On the 27th, the Conservation Team undertook a whole Island survey of the seals on land and at sea around Lundy's coastline. The census was a great success and we ended up on a total of 181 Grey Seal, the majority found along the Eastern coastline. Thanks to such great coverage, we gained high counts of several bird species...
Grey Seal sleeping in the sun, counted on the Seal Census, April 27. A Homersham
12 Mallard (highest count for the year), 27 Oystercatcher, 250 Kittiwake, 27 Great Black-backed Gull (highest for the month), 480 Herring Gull (highest of the month), 79 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2462 Guillemot, 384 Razorbill, 106 Puffin, 132 Fulmar, 71 Shag (a new highest for the year), 45 Skylark (highest for the year), 29 Wren, 86 Wheatear (highest for the year), and lastly a usually very under-observed species, 17 Rock Pipit (highest for the month).
Good counts of Manx Shearwater were recorded over the past two days, with 48 seen off the NW Point on the 27th, and 47 offshore on the SE on the 28th. Much time has been spent observing the beautiful flight action of the shearwater in the dimming afternoon light of the warm days we've been having.
Our wader luck continues. One Ringed Plover was noted at Belle Vue ruins on the 27th, 2 Whimbrel were found on both days, and volunteer Assistant Bird Obs Warden Ezra Sherwell located the second Green Sandpiper for the year, hearing it calling along Beach Road on the 28th.
Hirundine counts were high on the 27th, with 153 Sand Martin (highest for the year), 964 Swallow and 172 House Martin (another highest for the year)! One Swift was seen on the 27th.
Other highlights include a Goldcrest (first since the 19th) in Millcombe and two Tree Pipit over Barton's Field on the 27th, a Sparrowhawk recorded flying over Millcombe by visiting ringers on the 28th, and a high count of 13 Raven, also on the 28th, including one bird carrying a gull egg. We are repeatedly noting this behaviour, with eggs of an increasing number of species being recorded.
While Millcombe bird ringing counts were low on the 27th, things picked up a bit on the 28th, with some nice warbler ringing completed: 9 Sedge Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 8 Willow Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, and 7 Blackcap, including 1 female control, originally ringed in Helgoland Germany! 1 Garden Warbler was seen in Millcombe on 27th, the first confirmed sighting of the year, a lovely sight indicating at the steadily increasing passage of migrating warblers.
A few other wildlife encounters to note include 5 Oak Eggar caterpillars about Castle Hill, a couple of small Common Dolphin pods off Mouse Island and Long Roost, and 3 more Emperor Moths, all on the 27th.
Common Dolphin and Manx Shearwater, viewed from the departing Oldenburg, April 26. P Holt.