Bird Sightings

Census was undertaken and included 12 Mallard, 3 Woodpigeons, single Oystercatchers, the single Golden Plover, single Ringed Plover, single Great Black-backed Gull, single Fulmar, 2 Gannets, single Shag, 2 Kestrel, 5 Carrion Crows, 6 Ravens, 4 Skylarks, 10 Swallows, single Garden Warbler, 14 Blackcap, single Whitethroat, 10 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrests, single Firecrest, 7 Wrens, 63 Starlings, 2 Blackbird, 3 Spotted flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 5 Robin, 8 Wheatears, single Whinchat, 4 Stonechat, single Dunnock, 22 House Sparrows, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtails, 6 alba Wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, 42 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, 208 Linnets, and 5 Goldfinches.

A check of the Manx Shearwater boxes was very positive with only two of our chicks remaining in the boxes. One of which was very capable of fledgling and will soon be out of there in no time at all. The other was still very downy and was the last of the chicks to be born.

Reed Warbler in Millcombe. ©ThomasWeston

This led to a walk around Pondsbury which was overall quiet but yielded 3 Mallard. A walk down the Lower East Path from the Quarries to Millcombe was quieter than expected but resulted in a nice mix of Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Flycatchers, Goldcrests and Stonechats. In Millcombe, an evening bird walk resulted in a nice mix of flycatchers and warblers including a Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler in Millcombe Pond. There was a small flock of Goldcrest in the pines and the friendly Firecrest was showing well again actively calling and feeding throughout the valley.

Ringing

Millcombe ringing in the morning resulted in a small catch of migrants with Blackcaps dominating the catch. A Manx Shearwater catch in the evening resulted in 34 fledglings processed including 4 that dropped into the Village post-fledging.

A busy morning with cloud and a slight NE wind enticing migrants to arrive and then fall onto the island throughout the early morning/dawn. There was a lot to see.

Census was undertaken, but if there weren’t the time constraints of housekeeping, a lot more could have been found out there. Totals included 9 Mallard, 4 Woodpigeons, single Oystercatchers, the single Golden Plover, single Ringed Plover, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 6 Herring Gull, 18 Shag, single Peregrine, 3 Carrion Crows, 2 Ravens, 4 Swallows, 6 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, 42 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 6 Wrens, 62 Starlings, 8 Blackbird, 6 Spotted flycatchers, single Pied Flycatcher, 4 Robin, 7 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 36 House Sparrows, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Pied Wagtails, 16 White Wagtails, 5 alba Wagtails, 3 Tree Pipits, 3 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits, 4 Chaffinches, 49 Linnets, and 13 Goldfinches.

Other sightings:

• Firecrest and Redstart in Millcombe pines
• A flock of 4 Yellow Wagtails and 4 Tree Pipits
• A juvenile Moorhen in Smelly Gully
• A Merlin hunting the east coast.

Ringing

A big fall in Millcombe resulted in the best catch this autumn. A nice mix of warblers, a few flycatchers, and a few of the locals were caught resulting in 118 birds today. Also, a nice catch of Manx Shearwater last night and a few in the Village after being disorientated last night plus a dazzling session resulted in a few dispersing Skylark.

A foggy, wet day turned beautiful.

Spotted Flycatcher Millcombe. ©ThomasWeston

Census was undertaken today with 19 Mallard, single Feral Pigeon, 5 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers, single Golden Plover, single Ringed Plover,  single Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, single Herring Gull, single Shag, single Kestrel, 7 Carrion Crows, 4 Ravens, 3 Skylark, 10 Swallows, 7 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 9 Goldcrests, 19 Wrens, 93 Starlings, 9 Blackbird, 3 Spotted flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 8 Robin, 4 Wheatears, 8 Stonechats, 4 Dunnock, 36 House Sparrows, single Yellow Wagtail, single Tree Pipits, 23 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 36 House Sparrows, 46 Linnets, and 5 Goldfinches.

Ringing

Another good catch of Manx Shearwaters on the colony and a little ringing in Millcombe resulted in a few birds caught this afternoon.

Census was undertaken today with 19 Mallard; 4 Woodpigeon in Millcombe; a Golden Plover on SW Field; single Ringed Plover over the Airfield; 2 Snipe over the Airfield; 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 4 Herring Gulls; 3 Kestrels over Millcombe; 12 Carrion Crows and 7 Ravens around the Village; 2 Skylark on the Airfield; 3 Swallows south; 2 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, single Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrests were notable migrants in Millcombe; 15 Wrens heard; 75 Starlings in the Village and surroundings; single Blackbird and 6 Robin in Millcombe; 4 Wheatears and 6 Stonechats in SW Field primarily; 3 Pied Wagtails; 2 Dunnock; 4 Tree Pipits over to the South; 13 Meadow Pipits with 5 Rock Pipits mixed in; a very poor count of 6 House Sparrows in the Village; 10 Chaffinches in Millcombe; as well as mixed flocks of 45 Linnets, with 15 Goldfinches mixed in.

Other sightings from today included a few more Snipe, a Dunlin, a Pied Flycatcher, an afternoon arrival of hirundines and 4 Swifts. The latter are probably the last of the year unless we get a few stragglers in the coming week.

Ringing

A good catch of Manx Shearwaters was achieved through the night post-midnight and pre-midnight tonight.