Bird Sightings

Today started off cloudy, dry, but threatening to be another damp day as a slight south-westerly wind blew across the island. The census was split due to it being a travel/changeover day. However, it was quite lively with birds singing for the first time in the last couple days and some ‘appearing from the bushes’.

Red-throated Diver in the Landing Bay. ©Thomas Weston

In Millcombe, the residents were out in force. Whilst on census we record any signs of breeding, so it was great to record 12 Wrens (10 singing), 8 Dunnocks (6 singing), 4 Carrion Crows (1 pair prospecting the pines), 6 Blackbirds (3 pairs), the singing Song Thrush, 3 Ravens (1 pair prospecting the pines), a charming Water Rail, and 3 Robins (2 singing). Other bits and bobs included 4 Goldcrests with at least ½ bearing rings, a Woodpigeon, a single Chaffinch, an Icelandic ‘illicus’ Redwing, and 3 flyover Meadow Pipits were spotted. Views from the Ugly were good to begin and the Landing Bay was quite sheltered from the wind. As a result, the continued flock of 14 Shag, 23 Auk spp were spotted with at least 3 Razorbills included, 3 Gannet flew south, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 12 Herring Gulls were seen. However, the standout highlights were 2 Great-northern Divers (both adult winters) and a single Red-throated Diver (scarce here). We have only recorded one adult winter Great northern so to get two in the same view is very good and to have the additional Red throat is even better!

On the other half of the census, Benjamin’s Chair remained too windy to see any auks but there was a pair of Ravens here who we think are now incubating. There were two little flocks of Mallard at Rocket Pole Pond and in Tillage resulting in 6 Mallards. Rocket Pole Pond also had a showy pair of Stonechats in the gorse which is always nice to see. Between here and Halfway wall, 8 Skylarks, 21 Meadow Pipits and 4 Wrens were recorded. At Brick Field, the morning gathering of gulls resulted in 124 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 31 Carrion Crows, 144 Starlings and 8 Pied Wagtails. In The Village, a single Blackbird, 13 House Sparrows, and a single Chaffinch were seen.    

As with previous days, the cloud base dropped, the fog rolled in, and all flights were postponed until the late afternoon when it cleared for a couple of hours. Tibbets was where Thomas was working for a little bit and once the fog cleared the Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were out in force singing across Middle Park.

Purple Sandpiper at Brazen Ward. ©Thomas Weston

Island life can be a challenge for both the birds and the staff here, but we still got out, even if that led to us being very damp. Today's sightings show there was a little movement but we are really hoping the weather brightens a little soon.

Census resulted in low numbers of seabirds due to the cloud base being so low. This included, 2 Kittiwake, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 68 Herring Gulls, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 auk spp, 6 Gannet and 12 Shag. In Millcombe 8 Woodpigeons, 22 Carrion Crow, 4 Raven, 4 Goldcrest, 10 Wren, 7 Blackbirds, Redwing, Song Thrush, 5 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 3 Chaffinches and a Goldfinch. Out in the fields, the female Kestrel, 7 Skylark, 53 Starlings, a ‘new in’ male Wheatear, Stonechat, 6 Pied Wagtails, alba sp, 23 Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipit, Linnet and 5 Mallard were seen. The Village flock of 12 House Sparrows were noted today, though many will be hunkered down.

A walk to Brazen Ward and onto North Light via Pondsbury resulted in 44 Meadow Pipits (lots in song flight and displaying), 48 Herring Gulls, 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 8 Gannet, 13 Shag, 2 Skylark, 8 Wren, a Goldcrest hidden amongst the braken and moving southeast, a 1^st winter/2^nd Calander year Common Gull (scarce here) dip feeding off Brazen Ward before drifting south, 3 Stonechat, 18 Oystercatchers including a migrant flock of 12 on Brazen Ward in the high tide roost with 5 Purple Sandpipers (see photo above), 2 Blackbirds, 3 Peregrine, 32 Fulmar sat on ledges at North Light, 100 Auks (~40% Guillemot/ ~60 Razorbills), 32 Kittiwakes feeding off North Light, a pair of Eurasian Teal on Pondsbury, 2 female Mallard on Pondsbury, a Robin and 3 Rock Pipits.

Today was yet again another damp day with low cloud cover and strong gusts throughout. The census was quiet again but there were signs of movement out there, you just had to look a little harder than normal.

Millcombe was quite quiet with a Song Thrush, 2 Dunnock, 3 Robin, 3 Blackbird, the 2 Goldfinches, 3 Goldcrests, 8 Wren, and 3 Woodpigeon seen. Passing Gannet and Kittiwake were the best from Ugly. A little along the Beach Road resulted in nice views of a flock of 12 Shag and the overwintering Great-northern Diver all pretty close due to the weather. Further out on the water 2 Red-throated Divers were nice to see, they are an unusual species around the island so good to get on census especially. Benjamin’s chair was very difficult to view, the wind and rain came up the cliffs with only the breeding Herring Gulls seen. Rocket Pole Pond had the pair of resident Mallards, and the nearby Southwest Fields had a couple of Meadow Pipits. Walking across the Airfield resulted in 3 Skylark seen but that was about it.

Green-winged Teal on Pondsbury ©Thomas Weston

A quick detour down to The Terraces resulted in small flocks of large gulls and a female Mallard prospecting Quarry Pond to potentially breed. Walking the cliff route to view Pondsbury was worthwhile with loafing large gulls and the American Green-winged Teal seen again. It is certainly a nervous bird, so views were kept distant and brief to avoid too much disturbance.

Back on the census route for the stretch between Quarter Wall and the Village resulted in 31 Carrion Crow, 145 Herring Gulls, 25 Lesser-black Backed Gulls, a Pied Wagtail and a small flock of ~60 Starlings. In the Village itself, 8 House Sparrows were noted and 3 Ravens.

Today was a damp, windy and dreary day with low cloud shrouding the island for most of the day bringing frequent showers and strong gusts throughout the day.

 Morning census was heavily affected by the weather and completed by Joe today. Census resulted in a Water Rail, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Goldfinches and 2 Chaffinch in Millcombe, the Great-northern Diver in the Landing Bay; 82 Razorbills, 2 Rock Pipit and 22 Auk spp seen through the cloud at Benjamin’s Cove; plus 2 Pied Wagtail and small numbers of House Sparrow and Starling in The Village.

Purple Sandpiper flock ©Thomas Weston

An additional walk to Brasen Ward by Thomas resulted in good coverage of the east coast today. However, to begin, a distant check of Pondsbury resulted in 3 male and 2 female Eurasian Teal but no obvious sign of the Green-winged Teal today – it could have been hiding in the vegetation. A very brief patch of lighter cloud resulted in a couple of Skylark and Meadow Pipit singing. Brasen Ward was luckily below the cloud base and the flock of overwintering Purple Sandpiper were picked out quite quickly. There were 9 seen today (see photo above), though the highest count of the winter has been 14. Whilst watching the flock, passing Kittiwake, Gannet and Fulmar were noted and a surprise Common Sandpiper was heard flying along the coast but not seen unfortunately. Scrambling back up the cliff resulted in a wacky record of a Redwing which flew past along the cliffs before perching on a cliff face above a hauled out Grey Seal! A damp trek along the East with the visibility getting worst did not add too much to the counts apart from 4 Stonechat along the cliffs near the quarries.