Lundy record and the fifth in spring.

Red-rumped Swallow, Brambles, 3 May 2012
© Derren Fox

New record

27 May to 2 Jun – One was over Quarry Beach and later over Millcombe (Charles Crundwell, Chris Townend) on 27 May and over the Village on 28 May (Richard Taylor). What was presumed to be the same bird was seen near South Light on 2 Jun (Tony Taylor), then feeding below the Castle at 11.10 hrs and at Quarter Wall Copse at 13.10 hrs on 3 Jun (Dean Jones, Chris Townend). These sightings constitute the 10th record for Lundy (the last in May 2012) and the sixth in spring. Record accepted by DBRC.

New record

29 Sep – A first-winter bird was seen well – but briefly – in flight below the Terrace at 16:20 hrs by Chris Baillie. It flew north but did not reappear and was not relocated elsewhere on the island, although many of the most likely suitable areas were checked before dusk. If accepted by BBRC, this will be the first record for the island and follows an exceptional influx to Britain and elsewhere in north-west Europe in association with fast-moving Atlantic depressions (including a number of ex-hurricanes and tropical storms) during the early autumn of 2023.

Record accepted by BBRC.

New record

12 Nov to 27 Dec – Eight arrived on 12 Nov, with sightings on a further six days up to and including 19 Nov, involving from three to seven individuals. In Dec, three were seen on 24th and two on 27th.

New record

1 Jan to 15 Mar – The two birds remaining at the end of 2008 were seen on six dates in Jan, mainly in Millcombe, but also around the Campsite on one occasion. They were together in Quarter Wall Copse on 3 Feb, after which one was seen in apparently poor condition attempting to feed on the ground in freezing rain at the top of Millcombe on 5th. Thereafter, one was in Millcombe on 15 Feb, but two were reported again on 21st. Finally, one was in Millcombe on 14 & 15 Mar. This is the first time that Long-tailed Tits are known to have overwintered on Lundy, though there have been two previous one-day midwinter records, in Dec 1995 and Jan 1984.

New record

20 & 27 Nov – Seven on 20th and three in brambles outside Pig’s Paradise/Quarters on 27th.

New record

28 Oct – One in Millcombe (Tim Jones et al.).

New records – including new highest-recorded spring count

17 Mar to 12 Apr – Between one and seven birds were present in Millcombe, particularly around the Ugly (numerous observers). There have been just six previous occurrences in spring, including two birds that overwintered in 2008/09. The highest 2016 counts – seven on 28 Mar (Joshua Harris) and six on 31st – exceed the previous spring-time record of five, set as long ago as Mar 1973.

10 Oct – Three flew south over South West Point (Kevin Waterfall).

New records

27 Oct – Six were trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 27 Oct (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.).

New record

21 Oct – One feeding in sycamores in Millcombe (Dean Jones).

New record

14 Oct – One was working its way south, calling as it went, in the incongruous setting of the bracken and boulder-strewn sidelands above Jenny’s Cove (Tim Davis, Tim Jones).

New records

18 Mar – Two feeding in Quarter Wall Copse flew off north towards the Terrace (Dean Jones).

21 to 31 Mar – One in Millcombe was trapped and ringed on 30th (Dean Jones).

New record

5 to 9 Mar – Four were around the Black Shed during the early morning of 5^th, then later in Millcombe (Thomas Weston et al.). They were still present in Millcombe on 6^th (Eleanor Harris). Five were ringed in Millcombe on 7th (Thomas Weston) and were still present on 9^th, though not seen subsequently. This is the first record for five years and the highest count since October 2017!

 Long tailed Tit, Millcombe, 05 Mar 2026 ©Thomas Weston

Ringing recovery

A ring found in a Peregrine pellet on Lundy on 12 Jul 2017 came from a Long-tailed Tit that had been ringed as an adult on Lundy (ring no. HRC365) on 3 Apr 2016.

New record

22 Oct – One seen by the Terrace Trap (A. Jayne) was later trapped, ringed and photographed (R. Taylor). This is only the third occurrence of this species on Lundy following singles in 2003 and 2006, both also in the second half of Oct.

Cettis Warbler, Terrace, 22 Oct 2009
© RichardTaylor

New record

17 Oct – One seen briefly in Millcombe (Richard Campey). The fourth for Lundy.

New record

14 Oct to 17 Nov – One in dense vegetation on the bund of Millcombe Pond on 14 Oct (Andy Jayne & Tim Jones) was seen briefly in the willow clump in St John’s Valley the following day (James Diamond et al.). Presumably the same bird was trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 22 Oct and back at Millcombe Pond on 1 Nov (Chris Baillie), at the head of St Helen’s stream, where it reaches the Upper East Side Path, on 16 Nov and again at Millcombe Pond on 17th (Dean Jones). The fifth record for the island.

New record

18 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe during the early morning (Rob Duncan, Dean Jones). The sixth record for Lundy.

New record

10 Oct – One was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Stuart Cossey, Angus Croudace, Tom Wright). The seventh record for Lundy and the sixth individual to be ringed.

New record

26 Oct – One was trapped and ringed in the 'Secret Garden', Millcombe (Greg Conway). The eighth record and seventh ringed.

New record

3 May – One seen briefly in St John's Valley at 08:05 hrs (Richard Campey). The ninth Lundy record but the first in spring (all of the previous occurrences have been in October, with one lingering into November).

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 16 Apr 2011 (one); Latest 17 Sep 2009 (one).

New records

26 Ap to 6 May – Singles on seven dates; not recorded in autumn.

New records

2 to 17 May – Records on five dates, with two birds present on 3rd & 17th.

14 Sep – One; the only autumn-passage record.

1 Jul – One reported in the LFS logbook, but no details were provided. While the species itself is not rare on Lundy, this would constitute the earliest ‘autumn’ sighting by more than a fortnight. There is a risk that less experienced observers might confuse juvenile (typically very yellow) Willow Warblers, which begin moving through Lundy in July, for this species.

New records

26 Apr to 13 May – Singles on 26 & 27 Apr and 13 May.

17 Sep – One; the only autumn-passage record.

New records

5 to 11 May – Singles on 5th, 6th & 11th; not recorded in autumn.

New records

16 Apr & 7 May – Singles on both dates; the latter a singing bird.

27 Jul & 7 Aug – Singles were reported on both dates, though in the absence of further details, possible confusion with juvenile Willow Warblers cannot be excluded.

New records

5 to 20 May – Recorded on six dates: singles on 5th & 7th, two in Millcombe on 6th, and further singles on 18th to 20th, inclusive. Not recorded in autumn.

Not recorded; the first 'blank' year since 1970

Not recorded during either spring or autumn passage. Though always a scarce migrant on Lundy, 2013 marks the first year since 1970 that Wood Warblers were not recorded at all. This is hopefully just a blip and could reflect gaps in observer coverage at key times. However, it may also reflect the species’ parlous conservation status; the UK breeding population declined by 65% between 1995 and 2010.

New record

25 Apr – One feeding in sallows by the Terrace Heligoland Trap (Richard Campey) was the only record for the year.

New records

May & Sep – A slightly better showing after two very poor years, comprising single spring migrants on three dates in mid-May, followed in autumn by one on 14 & 16 Sep, with two present on 15 Sep (Dave Chown, Tim Davis et al.).

New record

8 May – A single bird during the annual Devon Birds day-trip (Richard Swinbank), was the only record for the year.

New records

13 Apr to 8 May – Singles on 13 & 30 Apr and 8 May were the only records for the year.

New record

3 May – A singing male in Millcombe (Rob Duncan).

5 Sep – One in Millcombe on 5 Sep (Josh Harris).

New record

Apr/May – A male singing in Millcombe on 29 Apr (Dean Jones) and one trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 7 May (Rob Duncan & David Kightley).

There were no autumn records.

New records

27 & 28 Apr – Two on 27th, of which one in the Battlements sycamores and one along the Lower East Side Path above White Beach); and one in upper Millcombe on 28th (all Dean Jones).

7 Sep – One in Millcombe (Tim Davis & Tim Jones).

New records

14 May  – One photographed at Quarter Wall Copse was feeding at ground level in unseasonably cool and damp conditions, slowly working its way north along the sidelands (Tim Jones).

1 to 9 Sep – Single birds were logged on five dates during this period: in Millcombe on 1^st & 2^nd (Jamie Dunning & Dean Jones) and in the Terrace willows on 7^th (Eleanor Grover), with possibly the same bird in Quarter Wall Copse on 8^th & 9^th (Dean Jones, Paul Dietrich & Peter Ward).

New records

15 May  – A male was singing by Millcombe Pond on 15^th (Tim Jones, Jamie Dunning et al.) and one was at Gannets’ Combe on the same day (Paul St Pierre). One was feeding below the Terrace on 16^th (Tim Davis).

New records

5 May  – One was seen briefly in Smelly Gully, lower Millcombe (Stuart Cossey).

21 Sep – One was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Chris Dee, Luke Marriner et al.). This was the 51^st Wood Warbler to be ringed on Lundy but only the fifth since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007, reflecting the species' rapid decline in Britain.

Number ringed during the year: 1

Wood Warbler, trapped & ringer under licence, Millcombe, 21 Sep 2023 © Brittany Maxted

New records

8 May  – One flew from Brambles sycamores in the direction of the Castle (Daniel Woollard).

21 & 22 Sep – One in Millcombe (Ashley Saunders).

Number ringed during the year: 0

Wood Warbler, Millcombe, 22 Sep 2024 © Ashley Saunders

New records

24 Apr  – One in Millcombe.

1 May – One was photographed in St Helen's Copse.

New records

24 Apr  – One was found feeding in the Battlements sycamores (just along the main track from Brambles) at 07:30 hrs and remained in the area for about an hour (Tim Jones et al.).

1 May – Another was in the Battlements sycamores during morning census at 08:10 hrs, with a second bird singing near the Casbah at about 08:45 hrs (Eleanor Harris & Thomas Weston). The first bird remained in the same area for much of the day, being still present at 17:45 hrs (Ross Bower).

New record

4 Sep – One trapped, ringed and photographed on the Terrace (R. Taylor, A.M. Taylor). Record accepted by BBRC – the second accepted occurrence of this species on Lundy. Photo © Tony Taylor.

New records

3 & 10 Sep – One was watched and photographed in St Helen's Copse on 3^rd (Luke Marriner), whilst a non-calling Bonelli's Warbler sp., thought to be Western, and likely the same individual, was watched and photographed on the Terrace on 10^th (Angus Croudace).

Records accepted by BBRC as Western or Eastern Bonelli's Warbler.

New records – subject to acceptance by BBRC

24 Aug to 20 Sep – One was found in Quarter Wall Copse by Dave & Merran Fairhurst at 09:20 hrs on 24 Aug. It was heard calling, and several photos were taken. Remarkably, a second bird was found by Dave & Merran in trees above the Casbah in Millcombe that same afternoon at about 16:30 hrs and was later being watched at the same time as Andy Jayne was still watching the first individual in Quarter Wall Copse. Although the Millcombe bird didn't call, it moved towards playback of Western Bonelli's call but showed no response to Eastern Bonelli's call. There was no sign of the Quarter Wall Copse bird after 24^th but the Millcombe bird remained from 25 to 29 Aug, finally being heard to call on the evening of 27^th and again on 29^th. Though not seen on 30 & 31 Aug, it was still present in Millcombe Wood, between the Casbah and Brambles, at 14:35 hrs on 1 Sep (Flo Turner) and relocated in the same area at 08:55 hrs on 5 Sep (Tim Jones), when it was calling well, and also seen and heard close to the Casbah on both 7 & 8 Sep (Tim Davis, Tim Jones & Ezra Sherwell) and in Millcombe Pines on 12 & 14 Sep (Ezra Sherwell), in Millcombe Pines as well back in Millcombe Wood near the Casbah on 16^th (Chris Baillie, Angus Croudace), and remaining in Millcombe Wood 17^th to 20^th. If accepted by BBRC these will be only the third & fourth records of Western Bonelli's Warbler for the island.

Western Bonelli's Warbler 24 Aug 2025 ©Joe Parker

Western Bonelli's Warbler 24 Aug 2025 ©Joe Parker

Western Bonelli's Warbler, Millcombe, 5 Sep 2025 © Tim Jones

New record – subject to acceptance by BBRC

30 Apr – One was watched and photographed in spruce trees north of Millcombe House, below the path between the Ugly and Milcombe Pines, at 16:30 hrs (Ashley Saunders et al.).

Western Bonelli's Warbler, Millcombe, 30 Apr 2026 © Ashley Saunders

Additional reports listed in LFS Annual Reports but subsequently assessed  by BBRC as not proven

14 Sep 2007 – The submission for one watched for about half-an-hour in lower Millcombe was assessed by BBRC as not proven.

25 Apr 2022 – The submission for an unidentified Bonelli's Warbler species (i.e either Western or Eastern Bonelli's Warbler) photographed along the track to Old Light during a period of strong easterly winds was assessed by BBRC as not proven.

Correction p. 210, third paragraph, fifth line: 2006 is quoted as one of the years in which Yellow-browed Warbler was recorded on 16 September. Owing to the lack of an adequate supporting description, the logbook entry for one seen on 16 September 2006 was not accepted by LFS/DBRC. It was therefore excluded from the listing on p.211 and the reference on p.210 should also have been deleted.

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 16 Sep 2017 (one); Latest 16 Nov 2013 (one).

New records

8 to 18 Oct – Recorded daily with a record maximum count of at least eight different individuals present on 13th, the highest one-day count ever recorded on Lundy. Birds were seen in Millcombe, St Helen's Copse, Quarter Wall Copse and the willow clump growing in the small quarry between VC Quarry and the Terrace Trap. The eight birds recorded on 13th were all in Millcombe (multiple observers including C. Baillie, T. Bedford, R. Campey, A.L. Cooper, S.L. Cooper, T. Davis, J. Diamond, T. Jones, I. Lakin, J.W. Leonard, R.M Patient and K. Rylands). Records accepted by DBRC. 2007 was the fifth consecutive autumn for this species on Lundy.

New records

28 Sep to 29 Oct – Another very good year; recorded on 14 days, with a maximum of at least five and probably up to eight present on 17 Oct. Ten different birds were trapped and ringed during the autumn and it is likely that at least 20 different individuals passed through the island. As usual, most were seen in Millcombe/St John's Valley, but others were near Gannets' Combe, along the Terrace/Quarries and in St Helen's Combe. These records, contributed by many observers, have been accepted by DBRC. 2008 was the sixth consecutive autumn for this species on Lundy.

