By Thomas Weston
Today was our annual Jenny's Cove count. The team assembled at the Tavern where Eleanor, Tara, Greg, Emma and I set off to count the cove. Emma and Greg had just got back from counting moths in the trap and their non-moth highlights included another Red-veined Darter (10th record ever for the island – though the 7th this year already) as well as a small passage of departing Swifts. There have been a good number seen passing on the North Devon coast this morning too which is amazing to see.
We set off at a leisurely time of 08:25am and headed off north up the track. There were small flocks of Linnets and Meadow Pipits in the grass, and a friendly family of Wheatear were in Brick Field. As we passed Pondsbury, a distant check of the waterbody yielded a very quiet scene, though a Common Snipe was accidently flushed from near the track. A local failed breeder or returnee from the North?
Jennys Cove Count by Thomas Weston
Puffin at Jenny's Cove during the Jenny's Cove Count by Thomas Weston
At Jenny’s Cove we split into two teams. Tara and Greg went to the northern sections of the cove and surveyed four viewpoints whereas Eleanor, Emma and I surveyed the southern sections. With a brisk east wind and lovely sunny weather, we remained cool in the heat. Counts were extremely successful, and we have some good results which we hope to publish in the ‘General News’ section of the website. I spent the afternoon combining the totals and there are some certainly some good results from today!
Red rumped Swallow over the Village and Bartons by Thomas Weston
On our way back, we had just dropped Greg and Emma off at the Lodge. A few hundred metres south of the Lodge, around the Barn area, we spotted a white rumped hirundine flying towards us. It looked a little like our seemingly over-summering House Martin loitering over the Village, though as it flew by it was obviously a Swallow in structure but without binoculars, I couldn’t see many more features. The penny dropped, and on its return over our heads heading back south towards the Church it was a Red-rumped Swallow. I ran to the Lodge to get the volunteers out and posted on the island’s bird news Whatsapp chat for birders to join.
The bird loitered across the southern end of the island, heading between the Lambing Shed and the Castles Accommodation whilst the wind blew from the SE. The bird remained on island for about 1hr before a band of rain (due to some atmospheric breakdown on the mainland) came across, forcing the wind to go E and then briefly SW as the band passed. This rain gave the bird enough of a inspiration to leave and head out from the Castles not to be seen again! A stunning find and so lovely to get everyone onto the bird.
I completed some Bird Obs admin and headed back for dinner baking in the heat. A walk around Millcombe as it cooled yielded some good local breeding totals of residents and our breeding migrants before heading up to our Daily Bird Log. Whilst log was being completed a flock of 30 Swifts headed around the Church screaming as they passed. Amazing and a sure sign of summer!