By Thomas Weston
Today I awoke to calm conditions with a light NW wind throughout the night and morning. The Conservation Team arranged to meet in Millcombe at 6am to open some mist nets and to look through the Moth Trap.
Marbled Coronet in Millcombe Trap Thomas Weston
The bird ringing session was slow, two birds in two hours was not ideal, and we decided to pack up around 8am with just a single Willow Warbler and Sedge Warbler ringed and processed. There was some more excitement in the moth trap with Pale Tussock (new for the year and Tara’s highlight of the day), May Highflyer, Bright line brown eye, Marbled Coronet, Angle Shades, and Agonopterix Yeatiana bring some colour and diversity on what was quite a cold night before.
I undertook census and recorded a lot of breeding evidence around the area. This included birds singing on territories such as the Whitethroats, Dunnocks, Robins, Chaffinches, Song Thrush, Blackbirds, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Wrens, and Skylarks. There were birds in suitable breeding areas including our Meadow Pipits, Oystercatchers, Shags, Linnets, Goldfinches, and Razorbills. There was one species with chicks or in this case ducklings – the Mallard and one species with fledged young, the Ravens. I also recorded the ones ‘just passing’ including our Manx Sherwaters, Kittiwakes, Gannets and a small, but obvious, passage of 6 Sedge Warbler and a single Spotted Flycatcher. In addition, our long staying, almost got the full ring number, returning Channel Wagtail male from two years ago was on show and acting ‘suspect’. We presume he has paired up with his Channel Wagtail sister and they are trying to nest again together for the second year running! She has been seen, but not ring read either so our team will try our best to read the rings soon!
Guillemot egg at the Productivity Site by Emma Abel.
Whilst undertaking census, Bird Obs volunteer assistant warden Greg was on Housekeeping so spent the day going around the properties and making sure they were in tiptop condition. One of the highlights from the day included an abundance of hirundines around the Castle accommodation involving a nice mix of Swallows and House Martins. Before Eleanor’s Tavern Shift, a wander around Millcombe was successful and a charm of Goldfinches in Secret Garden was a nice highlight of the day. Educating the day visitors is always important! Seabird volunteer Emma undertook her seabird productivity surveys after mothing earlier, before undertaking the Seabird Station at Jenny’s Cove. Her personal highlight was seeing the first Guillemot egg of the season on the productivity plot, as well as talking to a range of people all about the amazing seabirds on the island. Bird Obs volunteer Maddie spent some time at the Battery, and saw an impressive 100+ Kittiwakes in two or three big feeding frenzies.