As anticipated from recent monitoring of the Manx Shearwater colony nest boxes, the first chick has hatched! More and more eggs are starting pipping - it won't be long until several more grey fluffs appear. With the help of visiting researchers, the Conservation Team have deployed 10 GPS tags onto our breeding Manx Shearwater to investigate short-term foraging patterns, and 3 long-term GLS loggers, which will begin to build a picture of winter foraging routes on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
The first Manx Shearwater chick! A. Zhang, June 9th
We have also been continuing to monitor the Island's breeding Oystercatcher, closely following the development of several broods around the Landing Bay and Rat Island. Records of any other waders have been very minimal recently, with just 1 Curlew heard calling at sea level below Mousehole and Trap.
In terms of seabird news, the first Kittiwake chicks have hatched! 5 nests were noted in a productivity survey on the 13th. A nice count of Guillemot was undertaken on 13th too, with 533 adults and 60 chicks recorded on St Mark's Stone.
On the 11th, we had a high count of 29 Common Swift throughout the day, including 24 over the Church at 09.00hrs.
We have been much lower on the ground for herons and egrets this year when compared to last year, however on the 11th a single Grey Heron was seen at Quarter Wall Pond. Another curious sighting was a juvenile Rook, seen within the loose Carrion Crow feeding groups in Brick and Tillage Fields.
Typical of this month of the year, there has been an almost complete halt in passage migrants, and the Island is brimming with breeding birds. Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff continue to sing in low numbers in Millcombe and Quarter Wall Copse. Starling juveniles are dispersing with their family groups all over the coast, filling the Millcombe trees, the Quarries and the rocky slopes of the shearwater and gull colonies. Some of the most notable breeding birds, due to the fierce diligence of the territorial adults, Wheatear and Stonechat fledglings are cropping up all over the place. Breeding evidence for Meadow Pipit and Skylark continues, with birds carrying food and singing across the moors, nests buried in the rapidly growing bracken, gorse and grasses.
Moth trapping has been more successful as of late thanks to the more settled weather at night, catching taking place in Millcombe and at the North End over these last few days. A good count of 62 moths of 24 species was gained on the 9th. Visiting experienced moth trapper Andrew Cleave flushed a Bordered Straw at the North End on the 13th, an exciting migrant species. Increasing sitings of Large White, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown butterflies are being noted as the days continue to warm and we move into a period of low winds.