Bird Sightings

Clear skies and bright, dry days meant that despite consistent easterlies the first two days of September started fairly quietly, with common migrants trickling through and morning censuses fairly low on numbers. However, working the lower east in the afternoon produced superb results on Sunday 3rd, with a memorable day including highlights of a Western Bonelli's Warbler, Melodious Warbler and Wryneck on the Terrace (along with Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher and 2 Common Redstart). Millcombe wasn't to be left out, with the first Whinchats of the season just above around Barton's Field, a Firecrest in the pines, and a juv Rose-Coloured Starling flying from the church to below Government early evening. Wryneck, 2x Firecrest and Rose-Coloured Starling all present for a second day on the 4th.

Western Bonelli's Warbler, St Helen's Copse © Luke Marriner

Wryneck on Terrace © Angus Croudace

Ringed Plover singles were heard by quarter wall on census on the 2nd and 3rd, with a second heard moving over Gannets Bay on the 3rd. Single Golden Plover heard on the 2nd, and single Dunlin over the village on 3rd and 'in-off' at the Ugly on the 4th. Common Snipe flushed from Rocket Pole on 1st, flying over Quarter wall on 2nd, and flushed from Pondsbury on 4th. A Pintail has been seen every day since the 1st, moving between fresh water bodies and the Landing Bay, most memorably on Millcombe pond, and shortly after in the top shelf of a Secret Garden mist net (albeit too briefly to retrieve)!

4 Black-headed Gull flew north along the west on the 2nd. Grey Herons have been seen on 1st (adult at Barton's Field) and 3rd (juv at Pondsbury). Ringtail Hen Harrier moving north of Quarter Wall on 2nd, but has not been seen since.

Firecrest, Millcombe © Luke Marriner

Pied Flycatcher © Luke Marriner

6 Skylark picked up on the 3rd and 3 on the 4th, and a small hirundine movement with 2 each of Sand and House Martin and 71 Swallow on the 3rd and 4 House Martin, 39 Swallow on 4th. Birds appeared to drop in throughout the day on Sunday 3rd, with a final total of 82 Willow Warblers after just a couple on census in early morning and totals of 7 on the previous 2 days. Also recorded on Sunday 3rd were 10 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 8 Goldcrest, 7 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Redstart and 2 Whinchat. The first Yellow Wagtail of the season was recorded on census on the 3rd and 4th and 10 alba Wagtails were also recorded on the 3rd and 4th. 2 Tree Pipit singles over Millcombe on 3rd and another two on the 4th. Monday the 4th was very busy with Spotted Flycatchers, with 23 recorded, and one Pied Flycatcher.

Nets were open in Millcombe for all of Friday and several hours on Saturday/Sunday before winds increased, although capture rate was fairly slow, with about 60 common migrants and local breeders ringed. A group of visiting ringers have been putting some effort into the Manx Shearwaters, with a couple of dozen chicks ringed each night.

Spotted Flycatcher © Luke Marriner

First-year Rose-coloured Starling, Millcombe © Luke Marriner

Autumn migration continues to move through the gears with a double Hippolais warbler day and plenty of common migrants on show over the last few days. Storm Petrel ringing is now winding down after an eye-opening season. Latest totals currently sit at 538 new birds ringed this year (comfortably exceeding the all-time ringing total of 491 between 1947-2022). Throw in all the re-traps and recoveries and we've handled 642 different individuals(!), and a recent run of controls has also seen birds from France, Jersey and Alderney! Another nice seabird recovery came from a Manx Shearwater re-trapped at the Old Light colony which was originally ringed in its first-year at Wooltack Point, Pembrokeshire in September 2013.

Storm Petrel (foreground) and Manx Shearwater (background) © Luke Marriner

Turning to passerines, Pied Flycatchers have been recorded in small numbers everyday with a max count of five on 27th. Spotted Flycatcher have been equally present, also peaking at five individuals on 29-30th and Redstart have been pushing through in smaller numbers, with singles logged across the Terrace and Millcombe on 20th, 28th and 30th. Tree Pipit movement overhead has been slow and steady with ones and twos recorded most days. A change of pace came on the 23rd when a Melodious Warbler was trapped and ringed in the valley. A second (unringed) 'Melody' then popped up along the lower east coast on the 27th and an Icterine Warbler graced Millcombe between 27-28th while a Common Nightingale (scarce migrant on Lundy - only the seventh record this century!) skulked around the bracken to the north of the Quarries on 28th.

First-year Melodious Warbler in the hand before being released after ringing © Luke Marriner

First-year Pied Flycatcher © Luke Marriner

The first passage Tree Pipit of the autumn brightened up an otherwise relatively quiet census route. Two juveniles were ringed in Millcombe and another two passed south overhead. Other notables from the session included an adult female Reed Warbler and two juvenile Whitethroat which had both completed their post-juvenile moult - so presumed migrants rather than our local fledglings. Elsewhere a Sparrowhawk graced VC Quarry and a Curlew was calling over Barton Field/St Helen's Field.

Juvenile Tree Pipit © Joe Parker

Balmy summer conditions enjoyed some light wader passage with an summer-plumage Knot taking top spot. Initially picked up feeding along the intertidal in Devil's Kitchen, the moulting adult was later seen in Lametry Bay. A Ringed Plover pressed north over Old Light at midday and 22 Gannet were feeding off the south-east coast. A single House Martin headed south accompanied by 11 Swallow. Another slight arrival of Willow Warbler as 28 individuals flitted about with 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the move.

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