Bird Sightings

The 16th started off well with Brennig catching a few birds down in Millcombe and Luke had a nice census with a few finches and thrushes arriving, It wasn't until about 11am when just finishing census a swift flew low over the trees on the west side of Millcombe Valley, after a brief view I shouted down to Brennig and managed to get him on it before the bird moved north out of view.

Once the nets were closed we foucused on re-finding the bird, and after about 30 minutes Brennig had it again over Smelly Gully and heading down to the Landing Bay where it fed for most of the day up and down the beach road affording amazing views as it hawked for late insects, allowing us to confidently identify this to be a Pallid Swift - just the second record for the island following one in October of 2016. Other highlights of the day were 2 Woodcock, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin, 120 Blackbird, 122 Chaffinch and 1 Bullfinch. 

A quiet few days on the island bird-wise, with little in the way of obvious migration, just a few thrushes still turning over, the two lingering Bullfinches were the only real highlight. 

After yesterday's island scarcities it was nice to wake up to a calm day and a nice arrival of thrushes, mainly Blackbird, so I headed down to Millcombe and opened the mist-nets. This resulted in 58 birds being ringed, 35 of which were Blackbirds, being the most ringed in a day since 2007 and the 8th highest day catch ever. Another surprise today was catching yesterday's Bullfinch only for it to be joined by another female type, the net round after! The rest of the catch was made up of Goldfinches and Chaffinches. Other birds logged were 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Lapwing, 2 Woodcock, 1 Common Gull, a Hen Harrier, 7 Song Thrush, 108 Redwing, 75 Blackbird, 46 Fieldfare, 7 Black Redstart, 2 Brambling and 14 Snow Bunting.

The 12th started off really well when a Dartford Warbler was discovered in the gorse at Rocket Pole, was initially heard to call 3 times then after a few minutes was seen briefly flicking between bushes.This constitutes the 13th record for Lundy, the last being in 2021. Then, in Millcombe a female Bullfinch was heard around Government House and later seen in the willows by the Casbah; just the second record of the this common mainland bird this year on the isle. The day then got even better when arriving at Quarter Wall a vocal Richards Pipit was heard and seen flying around the pond and then heading off north along the isle, this is the first record of this less than annual species this year. There was also a supporting cast of 2 Lapwing, 2 Woodcock, Hen Harrier, Merlin, a late Swallow, and 7 Black Redstarts.