New records

19 Sep to 30 Oct – At least nine (and possibly up to 12) different individuals occurred: one in Millcombe, 19 Sep (I. Lakin); one in Millcombe, 2 Oct (T. Jones et al.); one trapped and ringed in Millcombe, 13 Oct (T. Ball); one trapped and ringed below Brambles, 15 Oct (T. Ball), with perhaps the same bird seen on 16 Oct (J. Leonard); one trapped and ringed in Millcombe, 18 Oct (R. Taylor, A.M. Taylor); one on the Terrace early morning of 23 Oct (C. Baillie), with what was presumed to be the same bird trapped and ringed in Millcombe that afternoon (A.M. Taylor); one ringed in Millcombe 2pm on 26 Oct (R. Duncan, R. Taylor et al.), with another unringed bird seen on the Terrace mid-afternoon that day (A. Jayne); one in Millcombe on 27 Oct may have been the individual ringed on 26th (R. Bower); one ringed in lower St John’s Valley on 30 Oct (R. Duncan, T. Palmer, A.M. Taylor). Records acccepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

2 to 22 Oct – Singles in Millcombe 2, 3 & 5 Oct (T. Jones et al.). Two caught, ringed and photographed in Millcombe on 12 Oct (T. Ball et al.). One seen on the Terrace on 18 Oct. One trapped, ringed and photographed in Millcombe on 22 Oct (Tony Taylor et al.). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

3 to 31 Oct – One in St. Helen’s Copse on 3 Oct. One in St. Helen’s Copse and another in Millcombe on 4 Oct. One in Millcombe on 8 Oct. (All above records T. Bedford, R. Campey, T. Davis, J. Diamond and T. Jones). One on the Terrace on 12 Oct (J. Sanders). One trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 15 Oct (T. Ball et al.). One in bracken above Quarter Wall Copse on 21 Oct (L. Phillips, A. Watts). One in Millcombe on 30 & 31 Oct (A. Jayne). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

26 Sep to 14 Oct – One trapped, ringed and photographed, Millcombe, 26 Sep (Derek Baggott, Andy Turner). On 7 Oct, one trapped, ringed and photographed, Millcombe (Tim Ball et al.) and one at North Light (around the solar panels) (Arfon Williams). Three all morning in St Helen’s Copse, with one briefly in Millcombe on 12 Oct (Ivan Lakin & Kevin Rylands). Five trapped and ringed, four of which were photographed, Millcombe, 14 Oct (Tony Taylor et al.) – the highest number ever ringed in one day on Lundy. Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

Photo: Yellow-browed Warbler trapped in Millcombe, 14 Oct 2012 © Richard Taylor

New records

15 Oct to 16 Nov – During the latter part of Oct, singles were recorded as follows: Millcombe on 15th (M. Davis); Quarter Wall Copse on 23rd (Richard Campey); upper Millcombe and by the main track at Quarter Wall on 25th (Tom Bedford, James Diamond); and Millcombe on 28th (Tim Davis). One, mist-netted in Millcombe, was ringed on 16 Nov (Richard & Rebecca Taylor), the latest date this species has ever been recorded on the island. Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

21 Sep to 30 Oct – Singles were in Millcombe on 21 Sep (Andy Jayne) and in the clump of willows next to the Terrace Heligoland Trap on 25 Sep (Kathy Evans). One in St Helen’s Copse on 5 Oct seems likely to have been the bird trapped and ringed in Millcombe the following day (Luke Philips, Tony John & Tony Taylor). One was in Millcombe on 28 Oct (James Diamond et al.), with a second bird on the Terrace (Chris Baillie). Five in Millcombe on 29 Oct, of which three were trapped and ringed (Rob Duncan et al.). One of the ringed birds was still present in Millcombe on 30th (Justin Zantboer). Records accepted by DBRC. Photo below of bird trapped in Millcombe on 6 Oct 2014 © Tony Taylor.

Photo: Yellow-browed Warbler trapped in Millcombe, 6 Oct 2014 © Tony Taylor.

New records

17 Sep to 16 Oct – Single birds were in St Helen’s Copse at 11.00 hrs and in the willow clumps next to the Terrace Trap and south of the Quarry Beach cable-way between 12.30 and 14.00 hrs on 17 Sep (Dave Chown, Tim Jones). It is unclear whether one or two birds were involved. Two were feeding with crests and Coal Tits in upper Millcombe on 10 Oct (James Diamond, Tim Jones, Ivan Lakin et al.). One was in the sycamores above the gas store in lower Millcombe during the early morning of 15 Oct, with two in upper Millcombe during the evening of the same day (James Diamond, Tim Jones et al.). One was again around the gas store on 16 Oct (many observers). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

9 Oct to 4 Nov – Two were in Millcombe on 9 & 10 Oct, and there were two in St Helen’s Copse and one at Quarter Wall Copse on 10th (D. Evans et al.), followed by singles in Millcombe on 15th (Andrew Jewels) and 21st (Chris Baillie). Four were trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 25 Oct (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.), whilst two new (unringed) birds were in Millcombe on 28th, one of which was trapped and ringed (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.). One unringed bird was in Millcombe on 29th (Chris Baillie) and finally, one was in lower Millcombe on 3 & 4 Nov (Richard Campey, James Diamond). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

16 Sep to 2 Nov – There were records on 10 dates, involving at least 10 individuals; details below:

One calling from St Helen’s Copse on 16 Sep (Nik Ward); one in Millcombe on 25 Sep (Chris Dee); one in Smelly Gully on 7 & 8 Oct (Tim Davis, Dean Jones); a different bird along the Upper East Side Path above St Helen’s Copse on 8 Oct (Tim Davis, Tim Jones); one at Quarry Pond on 12 Oct (Chris Baillie, Julian Bowden et al.); one near the stonecrusher on 18 Oct (Chris & Carol Baillie); three trapped and ringed on 26 Oct (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.); an unringed bird near the stonecrusher on 30 Oct (Andy Jayne); one in the same area on 1 Nov (Paul Holt); and one feeding near Brambles on 2 Nov (Mike Beck). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

4 to 26 Oct – Records on 14 dates, probably involving 15 or more individuals, with a maximum of four on 24th; details below:

Two on 4th, one in Millcombe and one in bracken along the East Side Path below Halfway Wall (Tim Davis & Tim Jones); one on 5th in Millcombe, presumed the same as on 4th (Tim Jones); two on 11th, one in Millcombe (Smelly Gully) and one on the Terrace (Dean Jones); one on 15th in Millcombe (Andy Bell, Richard Campey & Malcolm Davies); three on 16th, two in Millcombe and one along the Terrace (Richard Campey & Malcolm Davies); one on 17th in Millcombe (Richard Campey & Malcolm Davies); one on 19th in St Helen’s Copse (Dean Jones); singles on 20th, 21st & 22nd in Millcombe (Andy Jayne); four on 24th in Millcombe, of which three trapped and ringed (Justin Zantboer et al.), and two in Quarter Wall Copse (Paul Holt); two on 25th in Millcombe (Paul Holt, Justin Zantboer et al.); and one on 26th in Millcombe (Paul Holt).

Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

First spring record for Lundy

20 Apr – One feeding in sycamores in upper Millcombe (Andy Trout et al.) constitutes the first spring record for Lundy.

New autumn records

10 to 23 Oct – Recorded on eight dates, with a maximum of five (all in Millcombe) on 15th (Tim Davis, James Diamond et al.). All other dates involved ones and twos. The only birds away from Millcombe were singles between the Terrace Trap willows and the Timekeeper’s Hut on 19th and at Quarter Wall Copse on 23rd. As ever the total number of individuals is difficult to assess, but there were at least ten.

Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

19 Sep to 12 Nov – During autumn passage, logged on 21 dates from 19 Sep (one in sycamores above the Casbah, Millcombe) to 12 Nov (one in Quarter Wall Copse), with a maximum of five on 22 Oct (two in Milcombe, one in Quarter Wall Copse, one in the Terrace Trap willows, and one in ‘Rüppell’s Quarry’ – the small quarry with willows to the south of VC Quarry, officially named Howard’s Quarry). Most other records concerned ones and twos only, but there were three on 12 Oct. Unusually, there were several records of birds feeding on the ground. One was on the muddy margins of Millcombe Pond on 12 Oct, whilst another spent much of 14 Oct feeding in the lee of the main track wall alongside Tillage & Brick Fields. Another individual, also on 14^th, was feeding on the ground, out in the open, on the sunny, sheltered edge of St Helen’s Field above Millcombe, together with a Chiffchaff and several Goldcrests.

New records

11 to 22 Oct – Reflecting a very poor autumn for this species in the UK and across Western Europe more generally, there were records on just seven dates in this period, all in or around Millcombe and St Helen’s Copse. Two were present on 14^th & 15^th, with single birds on the other five dates (James Diamond et al.). Three were trapped and ringed (Rob Duncan et al.).

New records

14 Sep to 12 Nov – Recorded on 12 dates during this period: one in the Secret Garden (lower Millcombe) on 14 Sep (Stuart Cossey); one along the Terrace (Angus Croudace) and another in Millcombe (Tom Wright) on 19 Sep; one with a Treecreeper by Quarry Pond on 3 Oct (Darrin Dowding, Paul Bullock); one in Millcombe on 9 Oct (Matthew Broadbent); three trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 11 Oct (Stuart Cossey, Nik Ward, Tom Wright), of which two still present on 12th (Angus Croudace); one in Millcombe on 18 Oct (Greg Conway); two in Millcombe on 20 Oct (Greg Conway, Tim Davis et al.); one by Stoneycroft on 21 Oct (David Lindo); two feeding together in Smelly Gully (lower Millcombe) on 22 Oct (Chris Baillie, Tim Jones, Paul Holt); one below Government House on 25 Oct (Chris Baillie); and one along the Terrace on 12 Nov (Stuart Cossey).

Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

New records

Recorded on 10 dates, 15 to 27 Oct:

15 Oct – One in Millcombe, first seen in sycamores in the gully running down from Brambles (Tim Davis) and shortly afterwards on the flanks of the Ugly (Tim Jones) was heard calling in Millcombe later in the day but could not be relocated visually.

20 to 27 Oct – One in Quarter Wall Copse, found at more or less the same time and in the same place as a Red-breasted Flyctacher, during the late afternoon of 20th (James Diamond) was seen and heard calling by multiple observers over the following week.

20 Oct – One was feeding actively in the willows near the Heligoland Trap on the Terrace during the late afternoon, shortly after one had been found in Quarter Wall Copse (James Diamond).

22 Oct – One was seen briefly in the large Turkey Oak leaning across the Lower East Side Path near St Helen's Copse during the late afternoon (Tim Jones).

Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

Number ringed during the year: 0

2024

New records – subject to acceptance by Devon Bird Recorder

26 Sep to 5 Nov – Recorded on 25 dates, with a maximum of five on 23 Oct (multiple observers). The first were singles in Quarter Wall Copse on 26^th (Angus Croudace) and in Millcombe Pines on 28^th (Joe Parker). Eight individuals were trapped and colour-ringed during Oct as part of a nationally coordinated programme of colour marking in an attempt to shed light on the onward movements of migrating Yellow-browed Warblers in autumn. Amazingly, one of these birds, ringed in Millcombe on 24 Oct, was resighted (and photographed) just a few days later at Lower Moors, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, on 4 Nov! This was the first movement of any distance registered under the colour-marking project.

Number ringed during the year: 8 (see summary of colour-ringing project above).

New records – subject to acceptance by Devon Bird Recorder

A surprisingly quiet year given the high numbers being reported elsewhere in Britain and Ireland in mid-Oct, including – in the south west – ten on the Isles of Scilly on 15^th and nine on Cape Clear (Cork) on 16^th. Lundy sightings consisted of two on 29 Sep and single birds on just four other dates, up to and including 21 Oct: 

29 Sep – One mist-netted in St Johns Valley and ringed at Brambles 11:10 hrs (Greg Conway & Nik Ward), with an unringed bird seen and photographed later in St Helen's Copse (Angus Croudace).

30 Sep – One calling once and seen briefly in Millcombe Wood at 07:10 hrs (Angus Croudace).

9 Oct – One calling from Quarter Wall Copse at 11:56 hrs (Flo Turner).

15 Oct – One seen above Pilot's Quay during a period of fairly stiff easterlies (Ezra Sherwell).

21 Oct – One in the clump of willows south of the Terrace, immediately south of Quarry Beach winch-way (Chris Baillie).

Number ringed during the year: 1

New record

25 Oct – One feeding in gorse and on the ground close to the Rocket Pole (Rob Duncan, Simon Slade, Justin Zantboer et al.)

27 & 28 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 27th was still present on 28th and thought to be a different individual to that seen on 25th (Rob Duncan, Justin Zantboer et al.).

Record accepted by DBRC, although the Committee concluded that the presence of two different individuals had not been proven. This is only the fifth record for Lundy.

Pallas's Warbler Rocket Pole, 25 Oct 2016
© Simon Slade

Pallas's Warbler Rocket Pole, 25 Oct 2016
© Simon Slade

Pallas's Warbler trapped in Millcombe,
27 Oct 2016 © Justin Zantboer

New record

25 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan, Justin & Ellie Zantboer et al.).

Record accepted by DBRC – the sixth for Lundy.

New record

4 Nov – One was trapped and ringed in the 'Secret Garden', lower Millcombe, on 4 Nov (Chris Dee, Stuart Cossey).

Record accepted by DBRC – the seventh for Lundy and the fifth individual to be ringed.

New record

29 Oct – One was found on the Terrace during the morning (Brennig Hughes). It remained in the same general area at the southern end of the Terrace in the vicinity of the Heligoland trap but was quite mobile, moving between willow clumps and bracken cover, but often showed at close range (allowing some excellent photos to be taken) at times with a Yellow-browed Warbler (Ross Bower, Joe Parker, Tom Williams et al.).

Record accepted by DBRC; the eighth for Lundy.

New record – subject to acceptance by DBRC

6 Nov – One was trapped and ringed in Millcombe at 12:30 hrs (Ezra Sherwell). First seen at Millcombe pond, the bird flew down to Smelly Gully and later into the stream net. On release, it flew up into the big sycamore in the Secret Garden.

Subject to formal acceptance, the island's ninth record.

Pallas's Warbler, Millcombe, 6 Nov 2025

First for Lundy – first for Britain, second for the Western Palearctic

8 Jun – A singing male first seen and heard on a wall near the Old Light in the early morning, later relocated to Millcombe, where it remained for the rest of the day, enabling enterprising twitchers who chartered dive and fishing boats to catch up with it by evening. Unfortunately, it had gone by the following morning, after a night of clear skies and light winds, to the disappointment of many other would-be admirers. A full account of the momentous events of that day, written by David Price, Paul St Piérre and Dean Jones, can be found on the BirdGuides website here. Sulphur-bellied Warblers breed in dry, mountainous areas of Central Asia from Pakistan and Afghanistan, as far as western parts of China and Mongolia, migrating south to Indian wintering grounds. If accepted, this will be only the second Western Palearctic occurrence, following one on the Danish island of Cristiansø, in the Baltic Sea, in May 2016. Record accepted BBRC and species admitted to the British List by BOURC.

New record – subject to acceptance by DBRC

10 to 16 Oct – One seen and heard calling by Millcombe Pond at about 08:40 hrs on 10^th (Angus Croudace) found its way into a mist-net in the Secret Garden a few minutes later. It was ringed and released at Brambles, and was aged as a first-winter bird (Chris Dee, Ezra Sherwell et al.). It was seen briefly near the gas store in Lower Millcombe a little later in the day but there was no further sign until five days later when Angus Croudace picked up a familiar call and had brief glimpses of a warbler that was "not a Blackcap" in dense vegetation below the Ugly at about 08:30 hrs on 15^th. In spite of careful searching by Angus and others, it was not until just before 09:00 hrs on 16^th that Angus relocated the Dusky Warbler close to the bottom of the Steps of Doom. Over the next 90 minutes or so, the bird showed briefly and intermittently to around half-a-dozen observers as it moved furtively through bracken and bramble, initially below the Ugly, then flying across the Steps of Doom and straight back into thick cover about 30 metres north of the steps and roughly one-third of the way down. It gradually worked its way up the slope before flying back down and disappearing somewhere above the Lower East Side Path, slightly closer to St Helen's Copse. This turned out to be the last anyone saw or heard of it. In spite of its extremely skulking behaviour, the bird briefly perched in the open long enough for the shiny ring on its leg to be seen clearly, confirming it as the individual ringed on 10^th. A long overdue first record for the island, subject to formal acceptance by DBRC.

