Bird Sightings

Hello all! 

 

My name is Emma Abel and I'm very excited to start the season as the volunteer seabird assistant warden.

 

I have started out my conservation journey gaining practical and monitoring experience, as a seasonal ranger at Loch of the Lowes in Scotland and then moving further North to Handa Island last year where I was responsible for monitoring the Great and Arctic Skuas breeding on the island. My love for islands and seabirds grew and and since I visited Lundy a few years ago I've always wanted to get involved so this was an amazing opportunity I could not pass by!

 

This season I will be out at the cliffs monitoring the Puffin, Guillemot, Kittiwake and Fulmar populations along with helping monitor the Manx Shearwater nest boxes. You will also see me at the seabird station pointing out puffins and chatting about all the awsome seabirds that call Lundy home over the breeding season.

 

My first week here has been very exciting, getting to see this year's first Manx Shearwater pairs returning to the nest boxes; and experiencing their eerie calls echoing out of the darkness during night-time monitoring.

 

Today I joined Thomas for a blustery census. We began the route in a warm sheltered Milcombe, welcomed by a bubbling flock of Goldfinches looking extra vibrant against the spring blossoms. A Peregrine Falcon spied on us as we headed past the landing bay and out at sea four Gannets soared over the waves, glinting white in the sun. Leaving the shelter of the landing bay we met the Southwesterly winds, getting blown along the final section of our route seeing that most birds had decided to hunker down.

In contrast to the relatively quiet census, today was a good Swallow spotting day with 133 counted passing over Milcombe and heading North throughout the day.

 

I am delighted to get to be a part of this team and I look forward to spending the season experiencing all Lundy has to offer.

 

See you at the cliffs!

Emma