Beginning with the progress from our Manx Shearwater nest box monitoring, 7 out of the 15 nests now have chicks! In addition to this, a total of 12 GLS tags have been successfully deployed. We are now working hard on nocturnal surveys in attempt to retreive the GPS tags. Although we had no luck in our first two night missions, we were treated to a beautiful chorus of the singing shearwaters in the starlight. In other nest box news, a check of the monitored Storm Petrel colony showed 10 boxes with signs of activity, 2 of which contain nest scrapes! Things are starting to look more positive.
In other seabird news, on the 15th a probable estimate of 8000-10,000 Guillemot was counted! This is all thanks to fab Island coverage from the Conservation Team, our Manx Shearwater Researchers and visiting birders, recording sitings at The Pyramid, The Battery, North End, Long Roost and Gannets Rock. Colony surveys by Assistant Seabird Warden Volunteer Kathleen show lots of Guillemot chicks have now been hatched and parents are busy brooding and feeding their young. Another high seabird count was on the 16th, with 102 Fulmar recorded breeding off Gannets Rock and off the Terraces.
North End feeding frenzies were observed on the 15th and 18th, inviting seasbirds of all sorts, including Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Shag, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Puffin, and Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Herring Gull.
We have begun ringing the Shag chicks from nests found along the cliffs at Long Roost, and on the 18th managed to ring 13 chicks. Other recent ringing includes 4 Oystercatcher chicks across 4 broods, around Lammetry Bay and Landing Bay. Continued monitoring shows these wader chicks to be growing well, avoiding predation from the ever-hungry gulls and getting closer and closer to fledging.
Oystercatcher chick. F Turner, June 17
Shag chick. F Turner, June 18
3 Sandwich Tern were spotted from the Oldenburg during a crossing by Assistant Ranger Volunteer Amber. Not quite within the range of Lundy to be included in our counts, but still super to see!
We are continuing to have fly-bys of Racing Pigeon in this sunny season, and on the 15th c.300 birds risking their lives as they flooded past the West Coast in tight flocks. A pair of Peregrine Falcon dove repeatedly on the passing flocks with immense speed.
The male and female Channel Wagtail, confirmed offspring of the Blue-headed/Yellow Wagtail pair which bred on Lundy last year, have been observed multiple times prospecting a nest site in the rushes of Aerogenerator Field and foraging in Barton's Field. It's looking more and more likely they might breed. The numerous breeding Meadow Pipit have other thoughts though, scolding the wagtail couple left right and centre.
Swift have been noted fairly frequently these last few days. on the 15th, 4 were seen over the Village, and 2 on the 17th. On the 18th, 55 were counted in total across the Island!
A single Grey Heron was seen on the 16th and 17th, causing quite an upset with the Oystercatcher and gulls.
We have recently had some nice invertebrate sightings recorded in the daily Bird Log. Rose Chafer are being seen daily. The Lundy Field Society have recorded good numbers of Lepidoptera species on their tasks about the Island, including: Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Green-veined White, Painted Lady, Meadow Brown, Six-spot Burnet, Brown Silver-line and, just starting to appear, the fantastic Hummingbird Hawk Moth. Notable flowers found by the team include 15 Heath Spotted-orchid, 10 Common Spotted-orchid, 1 Bog Asphdel and Sundew around Pondsbury.
On midnight swim in Landing Bay, bioluminsescence lit up the still, dark water with a magical glow, a beautiful and surprising sight for so early in the summer.