Writing on the Bird Observatory blog, Angus Croudace recounted that when he first found it on 10 Oct the Dusky Warbler "...was picked up calling vociferously on census. It was rummaging around the overgrown vegetation in Millcombe Pond before briefly bursting out of cover onto some brambles where it allowed a brief but good look plus a record shot. The bird was followed as it worked its way up the Millcombe allotments, starting on the ground before moving onto some higher vegetation. It was then lost just below the slope net, but turned up minutes later in the next net round in the Secret Garden! It was resighted later in the morning very briefly after ringing, skulking in vegetation above the Gas Shed."

 Dusky Warbler, Millcombe, 10 Oct 2025 © Angus Croudace

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 16 Mar 2013 (one); Latest 7 Nov 2008 (one).

Early autumn-passage fall

26 Jul – Some 200, mostly juvenile birds, primarily in Millcombe/St John’s Valley and along the East Side.

Birds showing characteristics of northern race

24 & 27 Aug – Single first-year birds showing the characteristics of P. t. acredula were trapped and ringed in St John’s Valley on 24 Aug and on the Terrace on 27 Aug (John Walshe).

Early autumn-passage fall

23 & 24 Jul – Autumn passage was underway by the end of Jul, when Andrew Cleave witnessed an impressive fall on 23rd, with birds “along the East Side from Millcombe almost as far as Gannets’ Bay – the numbers had thinned out at that point but there were still birds to be seen flitting through the bracken and feeding amongst rocks. The greatest density was between Millcombe and the Quarries – we did not do a count, but there always seemed to be 10-15 birds in view as we headed north, so the total must have run into hundreds of birds”. Large numbers were still present early the following afternoon, when, during a day trip, many were seen in Millcombe and along the walls between the High Street Gate and Old Light (T. Jones). Note: This paragraph was accidentally duplicated within the 2012 Lundy Bird Report.

Notable spring-passage count

8 Apr to 2 May – Large numbers of spring migrants were grounded during a month of very unsettled weather. The first real influx brought 40 on 8 Apr. Thereafter, present virtually daily to the end of the month, with counts of 40 or more on a further 14 dates and maxima of 200 on 19th, 250 on 21st & 24th, an exceptional 1,000 on 26th & 27th and 200 on 28th. In just four days, from 11 to 14 Apr, Chris Dee ringed over 180 Willow Warblers – more than were ringed on Lundy during the whole of 2011 – including the 100,000th bird to be ringed under the auspices of the LFS. High numbers continued into early May, with 500 on 1st and 200 on 2nd.

The count of 1,000 on 26 & 27 Apr was equalled on 26 Apr 2013 and 29 Apr 2019 (see below). These four dates represent the highest spring-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007. There have only ever been three counts of more than 1,000; the record standing at 3,000 on 15 Apr 1987.

Breeding confirmed

Two pairs were feeding young in June – a pair in Hanmers/Castle Copse and a pair in Millcombe, below Brambles (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). Although one or two singing males have apparently held territory at various of the East Side combes and copses in most years, 2012 remains the only year in which breeding has been confirmed since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Notable spring-passage count

26 Apr – A fall of 1,000 occurred, of which 110 were ringed. The figure of 1,000 equalled the estimate for 26 & 27 Apr 2012 and 29 Apr 2019 (see below). These four dates represent the highest spring-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007. There have only ever been three counts of more than 1,000; the record standing at 3,000 on 15 Apr 1987.

Bird showing characteristics of northern race

31 Oct – A bird showing characteristics associated with the northern race P. t. acredula was in lower Millcombe (Paul Holt).

Early autumn-passage influx

25 Jul – A total of 117, including both adults and juveniles, counted following an overnight influx of migrants.

Notable spring-passage count

29 Apr – A major fall occurred, estimated at 1,000 birds. This equalled the totals logged on 26 & 27 Apr 2012, 26 Apr 2013, and 29 Apr 2019 (see above). Between them, these four dates represent the highest spring-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007. There have only ever been three counts of more than 1,000; the record standing at 3,000 on 15 Apr 1987.

Early autumn-passage influx

27 Jul – At least 95 were present in Millcombe following an overnight arrival of migrants.

Notable autumn-passage total

1 Aug – The total of 400 logged on this date is the second highest autumn-passage count since publication of The Birds of Lundy, exceeded only by 430 on 3 Sep 2024.

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year was on 21 Mar (the same as in 2022), and there were up to four through the last week in March. Numbers picked up in the first half of April with three day counts of 30+. There was substantial passage between 15 and 18 Apr. On 17 Apr there were an estimated 500 birds across the island and in an all-day ringing session in Millcombe 214 birds were newly ringed and two controls were caught. Both had been ringed as first-year birds the previous autumn; one near Ivybridge in Devon on 6 Aug and the other at A Coruña in northwesternmost Spain on 9 Sep. Spring passage continued steadily through April and early May. By 8 May numbers had dropped to single figures and continued at that level almost daily until 9 Jun. Further stragglers were noted on 11^th, 15^th, 19^th and 21^st. Two Willow Warblers ringed in Apr & May showed rapid onward movements, when they were recaptured at Skokholm and Calf of Man Bird Observatories just days later, whilst a third individual was recaptured at Portland Bird Observatory when it returned to Britain in spring 2024 (see full details below).

Autumn – The first signs of autumn passage were evident on 17 Jul with a single bird. Numbers increased through the remainder of the month and into August, with most day counts of fewer than 30 birds, with the exception of a count of 173 on 13 Aug. Numbers remained in low double-figures for the following three days, but then declined until another wave of migration in early September brought 82 on 3 Sep and 65 on 7 Sep. Passage continued until 21 Sep after which no more than two birds were present. The last record of the year was of one on 2 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 4 (6); Apr 500 (30); May 24 (25); Jun 3 (11); Jul 13 (11); Aug 173 (31); Sep 82 (23); Oct 1 (1); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 598

Willow Warbler, Millcombe, 13 Aug 2023 © Joe Parker

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the year were a remarkable 91 (alongside a fall of more than 300 Chiffchaffs) on 26 Mar; by some margin the biggest total recorded for the island before the end of Mar. The highest numbers occurred in mid-Apr, with 262 on 17^th and 238 on 19^th – the only triple-digit counts of the spring. Numbers fell away rapidly thereafter, with only one to three birds being logged beyond 11 May.

Autumn – Whilst ones and twos continued to be recorded in Jun and the first half of Jul, there was no evidence of breeding. The first trickle of obvious autumn passage occurred from 21 Jul (five), with notable arrivals including 67 on 26^th, 172 on 28^th and 141 on 31^st. Passage continued throughout Aug (max 90 on 11^th) and into Sep, with a fall of 430 on 3^rd being by far the highest count of the year. The last of the autumn were singles on 4, 11 & 28 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 91 (5); Apr 262 (28); May 13 (23); Jun 3 (25); Jul 172 (21); Aug 90 (25); Sep 430 (20); Oct 1 (3); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 824

Summary of all records

Spring – The first two spring migrants were logged on 26 Mar (the same arrival date as in 2024), followed by an influx of 29 the next day. Peak numbers in Apr included 49 on 8^th, 53 on 11^th, 31 on 13^th, and 46 on 21^st but all other daily counts were below 25 – a far cry from the totals logged in many Aprils past, in large part reflecting weather patterns that were not conducive to significant falls. Following 21 on 1 May, the last double-digit count of spring migration came just three days later, with ten on 4^th.

Autumn – Following a trickle of ones and twos earlier in the month, the first significant influx of return passage migrants brought at least 40 to Millcombe on 19 Jul. Further arrivals in late Jul, many lemon-yellow juveniles, included 36 on 22^nd, 30 on 27^th, 91 on 28^th (of which 80 in Millcombe), 50 on 29^th and 29 on 30^th. Just over 130 migrants were ringed during Jul, the great majority being young of the year. Noticeable movements continued into Aug, including 48 on 1^st, 45 on 2^nd, 80 on 6^th (including 40 ringed in Millcombe) and 31 on 13^th, with smaller numbers (between one and 15 birds) on all intervening days, up to an including 14^th. The biggest arrival of the year to date brought 132 on 15 Aug (of which 105 on the morning census route). Three 'blank' days were followed by daily records to the end of the month, including further pulses of 20 on 19^th, 63 on 20^th, 84 on 22^nd (of which 42 ringed in Millcombe), 47 on 23^rd (including 40 in Millcombe) and 27 on 30^th. Sep started quietly with low single digits on 1^st to 3^rd, followed by an arrival of 33 on 4^th (of which 28 on census), falling to 10 on 5^th and between one and six birds from 6^th to 10^th, inclusive. A three-day gap was followed by a further singleton on 14^th, then one to three daily 17^th to 21^st. Six on 22^nd & 23^rd were followed by twos and threes on four dates to the end of Sep, then one (in Millcombe) on 7 Oct and an exceptionally late individual trapped (in the slope net) and ringed in Millcombe on 8 Nov (Ezra Sherwell).

Confirmed breeding

20 Jul – A nest with young was located in upper Millcombe and five chicks were ringed. This is the first confirmation of breeding on Lundy since 2012.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 29 (6); Apr 53 (29); May 21 (30); Jun 6 (19); Jul 91 (23); Aug 132 (28); Sep 33 (22); Oct 1 (1); Nov 1 (1); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 517

Summary of all records

Spring – The first of the spring, a single bird trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 21 Mar, was followed by ones and twos on a further four dates, 23-30 Mar, and three on 31^st. Records were daily throughout Apr but counts were typically on the low side, there being only five days when 50 or more were logged, including the only notable fall, involving 450 on 8^th, of which 65 were ringed. The other four counts ≥50 were: 61 on 6^th, 101 on 13^th, 96 on 18^th and 55 on 20^th. Several birds with notably 'washed-out' or 'cold' plumage tones, thought likely to belong to northern European breeding populations, were seen during the month. 

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 3 (6); Apr 450 (30);

The first Willow Warbler ringed (under licence) in 2026, Millcombe, 21 Mar 2026 © Thomas Weston

Ringing movements

Ringing control: LFS received late notification of a Willow Warbler ringed as an adult at South Walney, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria on 17 Aug 1994 (ring no. 3L5103 ) and controlled on Lundy on 09 Apr 1995 (235 days; 334 km; SSW 198°). Note: Due to the late notification this control is not included in The Birds of Lundy.

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year female at Bere Regis, Dorset, on 18 Aug 2007 (ring no. 3Z7473) was controlled on Lundy on 02 May 2008 (258 days; 179 km; WNW 286°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year female at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 06 Aug 2007 (ring no. CBN108) was controlled on Lundy on 28 Apr 2008 (266 days; 172 km; WNW 295°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, on 23 Aug 2005 (ring no. BAT291) was controlled on Lundy on 05 May 2008 (986 days; 402 km; WSW 238°).

These three movements of birds ringed on the south and east coast during autumn migration and controlled on Lundy during subsequent northward migrations in spring 2008 fit well with the overall pattern of ringing movements to/from Lundy described in The Birds of Lundy.

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult female at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 20 Apr 2009 (ring no. CKB975) was controlled on Lundy on 24 Apr 2009 (4 days; 172 km; WNW 295°). This is the eighth ringing movement involving Lundy and Portland Bill and the second time a Willow Warbler ringed at Portland Bill when arriving in the UK on spring migration has been trapped a few days later on Lundy.

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy on 16 Sep 2009 (ring no. CVJ608) was controlled at Dunsby, Bourne, Lincolnshire on 03 Sep 2011 (717 days; 348 km; NE 58°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 22 Apr 2011 (ring no. DER481) was controlled at Isla Grosa, San Xavier, Murcia, Spain on 07 Apr 2012 (351 days; 1,514 km; S 169°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult male at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 18 Apr 2010 (ring no. DBE110) was controlled on Lundy on 12 Apr 2012 (725 days; 172 km; WNW 295°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult at South Milton Ley, Devon on 09 Apr 2013 (ring no. HBC211) was controlled on Lundy on 12 Apr 2013 (3 days; 116 km; NNW 331°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly on 23 Apr 2013 (ring no. ERA078) was controlled on Lundy on 25 Apr 2013 (2 days; 180 km; NE 40°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Fuentecantos, Soria, Castilla y León, Spain on 25 Aug 2012 (ring no. PF5507) was controlled on Lundy on 19 Apr 2014 (602 days; 1,052 km; N 351°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 15 Apr 2014 (ring no. HBP721) was controlled at Durlston Country Park, Dorset on 11 Aug 2015 (483 days; 202 km; ESE 109°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year male on Lundy on 22 Apr 2018 (ring no. KEH410) was controlled on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, on 26 Apr 2018 (4 days; 74 km; NW 325°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, on 30 Aug 2018 (ring no. KYN356) was controlled on Lundy on 29 Apr 2019 (242 days; 74 km; SE 145°).

Ringing recovery: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy, on 22 Apr 2021 (ring no. NLN559) was found dead (hit glass) at South Glen Dale, South Uist, Western Isles, on 4 May 2021 (12 days; 683 km; NNW 346°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Kingshill Farm, Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire on 27 Aug 2020 (ring no. NBC633) was controlled on Lundy on 19 Apr 2021 (235 days; 194 km; WSW 236°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a juvenile at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 21 Jul 2021 (ring no. NNY071) was controlled on Lundy on 10 Apr 2022 (263 days; 143 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at Erme Valley, Harford, Devon on 6 Aug 2022 (ring no. PAY872) was controlled on Lundy on 17 Apr 2023 (8 months, 11 days; 98.5 km NNW).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a first-year bird at A Coruña, Coruña, Galicia, Spain on 09 Sep 2022 (ring no. Madrid/Icona RY8411) was controlled on Lundy on 17 Apr 2023 (602 days; 912 km; NNE).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as a full-grown bird on Lundy on 22 Apr 2023 (ring no. PAE234) was controlled on Calf of Man, Isle of Man on 28 Apr 2023 (6 days; 321 km N).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 04 May 2023 (ring no. PAE435) was controlled on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, on 10 May 2023 (6 days; 73.5 km NW).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 02 May 2023 (ring no. PAE416) was controlled at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 19 Apr 2024 (353 days; 171 km ESE).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult at Hogchester Nature Reserve, Dorset, on 16 Aug 2024 (ring no. PYX982) was controlled on Lundy on 06 Aug 2025 (355 days; 131 km; WNW 291°).

Ringing control: A Willow Warbler ringed as an adult on Lundy on 23 Apr 2023 (ring no. PAE212) was controlled at Portland Bill, Dorset, on 23 Aug 2025 (859 days; 172 km ESE 115°).

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 4 Mar 2013 (one); Latest 19 Nov 2009 (two). Excludes presumed wintering birds seen in mid to late-Dec in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 & 2016, in Jan/Feb 2019 and in early Feb 2011.

