• Great Northern Diver

    Great Northern Diver © S Cossey

  • Pale-bellied Brent Goose

    Pale-bellied Brent Goose © R Taylor

  • Lapland Bunting

    Lapland Bunting © R Campey

  • Red-rumped Swallow

    Red-rumped Swallow © D Fox

  • Sora
  • Common Rosefinch

    Common Rosefinch © D Jones

  • Hoopoe

    Hoopoe © D Jones

  • Baltimore Oriole

    Baltimore Oriole © T Wright

Nice little run of island rarities and oddities over the last week. The Landing Bay Red-necked Grebe remained settled and (incredibly) was accompanied by a Slavonian Grebe from 27th, both seemingly absent on 30th. This marks the first 'Slav' since Feb 2011 and the only the 13th year in which this species has occurred since Lundy Field Society recording began in 1947. Great Northern Diver numbers have fluctuated between one to three throughout and a record island count of 34 Purple Sandpiper passed North Light on 25th.

Numerous seawatches from the Ugly have been fruitful of late, featuring a first-winter Little Gull feeding with Kittiwake on 26th (and again off North West Point on 30th), becoming the 14th island record. Incredibly, the same seawatch yielded an unseasonal Manx Shearwater ahead of Storm Éowyn! An influx of 51 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the sea in the Landing Bay 24th was followed by passage of 19 Common Gull off the east coast on 30th, coinciding with a small pod of 5 Common Dolphin feeding offshore. A Snow Bunting was at Halfway Wall on 25th, presumably the same bird located in the same area back on 5th and the Millcombe Chiffchaff continues to overwinter in Smelly Gully. The Pondsbury Teal count peaked at eight birds on 25th, with a Reed Bunting present thoughout. And it's been rather quiet on the raptor activity with the female Merlin only logged over the village on 20th and a scattering of Peregrine returning to territories.

Year list: 59 species

2025 01 27 Slavonian Grebe JSPSlavonian Grebe in the Landing Bay, 27 Jan © Joe Parker

2025 01 24 Great Northern Diver JSPGreat Northern Diver in the Landing Bay, 24 Jan © Joe Parker