Bird Sightings

Welcoming in September, a Lapland Bunting arrived on the Island and was found by Ezra Sherwell around 18:00. The bird pottered about above Gannet's Combe, feeding on the Main Track. Although this is on the early side for Lapland Bunting on Lundy, the earliest ever recorded were two on the 29th August in 2010.

Lapland Bunting. E. Sherwell, September 1

We have had quite a change in the weather here on Lundy over the last week. The blistering heat and weeks of no rain has finally broken and given way to strong winds and sporadic heavy showers. The rain is being greatfully recieved however, as the Island has been suffering a severe water shortage. 

Only a small passage of Willow Warbler has moved through the Island over the last week, perhaps the inclement weather having put a slight halt on movements across the Channel. The highest count of the last week was 27 on the 30th. Mist netting in Millcombe has been very hard work, with windows for putting nets up being few and far between. Mostly singles of other warblers have been sighted, with one Grasshopper Warbler near Quarter Wall Copse on the 26th, one Sedge Warbler in Millcombe on the 30th, a single Whitethroat along the East Sidelands on the 27th, 28th and 31st, and three of this species, also along the East, on the 29th. A single Western Bonelli's Warbler continued to be seen in Millcombe between 26th-29th. 

Similar to the warblers, flycatcher numbers seem to have diminished slightly. Birds that are present are most frequently seen flycatching determinedly from the tall sycamores opposite Millcombe House, along the valleyside, drizzle or none. Highest recent counts were six Spotted Flycatcher on the 26th and five Pied Flycatcher on the 27th, all along the Eastside and in Millcombe. The highest count of Firecrest over the last week was five on the 26th, across Quarter Wall Copse, St Helen's Copse and Millcombe. This was also the highest number recorded for August. For Goldcrest, the highest count of the week was was six on the 29th, across the same locations.

An exciting wader noted on the 28th was Wood Sandpiper, heard calling, and even singing at one point, by Dave Fairhurst as the bird flew west over the Terrace at 13:50. Single Whimbrel have been logged over the Island on the 26th, 28th, 29th and 30th, and a single Curlew was heard along the west on the 28th. One Turnstone was seen on Miller's Cake on the 26th, and a pair at the North End, buffetted by the crashing waves, on the 29th. Two Common Sandpiper were recorded in the Landing Bay on the 29th.

The latest news from our Storm Petrel nest box monitoring is that the first breeding pair with a chick (hatched last week), have already finished brood guarding. This means that the adults will leave the chick in the nest during the day to forage over the sea, returning to feed it only during the night. A recent check of the Manx Shearwater nest boxes revealed just two chicks remaining, seven more having fledged since our last check! There appears to have been mass fledging across the colonies, the peak fledging time seeming to be much earlier this year than usueal and already the cliffs are emptying out; the majority of chicks tend to leave Lundy in September. Several groups of visiting ringers have been helping the Conservation Team ringing Manx Shearwater fledglings recently, and a massive effort has been put in over the last week with over 300 fledglings ringed across the nights. 

More sightings of passing Cormorant continue, with two on the 27th, ten heading south over Rocket Pole on the 30th, and two along the East Coast on the 31st. Other dispersal movements can be seen in the form of a steadily growing Carrion Crow flock, birds seeming to have a preference for feeding in Brick Field. The highest count of the month was 37 on the 31st. 

A male and female Sparrowhawk were sighted again on the 26th, but since then just one bird, usually a male, has been seen each day.

A Wryneck was present in Millcombe on the 26th, and one in Quarter Wall Copse on the 27th. Small numbers of Whinchat are still being recorded, with one at the North End on the 27th and two in Quarter Wall Copse on the 31st. A single Yellow Wagtail was seen in the Village on the 26th, on the 27th singles were reported at Quarter Wall and in Barton's Field, and two went over Ackland's Moor on the 31st. A Blue-headed Wagtail was seen just north of the Village on the 28th, and another on the 30th. Five Tree Pipit were recorded on the 26th, and just one on the 31st.

Sadly we have had a couple Grey Seal pup casualties, the probable cause of one mortality below Benjamin's chair being the surging waves crashing against the shore in the strong winds. In positive pup news, new pups are appearing every couple of days, mothers seeming to favour Quarry Beach, White Beach and Ladies Beach so far.

Over the last five days we have had some exciting migration movements, the highlight being three very special species of warbler...