Photo: Chiffchaff on Lundy, Oct 2013 © Richard Campey

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

13 Apr - One in Millcombe showed characteristics of the Fennoscandian race P. c. abietinus (A. Jayne). Record accepted by DBRC.

1 Nov - One in Millcombe showed characteristics of the Fennoscandian race P. c. abietinus (A. Jayne). Record subject to acceptance by DBRC.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

12 to 22 Oct – Single birds showing characteristics of the Fennoscandian race P. c. abietinus were seen in Gannets' Combe on 12 Oct (A.L. Cooper) and along the East Side between Quarter Wall Copse and St Helen's Copse from 19 to 21 Oct (C.A. Holt et al.), with at least two birds present in the same area from 22-24 Oct (T. Bedford et al.). One showing characteristics of the Siberian race P. c. tristis was also seen along the East Side on 21 & 22 Oct (C.A. Holt, K. Rylands et al.). Details of the latter bird have been submitted to BBRC, which is conducting a review of the status of P. c. tristis in Britain.

Winter record

22 to 24 Dec – One.

Confirmed breeding

A pair was seen carrying food in Millcombe on 30 May and singing males were holding territory in the Beach Road copse below Hanmers, Millcombe, St Helen’s Copse and Quarter Wall Copse during the first week of Jun. A pair was also seen carrying nesting material in Millcombe. Adults were seen feeding young in Lower Millcombe on 15 & 16 Jul. This is the first record of confirmed breeding since 1994, but it is thought that other breeding attempts during the intervening years may have been missed due to low observer coverage in summer.

Winter record

29 Dec – One.

Winter record

1 to 6 Feb – What was presumably a single individual, was first reported on 1 Feb, then daily from 4 to 6 Feb – the first Jan or Feb record for the island since 1989.

Notable autumn-passage count

4 Oct – A major overnight arrival of 300 Chiffchaffs (along with similar numbers of Blackcaps and 100 Goldcrests), constituted one of the highest autumn-passage counts on record for Lundy.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

23 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe, during a period of easterly winds, showed characteristics of one of the eastern races, perhaps P. c. tristis. Shed feathers were retained for DNA and isotope analysis. Initial results indicate that the bird was indeed a ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ P. c. tristis, but further studies are being conducted.

Winter record

27 Dec – One.

Exceptional autumn-passage count

5 Oct – A fall, coinciding with a major arrival of Goldcrests, Blackcaps and other migrants, brought an exceptional 500+ to the island, of which 49 were ringed.

As of July 2020, this remains the highest number (spring or autumn) recorded on Lundy since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007.

Winter record

30 Dec – One.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

8 Jun – A very pale ‘washed out’-looking bird was in Millcombe. It showed almost no greenish or yellowish tones in its plumage, having largely khaki upperparts and whitish underparts, typical of Chiffchaffs from breeding populations in north-east Europe (Tim Jones).

Exceptional spring-passage count

3 Apr – A count of 400 is, by some way, the highest spring total since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007. This remains the case as of the end of 2023.

Breeding evidence

In late May a male was singing in Quarter Wall Copse and two birds were singing in Millcombe, where a pair was seen carrying nesting material. Two males continued to hold territory in Millcombe 7–11 Jun and at least one presumed female was present. Further singing males were heard in Quarter Wall Copse on 8 Jun and St Helen’s Copse on 9th & 10th. Whilst it seems likely that at least one breeding attempt was made, this remains unconfirmed.

Winter record

14 to 17 Dec – One was seen on three dates during this period.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

26 to 31 Oct – Singles showing characteristics of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P. c. tristis were trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 26 & 27 Oct. Another was seen in lower Millcombe on 31 Oct. Records under review by DBRC, but Devon Birds policy is to ascribe individuals definitively to subspecies level only when supported by evidence from DNA analysis.

Confirmed breeding

Jun – A pair was nest building in lower Millcombe on 6 Jun (Tim Davis & Tim Jones) and fledglings were seen in 'Smelly Gully' on 20 Jun (Dean Jones &
Zoë Barton), suggesting at least two breeding attempts were made.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

Calling individuals showing characteristics of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P.c. tristis were in Millcombe on 24 Oct (Ellie & Justin Zantboer) and 27 Oct (Dean Jones). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder. On the latter date, a probable ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff was also seen near the Landing Shed (Dean Jones), but this bird unfortunately did not call – a feature required for acceptance by Devon Birds.

Winter records

Jan to Mar – Between one and four overwintering birds were recorded during Jan and Feb, and into early Mar.

Confirmed breeding

Jun & Jul – Breeding was confirmed for three pairs: one was nest-building on the Terrace on 12 Jun (Chris Baillie); one was collecting food in the Terrace willows on 7 Jul (Dean Jones); an adult was feeding chicks in sycamores near the Battlements on 24 Jul (Dean Jones); and an adult was feeding very young chicks in Smelly Gully on 11 Aug – almost certainly a second brood but far too soon to be the same pair that were feeding young at the end of Jul (Dean Jones).

This is the third year in which successful breeding is known to have occurred since publication of The Birds of Lundy, following other confirmed instances in 2012 and 2018, and probable breeding in 2016.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

Non-calling birds showing plumage typical of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P. c. tristis were seen in Millcombe from 9 to 17 Jan, inclusive (Dean Jones) and on 5 & 6 Apr (Jo King, Philip Lymbery), and in bracken at Threequarter Wall Bay on 15 Oct (Andy Jayne). In line with the current policy of Devon Birds, which only accepts as ‘confirmed’ records of calling ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff, these three occurrences have been accepted by the Devon Bird Recorder as ‘grey chiffchaffs’ (unidentified P. c. tristis/abietinus).

Winter records

Jan & Feb – There were records of single birds on four dates 10-24 Jan & 10 Feb.

Confirmed breeding

Song was heard throughout May and early Jun and a pair were seen copulating in Millcombe on 10 Jun. However, just one fledgling was being fed by adults in the same area on 14 Jul (Dean Jones), perhaps indicating that productivity had been adversely affected by poor weather earlier in the month. A second pair were feeding three fledglings in upper Millcombe on 20 Jul – again suggestive of poor productivity.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

Individuals with plumage and calls typical of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P.c. tristis were seen in Millcombe on 1 Dec (one bird) and at several locations on 26 Nov (a small influx of four: two in Millcombe; one in the Terrace willows and on the sidelands above Quarry Beach; and one in the Village next to Quarters). A fifth bird, showing plumage and call characteristics possibly better matching ‘Northern’ Chiffchaff P. c. abietinus was also logged on 26 Nov, together at one point with one of the ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaffs below the Terrace (all records Dean Jones). In addition, an individual showing plumage and call characters of one of the grey northern or eastern races, possibly P. c. abietinus, was trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 8 May (Dean Jones). MtDNA analysis of shed body feathers from an individual trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 23 Oct indicated maternal lineage as P. c. abietinus (Prof. J. Martin Collinson & Thomas Shannon, University of Aberdeen per Dean Jones). A good candidate for abietinus was also foraging at Millcombe Pond on 6 Nov (Dean Jones). Records of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff subject to acceptance by Devon Bird Recorder.

Winter records

Jan – Single birds were seen in Millcombe on 16^th & 23^rd.

Confirmed breeding

Two pairs made nesting attempts in Millcombe but only one pair fledged young. Adults were seen with nesting material on 26 May (likely a second nest after an earlier failure), delivering food to nestlings on 3 Jul and feeding a fledgling in the ‘Secret Garden’ (lower Millcombe) on 8 Jul. A later brood of three fledglings was being fed in Millcombe on 21 Aug.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

Presumed tristis Chiffchaffs were recorded in Millcombe in Oct on 13^th, 15^th (two, of which one trapped and ringed), 16^th (two trapped and ringed) and 22^nd (two trapped and ringed). Shed body feathers from three of those ringed were retained for DNA analysis. At the end of the year, a possible tristis was by Paradise Row on 21 Dec, with a definite, calling bird by Millcombe Pond on 24 Dec (both Stuart Cossey). Record of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff on 24 Dec accepted by Devon Bird Recorder (call required for acceptance). Acceptance of ringed individuals pending DNA results.

Winter records

Jan & Feb – Single birds were seen on 18 & 20 Jan. Up to two were then seen regularly from 27 Jan to 11 Feb.

Confirmed breeding

Males were heard singing in Millcombe, St Helen’s Copse and Quarter Wall Copse. However, the only confirmed breeding pair was in Millcombe when an adult was seen with food on 30 Jun and four fledged chicks were being fed on 9 Jul.

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

Two individuals with plumage and calls typical of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P. c. tristis were noted. The first was calling by Millcombe Pond on 9 Jan (Stuart Cossey). The other was first seen around the Village allotments on 29 Nov (Jamie Dunning et al.) and then seen and heard below Government House on 30 Nov (Stuart Cossey). Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

Summary of all records

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 32 (20); Apr 74 (30); May 33 (31); Jun 4 (29); Jul 3 (24); Aug 17 (25); Sep 24 (26); Oct 28 (31); Nov 12 (14); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 256

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

23 Apr – A bird trapped and ringed in Millcombe was confirmed from DNA analysis of shed body feathers as 'Siberian' Chiffchaff P. c. tristis (Stuart Cossey, Luke Marriner).

Record accepted by DBRC.

Summary of all records

Spring – The exceptionally early maximum count of 334 on 26 Mar was the highest March total ever recorded for the island. An adult recaptured on 18 Apr had originally been ringed in Dorset as a first-year bird in Sep 2022 (see below for full details).

Autumn – The maxima were 79 on 9 Sep and 86 on 24 Sep. The next-highest count was just 24 on 8 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 1 (1); Feb 0 (0); Mar 334 (21); Apr 29 (25); May 12 (31); Jun 5 (30); Jul 7 (22); Aug 5 (17); Sep 86 (30); Oct 18 (31); Nov 9 (22); Dec 3 (5).

Number ringed during the year: 292

Birds showing characteristics of northern or eastern races

23 Oct – A non-calling Individual with plumage typical of ‘Siberian’ Chiffchaff P.c. tristis was trapped, ringed and photographed in Millcombe (Greg Conway, Nik Ward et al.).

Siberian Chiffchaff trapped & ringed under licence, Millcombe, 23 Oct 2024 © Tom Williams

Summary of all records

First winter-period and spring passage: Following single birds on 12 dates in Jan & Feb, plus two on 23 Jan, the first hint of spring passage came with two on 4 Mar, followed by one to four birds on 11 further dates up to and including 21st. However, it was not until 23rd that a more notable arrival of nine occurred, the 12 on 25th & 26th and 15 on 27th. Numbers were generally low in Apr, with the only totals ≥30 being 35 on 9th, 31 on 10th and 50 on 11th – by far the highest count of the season.

Breeding confirmed: Singing males were present in May & Jun in Millcombe and Quarter Wall Copse. Recently fledged chicks were trapped and ringed in Millcombe in late Jul. An adult with four recently fledged young were seen in St Helen's Copse on 3 Aug.

Ringing movement: A Chiffchaff trapped in Millcombe on 1 May was found to be wearing a Norwegian ring. It had been ringed just 18 days previously at Lista lighthouse, at the tip of the Lista Peninsula in southwesternmost Norway, and was potentially a British or Irish breeding bird that had overshot its intended destination during spring migration, ending up on the wrong side of the North Sea but subsequently reorientating and moving back SW (see below for full details). This is the first known Chiffchaff movement involving Lundy and Norway (or any Scandinavian country; two birds from The Netherlands were the northernmost links with the continent previously recorded).

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn passage: There was no sign of anything more than a slight trickle of movement in late summer and early autumn. The Aug peak of seven on 3^rd included four locally fledged young, whilst most other counts during the month were of one to three birds only. Sep started off in similar fashion, with mainly low single-digit counts being logged, though there were signs of an up-tick in numbers by mid-month. Higher totals were six on 5^th, eight on 12^th & 21^st, and 10 on 14^th. Numbers remained in single digits during the third week of Sep but a marked improvement in weather conditions, after a lengthy unsettled spell, brought a major arrival of 114 on 22^nd and 90 the following day. Other notable counts in late Sep included 50 on 50 on 25^th and 43 on 26^th. Mid-Oct brought daily counts of ≥25 from 10th to 17th, including peaks of 55 on 12^th and 77 on 16^th but numbers dwindled thereafter to single figures only by the last week of Oct and into the start of Nov. Four on 12 Nov was the last record of the year, though coverage of the island was minimal after mid-Nov. A first-year bird ringed on the Pembrokeshire island of Skokholm on 9 Oct was caught in Millcombe the following morning.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged) – Jan 2 (8); Feb 1 (5); Mar 15 (21); Apr 50 (30); May 16 (29); Jun 3 (21); Jul 10 (16); Aug 7 (23); Sep 114 (28); Oct 77 (29); Nov 8 (8); Dec 0 (0) – but coverage minimal after mid-Nov.

Number ringed during the year: 493 

Summary of all records

First winter-period and spring passage: The only winter record was one on 6 Feb. The first of spring migration was one in the Village on 3 Mar. There were further records of one to three birds on ten days from 4 to 20 Mar, followed by an influx of 16 on 21^st (the same date as the first Willow Warbler of the year was logged). Recorded daily to the end of Mar, with further double-digit counts of 10 on 23^rd & 27^th, and 11 on 31^st. In common with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff was logged everyday in Apr but passage 'stop-start' and there were no significant falls and – for the second year running – no three-digit totals were logged. In fact, there were only two days with counts ≥50, these being 73 on 6^th and 80 on 6^th, the latter coinciding with the most significant Willow Warbler influx of the spring.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged) – Jan 0 (0); Feb 1 (0); Mar 16 (22); Apr 80 (30);

Ringing

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as an adult on Lundy, on 03 May 2008 (ring no. BCE900) was controlled at Hartland Point, Devon on 05 May 2008 (2 days; 22 km; SSE 151°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy, on 18 Sep 2010 (ring no. DER272) was controlled at Cruzihna Field Studies Centre, Mexilhoeira Grande, Algarve, Portugal (51 days; 1,593 km; SSW 192°) on 08 Nov 2010. This is the second Lundy-ringed Chiffchaff to be found in Portugal in November, but the first from the Algarve region. The timing makes it seem equally likely that the bird was either already in its wintering area or still on autumn migration.

