A change in wind direction and reduction in wind speeds after Storm Amy this week. A slower couple of days to start the week, picking up with a few pulses of Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Blackcap as the week has progressed. As the winds swung northerly we welcomed a few birds from northern climes, with 2 Whooper Swans flying N over Pondsbury on 8th and 3 Snow Buntings in-off above North Light on the same day. Reed Bunting are popping up again with singles on 6th, 9th and 10th, and members of the LFS field studies group were delighted to encounter a very showy Lapland Bunting on the track at Pondsbury on 10th.
Lapland Bunting, Pondsbury - M. English
Up to three Water Rail are calling in Millcombe, with an individual heard by the terrace several times too. A single Black-headed Gull flew N from the Ugly on 5th and a Great Skua was seen from the castle heading W on 7th. Two Curlew flew NW over the Ugly on 5th and a single was heard on the 6th. A single Sanderling dropped into the track on Castle Hill on census on the 5th and was later seen at Pondsbury. It was a good day for waders, with a flock of four Redshank passing over the village. Ringed Plover singles have been recorded again daily since the 8th, and a flock of six Golden Plover on 7th flew over the village but weren't seen again. Great coverage by visiting birders saw 13 Snipe recorded on 8th.
Sanderling, Castle Hill - A. Croudace
A Great White Egret, just island's sixth record after the first in 2020 was a great find when it flew over Millcombe heading NW on the 9th, seen by four observers but clearly on a mission, with no photos nor resightings. Up to three Sparrowhawk are regularly seen and finally some Merlin arrived, with three seen all over the island on 9th and two seen on 10th. With no significant thrush movement yet there's not a huge amount of prey available, and all of the pigeons have already succumbed to the Peregrine Falcons, of which up to six are recorded daily. The Peregrines have been watched hunting Linnet and Starling this week, clearly having to resort to smaller items on the menu. Hirundines are petering out with totals ranging from 43 and 178 this week, with a couple of House Martin also and a single Sand Martin.
Nice Skylark passage on 9th totalled 85 birds at log including a very high flock of 35 over Millcombe first thing, although wagtail passage has dropped off significantly, with just three Grey Wagtails and small numbers of Alba Wagtails all week. A fairly late Tree Pipit was heard over Millcombe on 9th. Our third Yellow-browed Warbler of 2025 was heard in Quarter Wall Copse on the 9th too. Our second Red-breasted Flycatcher of the autumn is favouring St Helen's Copse, present 8-10th and extremely vocal, proving very entertaining to watch. Spotted Flycatcher lingered until the 8th, and Pied Flycatcher are still dropping in, with another new bird ringed on 10th. A juvenile Common Redstart was also ringed on 10th, the only record of the month apart from two on 6th. A stunning male Black Redstart was a fairly early record, seen below the Beach Road on 5th.
Three Garden Warbler arrived with 48 Blackcap on 7th, our highest count for this week. Firecrest numbers had dwindled to one or two at the start of the week but are now bolstered back up to either birds, accompanied by around ~25-50 Goldcrest, with a peak of 87 on 9th. In an exceptional year for Treecreepers another two birds have been seen and ringed in Millcombe this week, making that three individuals thus far in 2025. A couple of long-winged migrant Chaffinches have been ringed but we are still awaiting the finch movement to start with gusto! Up to 10 Siskin have been seen on a more regularl basis this week with one Redpoll on the 9th and one Greenfinch on the 6th.
A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was new in today, a bird that has become just about annual since 2014. Ring Ouzel singles have been recorded on the 6th (west side 3/4 wall) and 9th (south of The Ugly). A single Song Thrush was ringed in Millcombe on 10th.
1st winter Rose-Coloured Starling by the Airfield. A. Croudace
An overdue first for Lundy finally fell today when a DUSKY WARBLER was picked up calling vociferously on census. It was rummaging around the overgrown vegetation in Millcombe Pond before briefly bursting out of cover onto some brambles where it allowed a brief but good look plus a record shot. The bird was followed as it worked its way up the Millcombe allotments, starting on the ground before moving on some higher vegetation. It was then lost just below slope net, but turned up minutes later in the next net round in secret garden! It was resighted later in the morning very briefely after ringing, skulking in vegetation above the Gas Shed.
Dusky Warbler in the hand. A Croudace