Bird Sightings
3rd November - Lingering Whinchat and a returning Jack Snipe
The Whinchat is still here! Back at its usual spot along Quarter Wall. The Hen Harrier showed well at various points around the village. We continue to enjoy the company of visiting waders, with 4 Golden Plover and 4 Lapwing logged. Like many visitors, we suspect they are also susceptible to the Lundy bug, causing them to return year on year. For the first time we can prove winter site fidelity for Jack Snipe on Lundy, having recaptured a bird originally ringed on the island on the 15th October 2023. 7 Common Snipe were also encountered, a species which we know returns each winter in good numbers. Passage remained steady, with 345 Redwing, 60 Chaffinch, 21 Fieldfare, 5 Brambling and a single Ring Ouzel seen. 867 Starling were tallied after a flock was photographed in mid flight, proving the likelihood of underestimating their numbers when feeding in the long grass. A single Snow Bunting and two Black Redstart were also logged.
What 346 Starlings look like
2nd November - A Rosefinch and lots of Crows!
Yellow-browed Warbler continue to grace the island, with one ringed (the 9th of the year) and another unringed bird logges. A juvenile Common Rosefinch almost passed by unseen, but was heard calling and spotted briefly in the afternoon. Only 58 Chaffinch were logged, with 5 Brambling among them. Fieldfare numbers continue to increase very gradually with a dozen seen, and 194 Redwing. 52 Carrion Crow is the highest count of the year. Murder! The Hen Harrier remains, now identified as an adult female. 2 Kestrel, 2 Merlin and 4 Peregrine also. 2 Lapwing and 6 Golden Plover drew eyes upwards as they regularly completed circuits around the south of the island. 7 Snipe were encountered during a nighttime wander.
Kestrel playing its part in the ongoing raptor fest.
1st November - Snow Buntings, Gulls and Cetaceans
The seafood buffet to the east of Lundy continued to draw in punters, including 216 Razorbills, 264 unidentified Auks, and 56 Kittiwakes. The stars of the show were the gulls, with 168 Herring Gull, 59 Great Black Backed Gull, 12 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 13 Black-headed Gull and 6 Common Gull present. 4 Yellow-browed Warblers called the island home for the day, one in Millcombe, and three further along the east coast. 358 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare and a single Ring Ouzel also paid a visit. Beyond Quarter Wall, the first Hen Harrier of the year was seen, along with a large flock of 44 Snow Buntings. 3 Merlin, 3 Peregrine and 2 Kestrel shared the now crowded airspace.
The prolonged spell of calm weather produced excellent conditions for spotting cetaceans. 9 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Rat Island, South-west Point and North Light. Yesterday 13 Common Dolphins were feeding to the west, and earlier, on October 27th, 8 Bottlenose Dolphins lingered playfully in the same area.
Part of the Snow Bunting mega flock
31st October - Hawfinches, Painted Ladies and Mirror Carp
Today saw another wave of thrushes pass over the island, with 448 Redwing, 38 Blackbirds, 5 Fieldfares and another Ring Ouzel logged. It was a good day for finches too, with 596 Chaffinches, 8 Brambling, 63 Goldfinch, 60 Siskin and 2 Hawfinch. 461 Starling added to the Scandinavian flavour. The calm weather encouraged 76 Skylark into the air, along with 5 Red Admiral and 3 Painted Ladies. To the east of the island, the sea continued to churn up some tasty morsels for 220 Gannets, 50 unidentified Auks, and 55 Kittiwakes. 12 Blackcap were beaten to the tally by 13 Woodpigeon. Over at Rocketpole Pond, 3 large Mirror Carp were gazed upon, we can only speculate their age ...
It doesn't get better than a Ring Ouzel