Ringing recovery: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Vlieland, West Frisian Islands, The Netherlands, on 03 Oct 2011 (ring no. Arnhem AAN722) was found freshly dead (killed by a bird, probabl Water Rail), on Lundy on 15 Oct 2011 (12 days; 695 km; WSW 251°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird at Nanjizal (near Land’s End), Cornwall on 12 Sep 2010 (ring no. DLX466) was controlled on Lundy on 25 Apr 2013 (956 days; 144 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire on 15 Sep 2014 (ring no. EXX834) was controlled on Lundy on 29 Sep 2014 (14 days; 74 km; SE 145°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a full-grown bird on Schiermonnikoog, West Frisian Islands, The Netherlands, on 09 Sep 2014 (ring no. Arnhem ACX038) was controlled on Lundy on 14 Apr 2015 (217 days; 780 km; WSW 251°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as an adult on Lundy on 28 Apr 2015 (ring no. HHC382) was controlled on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd on 14 & 15 Apr 2016 (352 days; 178 km; N 358°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a second calendar-year bird at Essex Farm, Alderney, Channel Islands on 29 Mar 2016 (ring no. Jersey 176388) was controlled on Lundy on 03 Apr 2016 (5 days; 238 km; NW 313°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a second calendar-year bird on Lundy on 04 Apr 2016 (ring no. HRC451) was controlled at High Bridge, Williton, Somerset on 06 Apr 2016 (2 days; 95 km; E 91°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as an adult at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 17 May 2016 (ring no. HXK626) was controlled on Lundy on 10 Nov 2016 (177 days; 402 km; WSW 238°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a second-year bird at Nanjizal (near Land's End), Cornwall on 22 April 2017 (ring no. KDY004) was controlled on Lundy on 27 Apr 2017 (5 days; 144 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a second calendar-year bird on Lundy on 20 Apr 2018 (ring no. KEH251) was controlled on Great Saltee Island, Wexford, Ireland on 28 Apr 2018 (8 days; 171 km; NW 309°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy, on 17 Sep 2019 (ring no. LEH396) was controlled on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd on 27 Mar 2020 (192 days; 178 km; N 358°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Lundy, on 09 Oct 2021 (ring no. NLN918) was controlled Kilpaison March, Rhoscrowther, Pembrokeshire on 14 Nov 2021 (36 days; 62 km; NNW 335°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird at Loch of Leys, near Banchory, Aberdeenshire on 23 Aug 2022 (ring no. PBA402) was controlled on Lundy on 17 Apr 2023 (7 months, 25 days; 671 km SSW).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire on 22 Sep 2022 (ring no. PAT192) was controlled on Lundy on 21 Apr 2023 (6 months, 30 days; 243 km W).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird at Longham Lakes, Dorset on 17 Sep 2022 (ring no. ELT381) was controlled on Lundy on 18 Apr 2024 (1 year, 7 months, 1 day; 197 km; WNW 283°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a second-year bird at Lista Fyr, Farsund, Vest-Agder, Norway, on 13 Apr 2025 (Norwegian ring no. Stavanger 7A4148) was controlled on Lundy on 1 May 2025 (18 days; 1,055 km; SW 224°).

Ringing control: A Chiffchaff ringed as a first-year bird on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire on 09 Oct 2025 (ring no. RPP110) was controlled on Lundy on 10 Oct 2025 (1 day; 73 km; SE 145°).

First for Lundy

7 Oct – One was first seen in the tops of oaks below the path between the Ugly and Millcombe pines during the morning, then in the afternoon feeding actively in the remaining canopy on on the south side of the valley, from the Casbah as far as the the gas store (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). However, it was only conclusively identified from images posted online that evening. Unfortunately, it departed overnight and there was no sign of it for the 30 or so twitchers who chartered fishing boats to arrive early the following morning. Record accepted by BBRC – the first for Lundy and Devon, and just the 5^th for Britain.

Green Warbler, Millcombe, 7 Oct 2018 © Tim Jones

Green Warbler, Millcombe, 7 Oct 2018 © Tim Jones

New record

5 Jun – A singing male was in the sycamores below Brambles (Rebecca & Richard Taylor). Record accepted by DBRC. This is only the fourth record for Lundy, the last dating as far back as Aug 1978.

Greenish Warbler near Brambles, 5 Jun 2016
© Rebecca Taylor

Greenish Warbler near Brambles, 5 Jun 2016
© Richard Taylor

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 7 Apr 2007 (one); Latest 4 Nov 2011 (one) and 4 Nov 2020 (one).

Notable spring-passage count

2 May – Twenty, coinciding with a significant of other warblers, remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest spring count since publication of The Birds of Lundy. The highest ever was 50 on 1 May 1999.

Notable autumn-passage count

17 Oct – A count of five remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest autumn count since publication of The Birds of Lundy. The highest ever was 30 on both 23 Sep 1965 & 22 Sep 1982.

Notable spring-passage count

30 Apr – A count of seven was one of the higher spring day-totals of recent years.

Notable autumn-passage count

10 Sep – A count of four was one of the higher autumn day-totals of recent years.

Notable autumn-passage count

14 Sep – A count of four was one of the higher autumn day-totals of recent years.

Summary of all records

Spring – Single birds only, on eight dates from 8 Apr to 27 May. The only earlier record of recent years is one on 7 Apr 2007.

Autumn – Records on 13 dates from 1 Aug (one) to 10 Oct (one), with a maximum of two on 4 Aug & 10 Sep. All other occurrences were of single birds.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 1 (1); May 1 (5); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 2 (4); Sep 2 (8); Oct 1 (1); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 10

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 14 dates from 28 Apr (one) to 29 May (one), with peak counts of four on 6 May and three on 11 May.

Autumn – In a poor season, there were ones and twos on eight dates, 2 to 24 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 1 (2); May 4 (12); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 0 (0); Sep 2 (8); Oct 0 (0); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 7

Summary of all records

Spring – Logged on 12 dates from 27 Apr (one) to 25 May (one), with a maximum of three on 1 May. All records were from either Millcombe or the Terrace.

Autumn – Logged on 14 dates from 3 Jul (one) to 20 Oct (one), with a maximum of three on 7 Oct. One was seen in Millcombe on the unusual date of 3 Jul. This was followed by one in 'Smelly Gully' (lower Millcombe) on 9 Aug and one in Millcombe on 23 Aug. Into Sep there were singles in both Quarter Wall Copse and Millcombe on 8^th, another in Smelly Gully on 20^th, two in upper Millcombe on 21^st, one upper Millcombe on 22^nd, two ringed in Millcombe on both 24^th and 26^th and one seen on 28^th. Oct brought one along the Upper East Side Path on 2^nd, two in Millcombe and one in St Helen's Copse on 7^th, one ringed in Millcombe on 11^th and one seen in Millcombe on 20^th – the last of the year.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 1 (2); May 3 (10); Jun 0 (0); Jul 1 (1); Aug 1 (2); Sep 2 (7); Oct 3 (4); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 9

Summary of all records

Spring – Ones and twos were logged on seven dates in Apr between 20^th and 30^th (inclusive). The first of the year were singles on the Terrace and in Millcombe, near the start of the Upper East Side path on 20^th, the bird on the Terrace singing from the Heligoland Trap willows. Most other records were from Millcombe (where one was trapped and ringed on 26^th) but an unringed bird was in the southernmost willow clump on the Terrace on 26^th, a/the ringed bird was in Quarter Wall Copse on 28^th, and one was at Quarter Wall Pond on 30^th.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 2 (7);

Ringing movement:

Ringing control: A Garden Warbler ringed as a first-year bird on 09 Sep 2009 (ring no. X883597) at Snettisham, on the Norfolk coast of The Wash, was controlled in Millcombe on 18 Sep 2009 (9 days; 397 km; WSW 242°). This is only the second Garden Warbler ringing movement involving Lundy; the first, in Sep 1981, showed a remarkably similar trajectory from Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory, on the Lincolnshire shore of The Wash.

Correction

p.203 table (a): the 1st-year bird ringed on Lundy on 20 October 1988 and found in Switzerland in May 1990 was a female, not a male as stated. The original BTO recovery form showed male, but a correction was issued subsequently (Tony Taylor, personal communication).

Winter record

22 to 27 Dec – A male was seen daily outside Quarters/Pig's Paradise, photographed feeding on a fat-ball on 26 Dec (see photo by Stuart Leavy posted on www.lundybirds.org.uk).

Winter record

1 Jan – Presumably the same bird as that seen in December was again seen outside the staff accommodation at Quarters/Pig's Paradise.

Notable autumn-passage count

4 Oct – A major fall of an estimated 300 Blackcaps (together with 300 Chiffchaffs and 100 Goldcrests) occurred on the morning of 4 Oct, the main concentrations being in Millcombe, St Helen’s Copse and along the Terrace, with smaller numbers in all parts of the island that were visited by observers. Seventy were ringed using a small number of mist-nets in Millcombe. At the time, the total of 300 represented a record for Lundy during either spring or autumn passage, but that number has since been eclipsed in both spring (2012) and autumn (2023). Most of the birds involved in the fall of 2011 were gone by the next day, when only 40 were seen.

Unprecedented spring fall

26 Apr to 8 May – An unprecedented fall of at least 3,000 occurred on 26 Apr, with 500 on 27th and 200 the following day. Unusually high numbers continued into the first week of May, with counts of 150, 450, 450 and 250 for 1st-4th, but only small numbers after 8th. Unfortunately, the mass grounding on 26 Apr and the other high counts during this period were associated with a prolonged spell of cold, unsettled weather, with frequent strong winds and heavy rain that clearly disrupted normal migration patterns. Some 147 Blackcaps were ringed on 26 Apr alone, contributing to a record annual total of 721 for this species.

Circumstantial evidence of breeding

On 29 May a singing male was heard in Millcombe and a female with a brood patch was trapped and ringed. Alarm calls were also heard (Tony & Ann Taylor). One was singing at Quarter Wall Copse on 31 May. Efforts to prove breeding during June (19th-21st) proved fruitless, short bursts of song in Millcombe being the only evidence of the species’ continued presence (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). Successful breeding by Blackcaps on Lundy therefore remains to be proven, though further strong circumstantial evidence came in the form of a male, originally ringed in Millcombe in May, being retrapped in active wing moult on 31 Aug (David Price et al.). This individual had almost certainly summered on the island and it seems probable that a breeding attempt was made, given the presence of a female with a brood patch.

Notable autumn-passage count

5 Oct – A fall of 300+ (of which 75 ringed), coincided with a major arrival of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and other migrants. This equals the number estimated on 4 Oct 2011 and 14 Sep 2017 but was exceeded on 21 Sep 2023 (see below).

Winter record

16 Dec – One. This is only the second winter record since publication of The Birds of Lundy (the other being 22 Dec 2007 to 1 Jan 2008).

Breeding season

There were no records in Jun or Jul.

Circumstantial evidence of breeding

May to Jul – There was circumstantial evidence of a nesting attempt in Millcombe, where a single singing male was seen and heard regularly around the slope below Brambles in late May and early Jun, and a female seen occasionally in the same area on 9 & 10 Jun. The male was singing only briefly and intermittently, which together with the infrequent appearance of the female, was strongly suggestive of a pair with a nest and eggs. A female was seen in the same area on 6 Jul.

25 Sep – A significant fall grounded 250 autumn migrants (Chris Dee et al.)

Notable spring-passage count

16 Apr – There was an influx of at least 200 Blackcaps, which Paul Holt and Tony John described as being "all over the place".

Circumstantial evidence of breeding

4 to 16 Jun – There were again some intriguing records in Jun, hinting at a possible breeding attempt in Millcombe, with a male on 4 & 5 Jun, a female on 8 Jun and a male sub-singing in the same area on 15 & 16 Jun. However, a small arrival of three strongly singing males on 14 Jun (Millcombe, Quarter Wall Copse and Terrace) for one day only showed that a trickle of migration was continuing. There were no records after 16 Jun until one on 10 Aug.

Successful breeding confirmed for the first time

Jun & Jul – On 11 Jun, a pair (both carrying rings) were gathering spiders’ webs as nesting material from the ‘Secret Garden’ area of Millcombe and flying to their presumed nest site on the slope below Brambles
East. The male was singing in short, intense bursts, ‘wing shivering’ and thought also to be courtship feeding the female (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). A male was singing daily in Millcombe from 21–28 Jun (David Price), whilst a male carrying food and alarming, plus two juveniles, were in Millcombe during 28–30 Jul (Chris Baillie). These observations constitute the first-ever record of successful breeding on Lundy.

Exceptional autumn-passage count

14 Sep – An estimated 300 were present on the island (with 200 the following day), equalling the autumn-passage record set on 4 Oct 2011, matched on 5 Oct 2013, and only exceeded by the count of 350+ on 21 Sep 2023

Breeding season

May to Jul – Although song was heard in Millcombe on 22 & 23 May, the only occurrence in Jun was of one on 3rd and there were no sightings at all in Jul, meaning that there was no repeat of the successful breeding recorded in 2016.

Breeding confirmed – second record for Lundy

Jun/Jul – A pair (including a singing male) was present in Millcombe during the first week of Jun and fledglings were being fed by a female in the 'Secret Garden' area of lower Millcombe on 17 Jul (Dean Jones).

Notable spring-passage count

20 Apr – A count of 300 was one of the higher spring-passage day-totals of recent years, but well short of the 'mega fall' of Apr 2012 (see above for details).

Breeding confirmed – third record for Lundy

Jun – A female collecting food in lower Millcombe on 15th indicated a breeding attempt and successful breeding was confirmed when two fledglings were seen with an adult female below Brambles on 29th.

Breeding confirmed – fourth record for Lundy

Fledglings were seen in Millcombe on 24 Jun and another brood was being fed there on 9 Jul. A breeding attempt was made at Quarter Wall Copse (the first evidence of breeding away from Millcombe) but the outcome is unknown.

Late autumn record

30 Nov – One on this date is the latest since publication of The Birds of Lundy (excluding three winter records for mid- to late-Dec or Jan).

Record annual ringing total

The total of 1,148 Blackcaps ringed established a new annual record for the island.

Notable spring-passage count

31 Mar – The total of 144 on this date set a new record for the highest-ever March count for the island.

Breeding confirmed – fifth record for Lundy

A fledgling was being fed in Millcombe on 1 Jul; the fourth consecutive year, and fifth year overall in which Blackcaps have been confirmed as breeding successfully.

Winter record

20 & 22 Dec – A male on feeders at Paradise Row was only the third record for Dec or Jan since publication of The Birds of Lundy.

No evidence of successful breeding

A female was nest-building in Millcombe on 20 May. A male held territory at Quarter Wall Copse, but there was no evidence of successful breeding there.

Summary of all records – highest autumn count ever

First winter-period and spring passage – The first spring migrant arrived on 17 Mar followed by three the following day. Slow passage re-started on 26 Mar, with counts of up to nine birds recorded almost every day until 13 Apr. Migration then got going in earnest, with significant counts of 84 on 16 Apr, a fall of 300 on 17 Apr, 75 on 22 Apr, 108 on 26 Apr and 70 on 29 Apr. Numbers tailed off in early May with no more than four potential breeding birds present after 11^th and throughout Jun, Jul and the first half of Aug. Counts of nine on 12 Aug and seven on 14 Aug may include locally fledged young.

A bird trapped and ringed on 16 Apr was subsequently recaptured in The Netherlands in mid-Oct 2024 (see details below), showing that birds passing through Lundy in mid-spring can include a mix of both UK and continental breeders.

Autumn passage and second winter-period – Obvious migration commenced with 34 on 23 Aug and continued throughout Sep, peaking between 19^th and 23^rd, including an impressive fall of 350+ on 21 Sep – the highest autumn count ever logged for the island. Over those five days 279 Blackcaps were ringed in Millcombe. Birds were present throughout October with double-diigt counts on most days, dwindling in November with the last one logged on 12 Nov. There were no records during the second winter-period.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 3 (7); Apr 300 (26); May 24 (29); Jun 3 (26); Jul 3 (24); Aug 34 (36); Sep 350 (30); Oct 120 (3); Nov 4 (10); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 1,004 – one of the highest on record being second only to 2021 (see above).

