By Greg Lee
It was a slightly quieter census today after the glut of migration yesterday, but there was still plenty to be seen on the morning patrol around the island. What made it quite interesting was dodging the wave of rain showers moving in from the west. Already some of the smaller ponds are holding water, which is quite the relief, though there is some way to go yet! A total of 22 Willow Warblers was quite a nice total, considering the main passage for this species begins to ebb at this time of year, giving way to the likes of Blackcap and Chiffchaff as the most numerous migrants at coastal hotspots in September. A Grasshopper Warbler flushed near Pointless Wall was a nice sighting, in some years, this species can be very thin on the ground in autumn so a few records this month have been appreciated. A Sedge Warbler near Rocket Pole was quite elusive but after having followed its path into the bushes, it finally perched up long enough almost as if to say, “are you happy now?” before zipping over to some Bracken, where I left it in peace.
Three Whinchats were also nice to see, back in my years in East Kent, the open habitat and numerous fencelines around Sandwich Bay were often holding good numbers these birds at this time of year. However, on both Bardsey and Lundy, these birds aren’t quite so numerous. A buzzing Tree Pipit over the Airfield also caught my ear.
An unsettled backdrop on the East by G.Lee
Yesterday evening, having enjoyed a spectacular sight of 20+ Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe, I headed up the valley towards Government. Upon arriving in the area, I flushed a slim bunting with dark streaking on the mantle from one of the trees near the nets. I was able to see it go down in an area of long bracken and grass in front of the house but as I neared the area, the bird flew up with a rather weak “plip” call before vanishing over the wall towards the Church. Fortunately, I was able to spot the yellow malar stripe, pale beak and beady black eye with a bright eye-ring, confirming that it was an Ortolan Bunting, my first ever and the second record this year on the island following the flyover Thomas spotted on the 23rd. Sadly, I could not relocate but my fingers were crossed that today it might reappear, although there are plenty of places for the bird to hide away and feed on the ground. So, as I was doing office work, I was pleased to see that Thomas and Eleanor had spotted the Ortolan Bunting on the track outside the chicken coop in Tent Field. Before I could get on the scene though, the bird had once again flown towards Government and vanished, though Thomas was able to get some nice photographs of the bird perched. Over the following couple of hours, I would check the area periodically but had no such joy, though this was probably not helped by the increasing amount of rain blowing in from the Atlantic. Soon enough, I was needed for a KP shift in the evening but I’m not giving up hope that the bird has settled down somewhere else on the island. Sadly, yesterdays Rose-coloured Starling had also disappeared, having spent just a day on the island.
Ortolan Bunting by T.Weston