By Greg Lee
A fresher, colder start to the day this morning for census with the northerly creating a much more advanced autumnal day than the preceding one. It perhaps wasn’t surprising that Millcombe overall did seem to be quieter for birds. But, as often seems typical for the quieter days, the scarcity interest did show itself when a Common Rosefinch revealed itself hopping around the Walled Gardens. A slight surprise, even more so when it appeared that this was an unringed bird so was clearly a new arrival. It seems surprising to me that these birds are quite warbler-like in their movements, working their way through the bushes and being quite fast-paced. Luckily, the bird did show quite well before disappearing further up the Valley. Elsewhere, two Firecrests were in the Secret Garden Sycamore and singles of Pied and Spotted Flycatcher were in the mature trees on the Beach Road. The higher plateau was also quite quiet with little to be seen on the Airfield or Lower Lighthouse/South-west Field. A Whinchat at Stoneycroft was a good spot and a Merlin whizzing over the Village was my first for the autumn. There was no sign of the Wigeon today, clearly the company of Mallards is not ideal.
Rosefinch by G.Lee
Yesterday's Short-eared Owl was still present at the North End, though it probably isn't enjoying the lack of Field Voles on Lundy, a Yellow Wagtail was over the Village, a Pied Flycatcher was with a Spotted Flycatcher at Quarter Wall Copse and a Dunlin flew south from Pondsbury.
Merlin by J. Hair