Summary of all records

First & last dates: 20 Mar (one) & 21 Nov (one); Spring maximum: 135 on 26 Mar (the second highest March total on record); Autumn maximum: 240 on 24 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

 Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 135 (12); Apr 86 (26); May 25 (26); Jun 5 (28); Jul 3 (11); Aug 27 (16); Sep 240 (3); Oct 60 (29); Nov 5 (2); Dec.

Number ringed during the year: 816

Summary of all records

First date: 20 Mar (two); Spring passage maximum: 74 on 11 Apr.

Possible breeding evidence: Singing males were present in Millcombe and Quarter Wall Copse in May & Jun. Botth a male and female were trapped and ringed in Millcombe towards the end of Jun and a singing male and two juveniles were in Millcombe on 3 Aug.

Ringing movements: A second-year female ringed on Lundy on 24 Apr was recaptured by Bardsey Bird Observatory just five days later (see details below). An adult female wearing a German ring and trapped on Lundy on 29 Apr, had been ringed on the island of Helgoland in Apr 2024 (see details below).

Autumn passage: One was in bushes at Stoneycroft on the unusual date of 9 Jul. Up to four birds (though mainly ones and twos) in Millcombe on scattered dates in Jul & Aug could have been entirely accounted for by the potential breeding pair and young (see above). The first clear indication of movement through the island was one at Quarter Wall Copse on 24 Aug (the first record from there since the spring). Five on 29 Aug comprised three males and a female in Millcombe, plus a male on the Terrace. Four were ringed in Millcombe on 30 Aug. Into Sep, low single-digi counts were logged on most dates during the first half of the month, though there were also three more obvious influxes, comprising 18 on 4^th, 10 on 8^th and 33 on 14^th, the latter coinciding with a pulse of Chiffchaff migration. A return to single-digit counts from 15^th to 20^th was followed by a large arrival of 52 on 21^st, coinciding with a marked change in air-mass and prevailing weather conditions, from heavy rain and strong winds on 20^th to rapidly rising pressure and clearing skies on 21^st. This paved the way for a fall of 225 on 22^nd, by far the highest count of the year to date. After another sizeable count of 81 on 23rd, numbers dropped back for a couple of days, but there were further arrivals of 63 on 28^th and 102 on 29^th.  The start of Oct brought mainly single-digit counts but numbers rose again to 48 on 7^th, 39 on 9^th, 40 on 10^th, 46 on 16^th and 44 on 18^th before dropping away to single digits from 24 Oct onwards and into the start of Nov, though there was a late influx of 18 on 6 Nov. Two on 13 Nov were the last of the year, although coverage was very limited beyond mid-Nov.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

 Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 13 (11); Apr 74 (29); May 37 (28); Jun 3 (7); Jul 6 (12); Aug 5 (18); Sep 225 (28); Oct 48 (30); Nov 18 (8); Dec 0 (0) – but coverage minimal after mid-Nov.

Number ringed during the year: 889

Summary of all records 

First winter-period – A male was logged on 1 Jan during a New Year's Day bird count of Millcombe and the Beach Road.

Spring passage – The first spring migrants were two on 19 Mar, followed by records of one to four birds on a further seven dates from 23 to 31 Mar. Following six on 1 Apr and five on 2nd, logged daily from 4 Apr to the end of the month. Number were generally low, and there were only four daily counts of ≥20 logged, comprising 31 on 6^th, a small fall of 119 on 8^th (coinciding with the largest Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler arrivals of the spring), 55 on 13^th and 60 on 20^th.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged):

 Jan 1 (1); Feb 0 (0); Mar 4 (8); Apr 119 (28);

Ringing movements

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a full-grown male at Kitley Marsh, near Yealmpton, Devon on 23 Sep 2023 (ring no. BFB6554) was controlled on Lundy on 22 Apr 2025 (577 days; 103 km; NNW 335°).

Ringing recovery: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year female ringed on Lundy on 10 May 2004 (ring no. R873165) was found dead (having hit a window) in Antrim, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on 19 May 2007 (1,104 days; 411 km; NNW 346°). This is the second Lundy-ringed Blackcap to have been found on the island of Ireland and is likely to have been in its breeding area. The first instance involved a bird found in Co. Cork in the Irish Republic in June 1996.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a full-grown female ringed on 06 Nov 2007 (Spanish ring no. N678134) at Junta de los Rios, San Roque, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain (36° 14’N 5° 22’W) was controlled on Lundy on 25 Apr 2008 (171 days; 1,661 km; N 2°). This is the second ringing movement of a Blackcap involving Lundy and Spain.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on 16 Sep 2008 (German ring no. 90011969) on Helgoland, Germany (54° 10’N 7° 55’E) was controlled on Lundy on 01 Sep 2008 (15 days; 911 km; WSW 249°). This is the second ringing movement of a Blackcap involving Lundy and Germany, but the first showing such rapid, long-distance movement south-west in autumn.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year male on 21 Apr 2008 (ring no. V798210) at Braunton, Devon, was controlled on Lundy on 18 Apr 2009 during spring migration a year later (362 days; 37 km; WNW 282°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a full-grown male on 07 Sep 2009 (Belgian ring no. 11305869) at Rijkevorsel, Antwerp, Belgium (51° 21’N 4° 46’E) was controlled on Lundy on 14 Oct 2009 (37 days; 657 km; W 269°). This is the sixth ringing movement of a Blackcap involving Lundy and Belgium.

Ringing recovery: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 16 Oct 2010 (ring no. L556016) was found freshly dead at, Boliqueime, Loulé, Algarve, Portugal (37° 09’N 8° 08’W) on 08 Nov 2010 (21 days; 1,582 km; S 190°). This is the first Blackcap movement involving Lundy and Portugal. The bird could already have been in its wintering area; equally, it may still have been heading further south when it died.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as an adult female on Lundy on 28 Apr 2010 (ring no. L037253) was controlled on 16 Jun 2011 at Cors Ddyga, Llangefni, Anglesey, where it seems likely to have been in its breeding area (414 days; 229 km; N 6°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as an adult female at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 28 Apr 2012 (ring no. Y101842) was controlled on Lundy on 02 May 2012 (4 days; 144 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female at Longham Lakes, Dorset on 09 Sep 2011 (ring no. L902631) was controlled on Lundy on 03 May 2012 (237 days; 198 km; WNW 284°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year male at Finca Castillejos, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain on 16 Oct 2011 (ring no. 1L27285) was controlled on Lundy on 28 Sep 2012 (348 days; 1,180 km; N 354°). This is the third ringing movement of a Blackcap involving Lundy and Spain.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year male at Icklesham, Suffolk on 05 Oct 2013 (ring no. D354936) was controlled on Lundy on 05 Sep 2014 (335 days; 374 km; W 275°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female at Nanjizal, Land's End, Cornwall on 27 Sep 2014 (ring no. Z350310) was controlled on Lundy on 28 Sep 2014 (1 days; 144 km; NNE 31°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 03 Oct 2015 (ring no. Z420822) was controlled on Hilbre Island, Wirral, Merseyside, on 04 May 2016 (214 days; 264 km; NNE 22°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female at Beachy Head, East Sussex on 22 Sep 2018 (ring no. AYD2111) was controlled on Lundy on 05 May 2019 (225 days; 348 km; W 278°).

Ringing recovery: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 13 Sep 2018 (ring no. ABB7781) was found dead (hit wires; not fresh) at Socuéllamos, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain on 22 Nov 2019 (435 days; 1,329 km; S 174°). This is the fourth ringing movement of a Blackcap involving Lundy and Spain.

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on 29 Sep 2020 (ring no. APN2214) at Middle Hill, Gibraltar (36° 13’N 5° 33’W) was controlled on Lundy on 16 & 17 Apr 2021 (199 & 200 days; 1,670 km; N 2°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 11 Oct 2021 (ring no. ANL4786) was controlled at Denwick, Deerness, Orkney on 31 Oct 2021 (20 days; 874 km; N 9°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year male at Blavand Fugelstation, Blavand, Ribe, Denmark on 07 Oct 2020 (Copenhagen ring no. CX37116) was controlled on Lundy on 14 Apr 2022 (554 days; 975 km; WSW 241°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year female on Lundy on 02 May 2022 (ring no. AHX2038) was controlled at Challacombe, Postbridge, Devon, on 09 Jul 2022 (68 days; 86 km; SE 138°).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire on 29 Sep 2022 (ring no. ACY7614) was controlled on Lundy on 17 Apr 2023 (6 months, 19 days; 73.5 km SE).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year male at Isle of Grain Power Station, Medway, Kent on 05 Sep 2022 (ring no. APT9260) was controlled on Lundy on 22 Sep 2023 (1 year, 17 days; 374.5 km W).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 21 Sep 2023 (ring no. BNA0555) was controlled at Longis Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands on 23 Sep 2023 (2 days; 240 km SE).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a first-year female at Porth Hellick, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, on 17 Aug 2023 (ring no. AKZ9341) was controlled on Lundy on 21 Apr 2024 (7 months days; 181 km NE).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year female on Lundy on 16 Apr 2023 (ring no. AHX3040) was controlled at Oude Schulpweg, Castricum, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands (52° 31’N 4° 35’E) on 18 Oct 2024 (551 days; 653 km; 77° ENE).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year female on Lundy on 24 Apr 2025 (ring no. BDP0638) was controlled on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, on 29 Apr 2025 (5 days; 178 km; 358° N).

Ringing control: A Blackcap ringed as a second-year female at Helgoland, Germany on 26 Apr 2024 (German ring no. 91079439) was controlled on Lundy on 29 Apr 2025 (368 days; 911 km; WSW 249°).

Clarification At least 25 different individuals occurred during the period 1947 to 2006 (the first in 1949, and the last in 2005).

New record

12 Sep – A first-winter bird trapped in St John's Valley (D. Kightley, A. Plant, A.M. Taylor et al.) was the eleventh Barred Warbler to be ringed on the island. Record accepted by DBRC.

Barred Warbler, Millcombe, 12 Sep 2007
© Adrian Plant

New record

2 Oct – One was seen briefly on the Terrace (Richard Campey). Record accepted by DBRC.

New record

15 Oct – A first-winter bird was in Millcombe (Chris & Carol Baillie, Richard Campey et al.). Record accepted by DBRC.

New records

10 Sep – A first-winter bird seen briefly in Millcombe on 10 Sep (Nik Ward).

17 Oct – Another first-winter bird feeding in willow and blackberry scrub by the Terrace Trap (James Diamond et al.).

Records accepted by DBRC, bringing the total number of Lundy records to at least 30.

New record – latest ever date

14 Nov – A first-winter bird spent the day feeding in the walled gardens of Millcombe, often out in the open and becoming more confiding as the day went on (Eleanor Grover). This constitutes the latest ever record for Lundy. 

Record accepted by DBRC.

First-winter Barred Warbler, Millcombe, 14 Nov 2021 © Eleanor Grover

New records

17 Sep – A first-winter bird was trapped (in the mist-net set on the slope up to the Ugly) and ringed in Millcombe (Anna Sutcliffe et al.).

29 Sep – A first-winter bird was first seen in Upper Millcombe  at 08:10 hrs and shortly afterwards along the start of the Upper East Side Path before diving down into St Helen's Combe and being lost from view at 08:40 hrs (Tim Jones et al.).

Records accepted by DBRC.

First-winter Barrred Warbler, trapped & ringed under licence, Millcombe,
17 Sep 2023 © Anna Sutcliffe

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest 17 Apr 2011 (one); Latest 4 Nov 2020 (one).

Late bird in autumn

2 Nov – One in Millcombe.

Late bird in autumn

3 Nov – One a little later still.

Singing male – presumed passage migrant

2 & 3 Jun – A singing male along the East Side was presumably a late migrant as there was no further evidence of territory holding (Lesser Whitethroats were confirmed as having bred successfully in 2002).

Highest count of recent years

4 May – A count of five remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest number logged since publication of The Birds of Lundy. The highest spring count ever was ten, 11-13 May 1996, whilst the highest autumn count ever was four on 16 Sep 1988.

Notable day-count

2 May – Three on this date is the only other instance in recent years (apart from May 2011 – see above), of more than one or two being logged in a day during either spring or autumn migration.

Potential 'Siberian' Lesser Whitethroat

30 Oct – One trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan et al.) showed characters of ‘Siberian' Lesser Whitethroat S. c. blythi  based on wing formula and pattern of white in the tail feathers. However, feather samples were not sent for DNA analysis.

Late bird in autumn

4 Nov – One photographed at Quarter Wall Pond (Andy Jayne) was one of the latest recorded on Lundy in autumn (the latest ever being 19 Nov 1954).

Potential eastern race bird

11-14 Oct – One in Millcombe was trapped and ringed on 11^th. It was considered likely to belong to one of the eastern races and shed body feathers were retained for DNA analysis.

Summary of all records

Spring – Singles on four dates, 26 Apr to 22 May.

Autumn – Singles on 28 & 29 Sep and 15 Oct.

Number ringed during the year: 2

Lesser Whitethroat, Rocket Pole gorse, 15 Oct 2023 © Tim Jones

Summary of all records

Spring – Ones and twos logged on ten dates 1 to 31 May.

Autumn – Singles on four dates, 6 to 12 Sep.

Number ringed during the year: 3

Summary of all records

Spring – Single birds were in Millcombe on 16 & 17 Apr (trapped and ringed on 17^th), and along the Upper East Side Path, south of Quarter Wall, on 20 Apr. A second individual was ringed in Millcombe on 25 Apr, one was seen near Blue Bung (Old School) on 28 Apr, one along the Upper East Side Path, above St Helen's Combe, on 1 May, and one in Millcombe on 3 May.

Autumn – One was trapped and ringed in Millcombe on 23 Aug. One was in the clump of willows south of the Terrace, immediately south of Quarry Beach winch-way on 20 Oct (Chris Baillie).

Number ringed during the year: 3

Summary of all records

Spring – Persistent easterly winds in the second half of Apr brought a good scattering of records, beginning with one in gorse just west of Tibbetts on 20^th (Tim Davis & Tim Jones). This was followed by one in the 'Secret Garden' (lower Millcombe) on 21^st (Thomas Weston), two – of which one flying south along the Upper East Side Path on 25^th (Eleanor Harris & Thomas Weston), one in North Quarry on 27^th (Nick Wall et al.) and two in Millcombe on 30th (Ashley Saunders, Thomas Weston).

Ringing movement

Ringing control: A Lesser Whitethroat ringed as a first-year bird at Kilpaison Marsh, Rhoscrowther, Pembrokeshire on 30 Aug 2018 (ring no. AAC9100) was controlled on Lundy on 23 Apr 2019 (236 days; 62 km; SSE 155º).

This is the first ringing movement of a Lesser Whitethroat involving Lundy.

Whitethroat in Millcombe, 25 Apr 2014
© Richard Campey

Breeding season

Up to two were recorded sporadically in May, Jun & Jul; song was reported from 2-4 Jun and a juvenile was seen in Millcombe on 17 Jul, suggesting that breeding may have occurred on the island.

Breeding season

Jun – A singing male appeared to be holding territory on the Terrace in the first week of Jun but there was no evidence of breeding.

Breeding season

13 & 30 Jun – Six were along the East Side on 13th, suggesting that territory-holding birds may have been present, and a singing male was heard along the Lower East Side Path on 30 Jun, but there was no other evidence of breeding.

