Despite no further sightings of the Eastern Subalpine Warbler, the 3rd of May produced an exciting pair of new warbler species for the year... Richard Campey came across a sculking Cetti's Warbler in St John's Valley on a morning bird watch, and not long after, on census, Flo Turner came across a Dartford Warbler, seen and heard around Belle View Ruins before it flew off soutwards, from gorse bush to gorse bush along the Upper Eastside Path. The former species is the first spring record for Lundy, and the latter the fourth! Fantastic to see. Too busy chasing rarities, Campey didn't bother to count the humble Robin.
It was certainly all go on the 3rd, proven by a sudden Racing Pigeon influx, 14 birds seen charging over the Island throughout the day. The following day, although just one Racing Pigeon was sighted, we had a pleasant passage of 245 Swallow. However, despite his great intention to count these migrating hirundines between 13.20 and 14.30hrs, Campey fell asleep. Other passage migrants include singles of Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat on the 3rd, a single Bullfinch calling in Milcombe on the 4th, and a great count of 9 Siskin along the East Coast, including Millcombe and the Quarries, also on the 4th.
Although not seen or heard on the 3rd, Cuckoo was recorded again on the 4th, at Quarter Wall Copse and in Millcombe.
At least one Tree Pipit was noted at the South End on the 3rd, but on the 4th we had a count of 5! Single female Pied Flycatcher were seen at the Quarries on the 3rd and in Millcombe on the 4th, and 6 Spotted Flycatcher across the South East also on the 4th. While a male Black Redstart was observed singing at the North End that day, a male Common Redstart was about Rupell's Quarry.
The Hooded Crow continues its presense in the fields about the South End.
Single Whimbrel were seen at the North end on both the 3rd and 4th. A much less common wader noted in the early hours of the 4th was a Greenshank! Stirred in the night by the muscial tones of singing Manx Shearwater, Brennig Hughes, from the RSPB, heard the single bird calling over the Lodge Garden, cirlcling twice before it continued its northwards passage. This is the first record for the year! During a nocturnal survey the other end of the day, the Conservation Team's efforts with thermal imagers revealed the first incoming Storm Petrel recorded on Lundy this year! The elusive seabirds were seen dashing like bats about the rocky coastal slopes, hopefully prospecting nest sites for this coming breeding season. In other seabird news, a check of the nest boxes at the Manx Shearwater colony produced a count of 11 eggs being incubated, which is very positive news so early in the season as last year a total of 11 chicks successfully fledged overall. Another coastal nesting bird noted over the past two days was Shag, with 37 counted at the North End on the 4th, including several nesting pairs, and this within a total of 80 birds seen across the whole Island.
One last piece of Island breeding evidence was in the form of another Mallard brood on the 3rd, a female with 8 young sighted at Pondsbury.
A magical Lundy night sky, May 4. F Turner.