by Greg Lee
A brighter census with cooling breeze day. Despite the northerly direction, it was a bit quieter for migrants than perhaps expected with a light scattering of 16 Willow Warblers, three Whitethroats and one Sedge Warbler. In the brighter conditions, it was quite challenging to look at the birds, but it didn’t help that my optics are in need of a good wipe. A Collared Dove flying out of Millcombe was my first for a while, it seems boggling to me that these birds are willingly crossing the Bristol Channel and arriving on the island throughout the season, this particular bird would also be heard by Emma calling from the roof of Pigs Accommodation. As I headed up Battlement Corner, I sighted several Migrant Hawkers and my first Common Darter of the season, lacking the blue on the eyes of the Red-veined Darters which we have been seeing plenty of this year. Neither species are particularly uncommon here and in fact, I’ll be seeing plenty of both well into September I can imagine! Perhaps the best bird sighting of the day however, was the first Green Sandpiper of autumn seen on Pondsbury by Thomas and Eleanor, with the island being so dry, it is nice to know some waders are still dropping in! A few office jobs were needing doing during the afternoon before the often busy Friday KP shift, so my own sightings were limited. The Channel Wagtail family still remains on the island, with at least two juveniles moving between the Rocket Pole area and Quarter Wall.
A boat trip around the island led to a good Shag total from Thomas and Eleanor with 253 sighted along the rocks, whilst in the evening, three Grey Herons were seen leaving the rocks near South Light, the first for a couple of months.
Common Darter by G. Lee