Notable autumn-passage count

22 Aug – A count of 15 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Notable spring-passage counts

3 & 4 May – Counts of 50 on both dates remain (as of spring 2025) the highest day-totals, in either spring or autumn, since The Birds of Lundy was published.

Breeding season

No evidence of breeding.

Notable autumn-passage count

6 Sep – A count of 15 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Breeding season

May & Jun – A female was seen in Millcombe in late May and single territory-holding males were singing in Millcombe and St Helen's Copse during the period 7–12 Jun, but there was no conclusive evidence of breeding. One singing on the Terrace on 7 Jun was presumably a late migrant as it was not heard subsequently.

Breeding season

No evidence of breeding, though small numbers of migrants occurred during May and up to 14 Jun.

Breeding season

10 & 11 Jun – A male was singing and carrying nesting material (sometimes simultaneously!) in St Helen’s Copse, but there was no sign of a second bird.

Breeding season

Jun & Jul – There were scattered records of single birds in Jun, including a territory-holding but apparently unpaired male, up to the end of Jun and into early Jul, but there was no other evidence of a breeding attempt.

Notable spring-passage count

9 May – A count of 45 was one of the higher spring-passage day-totals of recent years.

Confirmed breeding

Successful breeding was confirmed on 29 Jun when a pair in upper Millcombe were seen feeding at least two chicks – the first confirmation of breeding on the island since 1978 (David Lindo). A second brood of at least three chicks was in the same area on 27 Jul (Dean Jones).

Confirmed breeding

Singing males were holding territory in Jun (four singing on 4th) and Jul and a pair bred successfully on the sidelands above White Beach, feeding nestlings there on 16 Jun, with a further recently-fledged brood being fed on the sidings just south of Kaaksburg Bay on 24 Jul (Dean Jones).

Exceptionally late autumn record

3 Nov – One in Millcombe (Andy Jayne, Dean Jones) was the second latest ever recorded for Lundy  (the latest on record was one on 5 Nov 1959).

Confirmed breeding

A pair was feeding fledglings near the ‘Steps of Doom’ on 24 Jun – the third consecutive year of successful breeding on the island.

Notable autumn-passage count

7 Sep – A count of 16 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Confirmed breeding

There were five territorial males in May: three in Millcombe, one on the Terrace and another at Quarter Wall Copse. Two young were seen by the Ugly and four below Millcombe House in Jun, proving that at least two pairs bred successfully.

Notable autumn-passage count

14 Sep – A count of 30 was the second highest autumn-passage total of recent years; only just exceeded in Sep 2023 (see below).

Summary of all records

First & last dates: 16 Apr (one) & 22 Oct (see comment above); Spring maximum: 23 on 27 Apr; Autumn maximum: 31 on 10 Sep (see comment below).

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged) – Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 23 (13); May 14 (31); Jun 10 (29); Jul 6 (18); Aug 6 (17); Sep 31 (19); Oct 1 (3); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 72

Confirmed breeding

A pair was carrying food to a nest site on Lametor (just north of the South Light compound) on 21 Jun.

Notable autumn-passage count

10 Sep – A count of 31 remains (as of the end of 2024) the highest autumn-passage total since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Summary of all records

First & last dates: 13 Apr (one) & 4 Oct (one); Spring maximum: 11 on 28 Apr & 10 May; Autumn maximum: 18 on 3 Sep.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days logged) – Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 11 (7); May 11 (31); Jun 7 (30); Jul 5 (16); Aug 14 (8); Sep 18 (22); Oct 1 (1); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 29

Summary of all records

First date: 7 Apr (a female trapped in Millcombe – the earliest record since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007); Spring maximum: 49 on 1 May (only just shy of the spring passage maximum for recent years of 50 on 3 & 4 May 2012).

Breeding confirmed: During Jun and the first third of Jul, there were intermittent records of one to five birds (including several singing males) in Millcombe and along the East Side, especially from St Helen's Combe/northern flanks of the Ugly, near Quarter Wall Copse, and the Terrace. However, there was no more definite evidence of breeding until an adult and three young were seen in St Helen's Combe on 3 Aug.

Autumn passage: The first noticeable post-breeding influx saw nine scattered along the East Side, from Millcombe to the Terrace, on 15 Aug. From 19^th to the end of the month there were one to four on most days, with a further influx of 11 on 22 Aug (the first double-digit count since 19 May). At the start of Sep there were singles on 1^st & 2^nd, two on 4^th, one on 7^th and four on 8^th (singles in Millcombe and in St John's Valley and two on the Terrace), followed by singles in Millcombe on 14^th & 16^th at South Light on 17^th, one at the top of the 'Steps of Doom' near the Ugly on 19^th, and three (Millcombe, Water Tanks, Pondsbury) on 21^st. The last week or so of Sep brought further single birds on 22^nd, 28^th 29^th & 30^th, followed by one near the Ugly on 7 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded) – Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 8 (22); May 49 (30); Jun 5 (12); Jul 4 (8); Aug 11 (20); Sep 4 (14); Oct 1 (1); Nov 0 (0); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 39

Summary of all records

First date: Two were logged on 8 Apr, coinciding with the biggest influx of the spring of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. There was a lengthy gap until the next occurrence – a single bird on 17 Apr, followed by two on 18^th, then daily records from 19^th until the end of the month, including a notable total of 31 on 25^th , which is the highest spring count for the island since 45 were logged on 9 May 2019.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded) – Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 0 (0); Apr 31 (14);

Ringing movements

Ringing control: A Whitethroat ringed as an adult female on Lundy on 07 May 2008 (ring no. X226113) was controlled at Land’s End, Cornwall on 10 May 2008 (3 days; 143 km; SSW 212°).

Ringing control: A Whitethroat ringed as a full-grown male on Calf of Man, Isle of Man on 28 Apr 2023 (ring no. AJT7196) was controlled on Lundy on 13 Sep 2023 (4 months, 16 Days; 321 km S).

New record

22 Apr – A male seen in St John's Valley constitutes the 7th record for Lundy (the last was in October 2005) and the 3rd in spring (the others were in March 1963 and April 1988).

New record

16 Oct – A male, thought probably a first-winter bird, was watched at close range as it worked its way slowly east through scattered gorse bushes near Quarter Wall gate (James Diamond et al.). It was found when visiting birdwatchers were scouring the island looking for the Great Grey Shrike that had been seen briefly that morning. This is the 8th record for Lundy, five of which have been in autumn.

New record

2 Nov – A male near Brambles on 2 Nov (Paul Holt) was the 9th record for Lundy, six of which have now been in autumn.

New records

10 Sep – One was in gorse, heather and bracken scrub about 200m SSW of Pondsbury during the early afternoon (Tim Jones et al.).

20 Sep – One was seen briefly in gorse near the Rocket Pole (Richard Campey).

There is no way of knowing for sure if these sightings refer to one or two individuals, though it seems likely that two birds were involved. These constitute the 10th & 11th records for the island.

New record

17 Oct – One was calling from gorse clumps at the western end of Quarter Wall about 75m west of the Airfield at 12:15 hrs. It afforded brief flight views before dropping into bracken and appearing to move away south (James Diamond) – the 12^th record for the island, of which five have been from 2015 onwards.

New record

12 Nov – One in the gorse near the Rocket Pole was seen briefly and heard to call twice (Luke Marriner). The 13th Lundy record.

New record

3 May – One was hear calling in brambles near Quarry Cottages (Belle Vue), then in flight towards Quarter Wall at 10:25 hrs. A few minutes later it was seen in gorse by the gate in Quarter Wall onto the Upper East Side Path, then flying from gorse bush to gorse bush along the UESP at 10:43 (Flo Turner). The 14th Lundy record.

Update

11, 19 & 20 Apr – The record of a male in Millcombe (Andy Jayne, James Leonard et al.) was accepted by DBRC and constitutes the 13^th record for Lundy of Subalpine Warbler sp. The sightings are presumed to refer to a single individual, though the possibility that two birds were involved cannot be entirely discounted.

New record

9 Jun – A female, thought to be in its second calendar year, was watched and photographed in the clumps of gorse just west of the main track gate near Quarter Wall Pond (Darryl Spittle). Record accepted by DBRC; the 14^th occurrence for Lundy of subalpine warbler sp.

New record

24 Apr – An apparently adult male of the western race S. c. cantillans was seen at Quarter Wall on 24 Apr (Kevin Rylands). Record accepted by DBRC; the 15^th Lundy record of subalpine warbler sp.

New record

30 May to 2 Jun – Two second calendar-year males were mist-netted (one just outside Brambles, the other in the willow scrub in St John’s Valley) and ringed within a short time of each other during the morning of 30 May (Paul James, Rob Skeates et al.). One was later relocated in Millcombe, on the south side of The Ugly (Chris Baillie et al.) and in the same general area on 1 & 2 Jun (Grant & Michaela Cozens et al.). Records accepted by DBRC; the 16^th & 17^th records of subalpine warbler sp. for Lundy.

Male Subalpine Warbler, Millcombe,
30 May 2012 © Paul James

New record

13 May – A male Eastern Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans was on the side of the Ugly near the top of the ‘Steps of Doom’ (Dean Jones). Record accepted as an unraced individual by BBRC. The island's first confirmed occurrence of Eastern Subalpine Warbler and the 18^th record of subalpine warbler sp.

New records

22 Apr – A second calendar-year male Eastern Subalpine Warbler of the race Sylvia c. cantillans was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan, David Kightley, Dean Jones). Sub-specific identification confirmed by DNA analysis.

30 Apr – A second calendar-year female Eastern Subalpine Warbler of the race Sylvia c. albistriata was seen on the flanks of the Ugly near Millcombe House, then trapped and ringed in Millcombe walled gardens shortly afterwards. Sub-specific identification confirmed by DNA analysis (Rob Duncan, Tim Jones et al.).

1 & 5 May – A second calendar-year male Western Subalpine Warbler Sylvia inornata was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan, David Kightley et al.). It was subsequently resighted in Millcombe on 5th. Initial identification confirmed by DNA analysis.

6 May – A second calendar-year male Eastern Subalpine Warbler of the race Sylvia c. albistriata was seen feeding in sycamores below Brambles, then trapped and ringed in Millcombe walled gardens shortly afterwards (Rob Duncan, Tim Jones, David Kightley et al.). Initial identification confirmed by DNA analysis.

11 May – A second calendar-year female Eastern Subalpine Warbler of the race Sylvia c. albistriata was trapped and ringed in Millcombe (Rob Duncan, Dean Jones, David Kightley). Sub-specific identification confirmed by DNA analysis.

Records accepted by BBRC. The unprecented occurrence of five individuals within three weeks comprises the 19^th to 23^rd records of subalpine warbler sp. for Lundy; almost one-quarter of those that had ever been recorded on the island up that point! These records also include the second to fifth confirmed records of Eastern Subalpine Warbler and the first confirmed record of Western Subalpine Warbler for Lundy.

New records

15 May – A male subalpine warbler sp. (thought likely to be Eastern) was seen briefly in Millcombe, near the gas store, during the early morning. In spite of thorough searching, it couldn't be relocated (Tim Jones).

9 to 11 Jun – An elusive, non-calling, male subalpine warbler sp. (thought to be Western or Moltoni's) was found in Millcombe on 9^th (Steve Richards). It was still present on 11^th (Rebecca & Richard Taylor).

Records accepted by BBRC as Western/Moltoni's/Eastern Subalpine Warbler. The 24^th & 25^th records  of subalpine warbler sp. for Lundy.

New record

26 Apr – A male, thought to be Eastern Subalpine Warbler C. cantillans, was seen along Quarter Wall (Stuart Cossey).

Record accepted by BBRC as Western or Eastern Subalpine Warbler. The 26^th record  of subalpine warbler sp. for Lundy.

New record

17 & 18 May – A female subalpine warbler sp. was photographed feeding in gorse bushes just west of Ackland's Moor Pond during the late afternoon (Kevin Hale). It was relocated at 19:40 hrs, feeding in the gorse along Quarter Wall, either side of 'Pointless Wall'  – the incomplete wall that runs south of Quarter Wall towards the Airfield (Thomas Weston). What was almost certainly the same individual was seen moving south along the drystone wall at the main track gate in Quarter Wall at 09:05 hrs on 18^th (Joe Parker).

Record accepted by BBRC (as Western/Moltoni's/Eastern Subalpine Warbler); the island's 27^th record of subalpine warbler sp.

New records – subject to acceptance by BBRC

1 & 2 May – A male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was photographed just south of the Terrace Heligoland Trap at 14.24 hrs on 1^st (Liz Nat) and watched by multiple observers until just after 16:00 hrs that day. Presumably the same individual was relocated behind Millcombe House at 17:56 hrs on 2^nd (Richard Campey).

17 May – A male subalpine warbler sp. was found feeding in and around the willows in the small quarry ('Rüppell's Quarry') just north of the Terrace Heligoland Trap, shortly after 13:00 hrs (Tom Coldwell & Jackie Macbeth). It was heard calling about an hour later from the willows immediately next to the Heligoland (Ross Bower & Tim Jones) but not seen again until just after 15:00 hrs when it was found feeding unobtrusively amongst foliage and seed-heads on the landward side of the same willow clump (by the Heligoland trap) and so visible from the slope up to the Timekeeper's Hut and Felix Gade Memorial, but frustratingly out of sight for birders standing on the Terrace itself. It again disappeared but turned up in the willow clumps at the southernmost end of the Terrace at 17:20 hrs. Photos taken when it was feeding by the Heligoland showed features consistent with Eastern Subalpine Warbler, though it was thought likely to be a different individual to the one seen earlier in the month (given the long gap between records in a very well-watched part of the island, persistent anticyclonic conditions with winds from an easterly quarter during the intervening period, and the fact that the first bird had relocated to Millcombe).

20 May – A non-calling, female subalpine warbler sp. was found feeding in the willow clumps just south of the Terrace Heligoland Trap (Chris Baillie & Ross Bower). Like the male on 17^th, it proved extremely elusive but Ross managed to take a number of record shots.

Subject to acceptance by BBRC, the island's 28^th to 30^th records of subalpine warbler sp. and potentially the sixth and seventh records of Eastern Subalpine Warbler.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Millcombe, 02 May 2025 ©Richard Campey

New record – subject to acceptance by BBRC

17 & 18 May – A male second calendar-year Eastern Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed in Millcombe at about 08:00 hrs and watched feeding in the walled gardens at 09:10, approximately 50 minutes after its release (Ben Coward, Greg Lee, Thomas Weston et al.). Subject to acceptance by BBRC of this record and the 2025 occurrences, the 8^th for the island.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler, trapped and ringed under licence, Millcombe, 26 Apr 2026 © Tim Jones

New record

20 Oct – An adult male spent about an hour (from 09.00hrs) in upper Millcombe, when it was watched and photographed at close range as it fed on berries. At one point it called and flew off strongly to the south-east, disappearing over the mouth of Millcombe and was thought probably to have left the island. However, it was relocated briefly at the mouth of St Helen’s Combe at 10.30hrs, but could not be found later in the morning (Tom Bedford, Richard Campey, James Diamond & Tim Jones). This is only the fifth LFS record, the previous four having been in Nov 1990, May 1997, Oct 2004 and Jan 2005. Record accepted by Devon Bird Recorder. Photo below ©Richard Campey.

