Along the cliffs both Razorbill and Guillemot chicks have begun to jump from their ledges (29th June) and head out to sea, beckoned on by their male parent who calls them down from below.
Other seabird news has included a high count of 697 of adult Puffin on land in Jenny’s cove in the evening of the 3rd July, and a count of 26 Gannets offshore on the 4th July, including a mixture of ages.
The breeding season appears to have brought some success for the Peregrines on the island with two nests having fledged and young birds hanging around Long Roost and Gannets Rock.
Peregrine Fledglings, Long Roost. K Power
Sightings of female Kestrel are now being noted again alongside the regular reports of a male bird across Pondsbury Heath, Middle Park and the Terrace.
Passerines appear to once again be on the move with low numbers of warbler moving through the island including young birds, and presumably a few failed breeders. So far this has included a few young Willow Warbler, and Chiffchaff and a single Garden Warbler. A Goldcrest was also recorded.
Movements of House and Sand Martin through the island have reappeared with a single House Martin reported on the 30th June and single Sand Martin records being logged on the evening of the 5th and then on the morning of the 6th of July, likely the same bird.
High numbers of Swift are also passing through Lundy, with the largest count for the year so far being 36 birds on the 1st July.
Sizeable flocks of Linnet are now gathering on the Southern end of the Island with counts of up to 130 noted on the 5th July.
The Channel Wagtail nest has now produced its first young with three of the four eggs hatching.
In Lepidoptera news, a survey on the east coast on 29th counted 300 Meadow Brown including multiple mating pairs. 1st July brought sightings of Emperor Moth caterpillar, Scalloped Oak, Common Swift moth, Bright-line Brown-eye and Hummingbird Hawk Moth. Hummingbird Hawk Moths have been seen throughout the period, often in Milcombe, or excitingly on 5th, inside the Marisco Tavern! Clouded Yellow, Ringlet, Peacock and Grayling have been seen in small numbers, and Red Admirals and Painted Ladies are still being observed. On 7th, a couple of 5 Spot Burnets were seen.