By Emma Abel
The day started early for me, heading out to Jenny's Cove at 5.30am for some morning monitoring. The sky was dramatic with the rising sun's rays shining down through the clouds over the sea. The Quail seen later on census must not have been an early riser as I didn't catch a glimpse of it on my walk past Quarry Cottages. However, I did spot a female Mallard sneaking her small brood of ducklings through the reeds at Pondsbury, a Great Black-backed Gull on the prowl nearby.
Sunrise over Quarry Cottages by Emma A
On reaching Jenny's, I started to watch the Puffins coming in to their burrows and noting their behaviours. The most exciting behaviour being a couple of adults arriving with Sand Eels in their beaks. That classic image that springs to mind of a Puffin sitting with its bright orange beak filled with fish is a sign that deep within some burrows are some fluffy Pufflings. Despite their name, Sand Eels are not actually true eels but small fish with long eel-like bodies that many seabirds species rely on, especially around the breeding season. Over the next weeks the number of adults feeding returning with fish will increase as more chicks hatch and grow. Another fluffy sighting today included a Lesser Black-backed Gull chick popping up its spotty head between the adult's legs, obviously quite freshly hatched as its egg tooth was still present.
First Puffin with Sand Eels through scope by Emma A
After my monitoring I set up my scope for Seabird Station, which was quite quiet as the westerly winds had started to pick up and Jenny's was in the firing line. Those who stuck around were treated with good views of puffins, especially when the sun came out and reflected off of their orange beaks and feet, and it was great to chat to everyone about the seabirds we have on the island. I chatted to some visitors who brought news of an exciting sighting from their walk further North, which was a Quail. I had to dispapoint them that they were not in fact the first sighting and Thomas had beaten them to it with a sighting of a separate individual that very morning, making theirs the fourth Quail of the year. They had been able to get a video of the bird flushing, meaning they got the fourth Quail, but the first footage!
Additionally a female Water Rail was heard calling from the Airfield scrub, which is the first any have been heard in a little while.
Quail at Widow's Tenement by Chris S