A beautiful juvenile Wryneck was caught and ringed at the Terrace Heligoland, an all too infrequently encountered species these days, due to habitat loss. Since this, a Wryneck has been seen about the terrace daily, presumably the same bird. This seemed to be the signal for autumn migration to begin in full flow, and we have had a flurry of exciting sightings over the last few days.
Wryneck, caught in the Terrace Heligoland. F. Turner, August 19
A first for the autumn, one Firecrest was seen in Millcombe on both the 19th and 20th, and one Goldcrest in Quarter Wall Copse, also on the 20th. A male Common Redstart was found on the Terraces on the 19th and both this and a Whinchat seen on the Castle Path on the 20th were also the first for the autumn on Lundy. A final first passerine migrant since spring, three Tree Pipit passed over the Island on the 20th.
Beating the count of 22 on the 15th, 36 Spotted Flycatcher were recorded during census and along the East Coast on the 20th, along with six Pied Flycatcher. Nine Swift were seen on the 19th, and three on the 20th. Two House Martin were noted on the 19th, and a further three on the 20th along with six Sand Martin. On the 18th, two Yellow Wagtail were heard in Barton's Field; only one was seen, an unringed juvenile, so presumably these birds are migrants rather than those which bred/were hatched on Lundy this year.
A pale morph Buzzard was spotted above Millcombe before travelling north up the East Coast on the 20th. Another nice raptor sighting, a possible male Sparrowhawk was recorded on the 19th, and a confirmed sighting of a male at Rocket Pole on the 20th followed.
In terms of warblers, decent numbers were counted on census and along the East Coast on the 20th, including 63 Willow Warbler, three Grasshopper Warbler and three Whitethroat.
Five Cormorant flew past Jenny's Cove on the 20th, heading North.
A Curlew was heard over Ackland's Moor on the 18th. A single Redshank was heard and seen about Pondsbury on both the 18th and 19th, while two Greenshank flew south from Rocket Pole on the 20th. Also on the 20th, a Ringed Plover was heard passing Quarter Wall on the West Coast, two Green Sandpiper visited Pondsbury, two Turnstone were seen below Montagu's Steps, and two Snipe were also noted near Quarter Wall. Two Snipe were also present on the 19th, these at Pondsbury.
A night time mist netting session of Storm Petrel gained 6 retraps and 35 new birds on the night of the 19th, along with two Manx Shearwater. A fledgling Manx Shearwater, rather lost, was found bewildered in the Black Shed in the morning and was ringed before being returned to the slopes.
Whinchat. J. Parker, August 20