New records

28 Oct to 3 Nov – An adult male, first seen near the Ugly mid-morning on 28 Oct remained in Millcombe until the late afternoon and was still present at first light the next morning (Angus Croudace, Joe Parker et al.). It was photographed near the Timekeeper's Hut at 08:12 hrs (Andy Jayne) but flew down towards the Terrace a few minutes later and had returned to Millcombe by shortly after midday, when it was watched feeding on the ground in the 'Secret Garden' and further excellent photos were taken (Angus Croudace, Mandy Dee et al.). It remained in Millcombe from 30 Oct to 3 Nov, being trapped and ringed on 31^st (Chris Dee et al.) – the first Waxwing ever to be ringed on the island.

9 Nov – One seen in Millcombe (Angus Croudace) was thought likely to be a different bird to the individual present earlier in the month.

Records accepted by Devon Bird Recorder.

Waxwing, Millcombe, 28 Oct 2023 © Angus Croudace

Waxwing trapped and ringed under licence, Millcombe, 31 Oct 2023 © Luke Marriner

New record – subject to acceptance by Devon Bird Recorder

1 May – One was watched and photographed around the buttresses at Jenny's Cove (Sue Nightingale & Janet Reynolds).

Subject to acceptance, the 8^th record for the island.

Earliest and latest since 2006 (last year covered in full by The Birds of Lundy): Earliest in spring 14 Mar 2020 (one); Latest in spring 29 May 2012 (singing male). Earliest in autumn 28 Aug 2021 (one); Latest in autumn 20 Nov 2019 – excludes presumed wintering individuals seen from Dec 2008 to Feb 2009, in Feb 2011, from Dec 2017 to Jan 2018, and from Dec 2020 to Mar 2021.

Winter record

22 to 24 Dec – One to two birds present; see also Jan/Feb 2009.

Winter record

20 Jan & 2 Feb – Singles in Millcombe; the latter during the severe cold snap of early Feb. Presumably one of the birds seen in Dec 2008.

Strong autumn passage

15 Sep to 29 Oct – The first of the autumn were two on 15 Sep. Records of ones and twos followed on a further nine dates until 14 Oct, then a run of almost daily counts up to and including 29 Oct, with maxima of five on 21st and six on 18th, making this species both more frequent and more numerous than the usually much commoner Goldcrest.

Winter record

17 Feb – A male and a female in trees below the Beach Road (Alan & Sandra Rowland).

Singing male during spring passage

29 May – A male was in full song in Millcombe (Tony Taylor).

High spring passage count

20 Mar – Five; this remains the highest one-day count during spring passage since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007.

Singing male during spring passage

26 May – A singing male was near the Terrace Trap (Paul Holt & Philip Lymbery).

Strong autumn passage

8 Sep to 31 Oct – A strong autumn passage was noted between 8 Sep (one) and 31 Oct (three). There were records on 40 days altogether, with peaks of four on 14 Sep, six on 15 Sep, four on 28 Sep, five on 12 Oct, eight on 15 Oct and four on 16 Oct. All other counts involved one to three birds. Nineteen (a record year) were ringed during the autumn.

Singing male during spring passage

28 May – One was singing in lower Millcombe (Tony Taylor).

Winter record

2 to 28 Dec – A single bird was seen on five scattered dates during this period; preseumed to be the same individual seen in late Jan 2018.

Winter record

27 to 29 Jan – A female was seen daily in Millcombe; presumed the same individual as seen in Dec 2017.

Late date in autumn

20 Nov – A single bird on this date was the latest in autumn since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007 (with the exception of individuals that overwintered in 2008/09, 2017/18 and 2020/21).

Early date in spring

14 Mar – A single bird on this date was the earliest in spring (except for overwintering birds in some years) since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Early date in autumn

28 to 31 Aug – A single bird daily in Millcombe Pines was the earliest in autumn since publication of The Birds of Lundy in 2007.

Summary of all records

First winter-period – One with a small group of Goldcrests in Quarter Wall Copse on 31 Jan.

Spring – Logged on 20 days from 2 Mar (one) to 26 Apr (one), with a maximum of three on 19 & 20 Mar.

Autumn – Records on 40 dates from 3 Sep to 5 Nov. The highest count was five on 6 Sep and 7 & 20 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 1 (1); Feb 0 (0); Mar 3 (16); Apr 1 (4); May 0 (0); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 0 (0); Sep 5 (13); Oct 5 (22); Nov 2 (5); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 11

Summary of all records

First winter-period – Not recorded.

Spring – Single birds only, recorded on just seven dates from 19 Mar to 10 May.

Autumn – Logged on 58 dates from 3 Sep (one) to 10 Nov (two), with a maximum of seven on 6 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 1 (5); Apr 1 (1); May 1 (1); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 0 (0); Sep 6 (25); Oct 7 (28); Nov 2 (5); Dec 0 (0).

Number ringed during the year: 16

Summary of all records

First winter-period – Not recorded.

Spring – Early-spring migrants were logged on 12 dates from 7 Mar to 8 Apr, with a peak of four on 25 Mar. All other records during this period were of single birds.

Autumn – The first of the season was one in Millcombe Pines daily, 19 to 21 Aug, with a second bird present in Quarter Wall Copse on 21^st. Two were in Millcombe and one in the Heligoland Trap willows on 22 Aug, two were in Quarter Wall Copse on 24^th, and there were two in Quarter Wall Copse and one in Millcombe on 25^th. Numbers rose to five on 26^th (two in Quarter Wall Copse, two in Millcombe and one in St Helen's Copse); three on 27^th, two in Millcombe on 28^th, and one there on 29^th. In Sep, there was one in Millcombe on 1^st & 2^nd and again 15^th to 18^th., increasing to two on 19^th & 20^th and three on 21^st & 22^nd. The end of Sep brought a significant movement, including some unusually high counts for Lundy. This began with eight on 24^th, rising to 15 on 25^th, then 10 on 26^th, nine on 27^th and 15 on 28^th, before dropping back to lower single digits to close out the month. October continued to deliver Firecrests on a virtually daily basis, with the highest counts being eight on 10^th and nine on 11^th, 13^th & 16^th, and 11 on 15^th., before gradually declining to ones and twos only from 23^rd. Into Nov and one in Millcombe on 6^th was the first of the month but as this was a retrap of a previously ringed individually, it had presumably been lurking undetected for some days. Two were in Millcombe on 8^th and one on 12^th & 13th – the last of the year, although coverage was very limited beyond mid-Nov.

New record count

The counts of 15 logged on both 25 & 28 Sep set a new record for Lundy, the previous highest one-day total being 12 on 30 Oct 1980 and 13 Oct 1995.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 4 (10); Apr 1 (2); May 0 (0); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 5 (10); Sep 15 (19); Oct 11 (27); Nov 2 (5); Dec 0 (0) – but coverage minimal after mid-Nov.

Number ringed during the year: 42 (the previous highest annual ringing total was 19 in 1990!)

First winter-period – Not recorded.

Spring passage – The first, a single bird in Millcombe on 21 Mar, was followed by two on 23 Mar, and further ones and twos on ten dates from 25 Mar to 3 May. All records were from Millcombe (particularly the pines north of Millcombe House), except for one at Barton Cottages on 6 Apr and one in the Laundry Garden (with three Chiffchaffs) the following day, plus one photographed above Quarry Beach on 3 May.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 0 (0); Feb 0 (0); Mar 2 (6); Apr 2 (5); May 1 (-)

Ringing movements

Ringing recovery: A Firecrest ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 14 Oct 2006 (ring no. BCE530) was found freshly dead at Street, Somerset on 16 Dec 2007 (428 days; 135 km; E 92°). This is only the third ringing movement of a Firecrest involving Lundy.

Ringing recovery: A Firecrest ringed as a first-year male on Lundy on 18 Sep 2009 (ring no. CVJ628) was found dead at Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall on 09 Dec 2010 (447 days; 132 km; SSW 208°). This is the fourth ringing movement of a Firecrest involving Lundy and is remarkably similar in terms of distance and timing to the 2007 recovery in Somerset (above). In both cases the implication is of Firecrests returning to SW England in successive winters.

Photo: October 2014 © Richard Campey.

Additional information p.220 table (b): the 2nd-year bird ringed in Cornwall on 27 Mar 1996 was a male.

Notable autumn-passage count

17 Oct – A fall brought 500 to the island.

Unusually poor autumn passage

There were unusually low numbers in autumn (daily maxima of six in Sep and five in Oct), perhaps due to a combination of weather-related factors, including the severe cold spell in Feb, followed by a cool, wet breeding season in north and west Britain and Ireland, where ringing has suggested that most of the Goldcrests passing through Lundy in autumn originate. Goldcrests were so scarce in Oct that Firecrests were slightly more numerous and much more frequently recorded; a most unusual occurrence.

Winter record

28 Dec – One.

Winter record

1 Feb – One.

Winter records

28 Jan to 12 Feb – Singles recorded on five dates and two on 6 Feb.

Notable spring-passage count

12 Apr – A count of 40. remains the highest spring-passage total since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007.

Large falls of autumn migrants

5 to 9 Oct – A fall of 1,300+ (of which 141 ringed) on 5th, coincided with a major arrival of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and other migrants, but only 30 remained on 6th. A further influx, estimated at 1,000 birds, occurred on 9th. These remain (as of the end of 2023) by far the highest autumn-passage totals since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007 and interestingly occurred in the same year as the highest spring-passage count. This suggests, circumstantially, that populations may already have been high in spring and that a good breeding season followed, though the prevailing weather during both migration periods will also have played a significant role in determining the numbers making landfall on Lundy.

Winter record

29 Dec – One.

Winter records

28 & 29 Jan – One.

26 Feb – One.

Notable autumn-passage count

25 Sep – 300 was one of the higher autumn-passage totals of recent years.

Winter records

1 to 30 Dec – Records on 10 dates mostly involved single birds, but there were two on 6th and three on 16th.

Winter records

5 to 28 Jan – Single birds recorded on 5th, 27th & 28th.

Winter records

Jan & Dec – A count of seven (scattered along the East Side) on 13 Jan was the highest number ever recorded on the island in Jan. Up to three were present on nine days in Dec.

Winter records

Jan & Dec – Ones and twos recorded in both months.

Notable spring-passage count

20 Mar – A count of 41 remains (as of the end of 2023) the highest spring-passage total since The Birds of Lundy was published in 2007.

Winter records

1 to 31 Dec – Up to six logged throughout the month.

Winter records

Up to five were logged in Jan & Feb, and two in Dec.

Summary of all records

Unusually, recorded in all months of the year, with one pair breeding (see below). Spring-passage maximum: 26 on 27 Mar; Autumn-passage maximum: 112 on 22 Oct.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 5 (20); Feb 4 (22); Mar 26 (22); Apr 1 (6); May 3 (14); Jun 2 (27); Jul 5 (31); Aug 6 (25); Sep 46 (30); Oct 112 (31); Nov 16 (12); Dec 1 (1).

Number ringed during the year: 247 (80% in autumn)

Confirmed breeding

A pair bred successfully in the pines on the northern side of Millcombe, fledging three young on 14 Jul. This was the first confirmation of breeding on the island since 2000.

Summary of all records

Spring-passage maximum: 42 on 26 Mar; Autumn-passage maximum: in a very poor season, just 25 on 18 Oct and only three other counts ≥20 for the whole autumn.

There was no evidence of breeding.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 3 (4); Feb 2 (7); Mar 42 (29); Apr 20 (27); May 3 (10); Jun 0 (0); Jul 0 (0); Aug 17 (9); Sep 22 (30); Oct 25 (31); Nov 15 (21); Dec 3 (7).

Number ringed during the year: 200 (but only 66% in autumn)

Goldcrest, trapped & ringed under licence, Millcombe, 11 Mar 2024 © Thomas Weston

Summary of all records

First winter-period – Ones and twos were logged on 9, 12 & 15 Jan & 11 Feb.

Spring passage – Given that numbers were low in autumn 2024, it is unsurprising that only very modest totals were logged in spring 2025. Recorded on 23 dates from 4 Mar (one) to 18 May (one), with the only double-digit count during this period being ten on 28 Mar.

Autumn passage – Unexpectedly for mid-summer, given the absence of sightings since May, one was in Millcombe Pines on 4 Jul. This was followed by one in Quarter Wall Copse on the more usual date of 20 Aug, then one in Millcombe on 23^rd, two on 24^th, eight on 25^th, and between one and four from 26 to 30 Aug, inclusive (all records for either Millcombe or Quarter Wall Copse). In Sep, there were daily records from 3^rd, with higher counts of seven on 6^th & 8^th followed by 10 on 12^th, 12 on 14^th, 11 on 16^th & 19^th, and 17 on 21^st. These were mainly in Millcombe, with small numbers elsewhere along the east coast, but singles were in gorse on the edge of Quarter Wall Pond on 6^th, in gorse at Pointless Wall on 14^th, and by the Water Tanks on 21^st. A marked improvement in weather conditions during the last third of Sep brought a higher numbers, with 27 on 22^nd and 33 on 23^rd and a marked influx of 74 on 28^th and 60 on 29^th. Movements continued throughout Oct, with higher counts including 48 on 6^th, 87 on 9^th and 50 on 10^th. Numbers were somewhat lower in the second half of the month, peaking at 33 on 21^st, though double-digit counts were maintained through to 12 on 29^th and more sporadically after that, including 13 on 1 Nov and 10 on 7 & 12 Nov. There were no record later in the year, though coverage was minimal beyond mid-Nov.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 2 (3); Feb 1 (1); Mar 10 (13); Apr 3 (12); May 1 (2); Jun 0 (0); Jul 1 (1); Aug 8 (9); Sep 74 (28); Oct 87 (30); Nov 13 (9); Dec 0 (0) – but coverage minimal after mid-Nov.

Number ringed during the year: 323

Summary of all records

First winter-period – Singles were logged on nine dates from, 3 Jan to 18 Feb.

Spring passage – Single-digit counts were logged on most days from 3 to 31 Mar, with higher counts being eight on 21 Mar, seven on 26 Mar and six on 8 Apr. From 9 Apr onwards, ones and twos (only) were logged on 15 dates, with a breeding attempt in Millcombe Pines strongly suspected.

Highest monthly counts (and number of days recorded):

Jan 1 (6); Feb 1 (3); Mar 8 (23); Apr 6 (21);

Ringing movements

Ringing control – late notification: A Goldcrest ringed as an adult male at Hartland Point, Devon on 04 Sep 1988 (ring no. 9N9264) was controlled on Lundy on 21 Sep 1988 (17 days; 20 km; NNW 328°). The details of this movement were only received in 2020, some 32 years late!

Ringing recovery: A Goldcrest ringed as a first-year male on Lundy on 15 Oct 2012 (ring no. EPY554) was found freshly dead at Ardfert, Co. Kerry, Ireland on 03 Apr 2013 (170 days; 375 km; WNW 290°).

Ringing control: A Goldcrest ringed as a first-year male on Lundy on 19 Sep 2012 (ring no. DPP689) was controlled at East Anstey, Devon on 04 Nov 2013 (411 days; 76 km; ESE 103°).

Ringing control: A Goldcrest ringed as a first-year female on Lundy on 23 Sep 2019 (ring no. LRV011) was controlled at Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire on 17 Nov 2019 (55 days; 223 km; ESE 103°).