By Eleanor Harris
It really does fell like spring is coming upon us quickly with the weather warming and the island starting to become busy. Today the island looked rather beautiful with signs of spring around. It was one of the first busy travel days of the season with Tara helping with Helicopters and Thomas on Housekeeping. The weather is changing with the Oldenburg arriving yesterday to drop of much needed supplies before the busy sailing season commences at the end of the month.
Today marks the first day of our new Terrestrial Breeding Bird Survey which will be running monthly from the 20th to the 23rd. This survey aims to understand a little more about our breeding birds and how they are fairing on the island, taking into consideration breeding areas and numbers. It is an exciting time for the island to understand a little more about our local and migrant birds. We look forward to keeping you posted with updated and our findings but if any of you would like to get involved on your next visit it would be great to have your help.
Today started with census which covered three of our squares. It was great to be out and enjoy the sunny weather before work. It was a busy morning with the sky full of birdsong on such a beautiful morning. Some of the highlights for census was pairs of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks plus a Goldfinch showing well. It was a busy morning with the warm weather bringing in some new arrivals so we will keep you posted over the next few days. After the survey was completed I headed to work.
Meanwhile Thomas was housekeeping with some of the highlights being two Siskin and some Sand Martins. The real highlight came with a Black Redstart spotted in the village which later flew over the staff accommodation and into the camping field. On my break between shifts I was lucky to see the Black Redstart and enjoy some of the evening sun before returning to work.
Overall it was a great day all round with migration and arrivals. We all look forward to seeing what the next few days and months bring and how Lundy changes with the coming Spring.
Black Redstart in the Village TW