Bird Sightings

One of the breeding colour ringed Northern Wheatear currently in SW Field. Please report any sightings to the Conservation Team. ©ThomasWeston

Census was completed rather early today but resulted in a mix of species seen throughout. A flock of 3 Woodpigeons were in Millcombe Pines; 5 Oystercatchers were in the Landing Bay, Benjamin’s Chair and Old Light; 14 Great-Black Backed Gulls were in the fields with 158 Herring and 9 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls and breeding off Benjamin’s Chair; 308 Guillemots, 22 Razorbills, and 2 Puffins were loafing off Benjamin’s Chair whilst a Fulmar and 6 Shag flew over; the Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid was associated with a few of the 11 Carrion Crows spotted; 2 Ravens were in the Village; 6 Skylarks included singing birds in SouthWest Field, the Airfield and Castle Hill; 9 Swallows flew North; singing warblers in Millcombe included 2 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroats, single Willow Warbler and a single Chiffchaff; 14 Wrens were spread across all areas of the census route; 56 Starlings were seen near Quarter Wall with the majority being juveniles; 4 Blackbird were in Millcombe and the Airfield; the Song Thrush and Lesser Redpoll remained singing in Millcombe; a Wheatear, 9 Meadow Pipits, and 2 Stonechats were around Rocket Pole Pond; 3 Robins, 3 Dunnocks, 2 Chaffinches, and 8 Goldfinches were around St John’s Valley; 16 House Sparrows were in the Village; 3 Pied Wagtails were around Old Light and the Dung Heap in Tillage Field.    

Our seabird colonies at Jenny’s Cove were alive with thousands of birds flying back and forth to the cliffs. A Lapwing was the most unusual species seen on the island today with one on Rocket Pole Scrape or as the observer who found it, referred to this pool as ‘Funny Pool’.

Ringing

Juvenile Blackbird caught and ringed in the Heligoland. ©ThomasWeston

Our first juvenile Blackbird of the year was caught in the Heligoland Trap today.

Hooded x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field. ©ThomasWeston

Census was quite quiet but nice after a day of fog yesterday. Breezy conditions made it difficult to find too much, but a good selection was recorded. A flock of 3 Mallards were in Barton’s Field; a Feral Pigeon remained around the Lambing Shed; a Woodpigeon was in Millcombe; 2 Oystercatchers and 5 Shag were in the Landing Bay; 2 Great-Black Backed Gulls were on nests off Benjamin’s Chair; 255 Herring Gulls were in breeding colonies on the cliffs and in nonbreeding flocks on the Plateau; 28 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls were mixed in with the large gull flocks; 109 Guillemots, 51 Razorbills and 3 Puffins were off Benjamin’s Chair; a Peregrine was noted; 3 Carrion Crows and 12 Ravens were feeding on the Airfield; 9 Meadow Pipits, 13 Linnets and 6 Skylarks were in the Fields; a very slight passage of hirundines occurred with 2 Swallows and 7 House Martins flew North; a Garden Warbler was singing near the Gas Store; 2 Whitethroats and 2 Chiffchaffs were singing in Millcombe; a singing Sedge Warbler was on the Airfield again; 14 Wrens, 24 House Sparrows, and 64 Starlings were around; 3 Blackbirds, the lone singing Song Thrush, a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Chaffinches (including fledged young), 4 Robins, 3 Dunnocks, 4 Goldfinches, and a singing Lesser Redpoll were in Millcombe; and a Pied Wagtail was gathering food near the dung heap.

A trip to the North End resulted in a productivity survey being undertaken for the nesting Fulmar and nice views of breeding auks near North Light including Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins. Both Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were carrying food on the return along the main track showing both species have successfully nested and were feeding large young either in the nest or close nearby. On the way back, our Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid was showing well (see photo at the top).

Ringing

Our Wheatear team remain on the island catching adults for the RAS (Retrapping Adult Survival) Study. House Sparrow monitoring continues with the first brood coming to the end and the second broods starting. Manx Shearwater artificial box checks resulted in another box occupied by adults. This means that out of 30 boxes, 17 have shown some sort of sign of occupation. This is the highest occupation rate since the box project began.

Fogged out and windy all-day lead to very very few birds seen. Census was also not undertaken today so counts were are a bit few and far between. However, a Manx Shearwater found at the doorway to the Tavern had obviously tried to find a new burrow on the plauteau.

Ringing

One of two Collared Dove caught in the Lambing Shed.©Sophie Wilkins

The 23^rd and 24^th Collared Doves ever ringed on the island were caught whilst House Sparrow monitoring was being undertaken today.

Census was productive quieter than recent with odd showers arriving from the SW bringing some rain and gusts but fewer birds. The only wader recorded today consisted of a single Oystercatcher heard around Old Light. A single large flock of gulls totalled 26 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, and 195 Herring Gulls were in the fields showing the nice differences between the species. Off Benjamin’s Chair, 42 Guillemots, 4 Puffins, 50 Auk spp, and 108 Razorbills were seen on the water; whilst on the slopes a Rock Pipit family consisting of 2 adults and a juvenile and a male Wheatear were seen on the slopes. In the Landing Bay, 4 Shags were settled on the rocks/water while 2 Fulmars and 16 Manx Shearwaters passed. A small flock of 6 Carrion Crows, a single Pied Wagtail, and 5 Ravens were seen on the Airfield with a surprise Sedge Warbler singing by Ackland’s Pond. The fields were quiet with 4 Skylarks singing from SouthWest Field, a single Stonechat and 7 Linnets at Rocket Pole Pond, 8 Meadow Pipits seen along the route, and 80 Starling around Quarter wall. A trickle of hirundines resulted in 6 Swallows and 12 House Martins flying North, with both species recording about ~100 each today by all-comers. In Millcombe, 2 Garden Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaff, a single Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 3 Robins, 5 Chaffinches, 8 Goldfinches, single Dunnock and a single Spotted Flycatcher remained. Along the route, 8 Wrens were recorded singing and 19 House Sparrows were in the Village.

Hooded Crow x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field showing the extended black onto the belly, black between the legs and dark streaks throughout the lower chest. ©ThomasWeston

Hooded Crow x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field showing the extended black around the neck giving a shoal affect and black throughout the pink shoulder patch. ©ThomasWeston

Arriving yesterday on the 26^th, a Hooded Crow was reported to the team and would be a very rare bird for the island. From some distant views and a couple of photos the bird looked vey pure. However, on closer inspection and a few photos later, the bird was identified as a hybrid Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow. An interesting bird nonetheless but unfortunately not the real deal.