On the 22nd, around 14:50, Ezra Sherwell located a Melodious Warbler along Quarter Wall. The bird was rather elusive but remained in the area into the evening when it was relocated by visiting birder Andy Jayne. A Western Bonelli's Warbler was spotted on the 24th by visiting birder Dave Fairhurst in Quarter Wall Copse at 09:20 and relocated repeatedly by the Conservation Team throughout the day. Dave and Andy detected the call, confirming the bird to be the Western species. A second Western Bonelli's Warbler was located later in the day in Millcombe, and since then a single bird has been seen mutiple times in this area. About 20:45 on the 25th, Ezra discovered an Icterine Warbler in Millcombe Allotments.

Western Bonelli's Warbler. J.Parker, August 24

Other warbler passage continues to pulse through the Island. A small influx of 84 Willow Warbler was recorded on the 21st, including 42 birds ringed in Millcombe. A single Reed Warbler was in Millcombe on 23rd, one was ringed on 24th, and one retrapped on 25th; these are the first records since one was ringed July 17. Grasshopper Warbler was noted reeling above Quarry Beach on 21st, and another skulking about Stoneycroft on 23rd. One Garden Warbler was ringed in Millcombe on 22nd, and one seen in Millcombe on 23rd. We are having daily records of Whitethroat, and on the 22nd 11 were recorded about the Island, including one ringed in Millcombe. A Lesser Whitethroat was ringed in Millcombe on the 23rd!

Frequently joining the warblers in feeding flocks throughout Millcombe and the East Coast copses, crests have been noted repeatedly. Firecrest: two on the 21st, three on the 22nd, two on the 24th and three on the 25th. Goldcrest: one on the 23rd, two on the 24th, eight on the 25th. We also continue to have daily flycatcher sightings with the highest Spotted Flycatcher count over the last five days of 17 on the 24th, and 9 Pied Flycatcher on the 25th.

Wader movements continue to bring super records every day as birds pass by Lundy en route to their wintering grounds. On the 21st, three Snipe were seen at Pondsbury, a Common Sandpiper and a Turnstone called from the North End, and a Curlew was heard calling along the East Coast, flying north along with a Ringed Plover, the latter bird eventually seen pattering about the North End Turning Circle in the afternoon. Another two Ringed Plover, a single Curlew and a Dunlin were heard passing below Smelly Gully on the 22nd, a Snipe flew up over Millcombe Valley, and a Whimbrel headed south, calling past Halfway Wall. On the 23rd, a Lapwing called briefly over Brick Field, two Snipe were at Pondsbury and a Dunlin called below the Battlements. A single Curlew flew south past Benjamin's chair on the 24th.

On the MS Oldenburg crossing to Lundy on the 23rd, 90 Guillemot and three Razorbill were seen on the water. In other seabird news, in our monitored Storm Petrel nest boxes, the first egg has hatched! Only nine chicks remain in our monitored Manx Shearwater boxes as the oldest chick has now fledged - good luck little guy!

Four Cormorant were recorded in Jenny's Cove on the 21st. Another nice record for the 21st was a Water Rail, calling near Quarter Wall. A bird was flushed from this same location on the 23rd, these two records being the first confirmed for this species since 14th April! Frequent sightings of Wryneck continue, with a single bird in Millcombe on the 21st, one on the Terrace on the 23rd, and two in Millcombe on the 25th. The same pale morph Buzzard was seen thermalling above St Helen's Copse on the 21st, mobbed by a family of Raven, but has not been seen since. Other raptor sightings include a male Sparrowhawk, which has been noted about the Island since the 21st, and both a male and female since the 23rd.

Hirundine passage has been in dribs and drabs over the past five days. The biggest day for Sand Martin was on the 23rd, with 50 recorded, 30 Swallow on the 25th, and 13 House Martin, also on the 25th.

Other passerine passage includes a female/immature type Redstart, spotted on the Terrace on the 23rd, and singles recorded in Millcombe and on the Terrace on the 24th, two Whinchat on the 21st and 25th, and singles on the 22nd and 23rd, two Yellow Wagtail on the 22nd, and singles on the 24th and 25th, and one Grey Wagtail over Millcombe on the 22nd. Finally, we continue to have frequent flyovers of Tree Pipit: two on the 21st, seven on the 22nd, eight on the 23rd, seven on the 24th and three on the 25th.

A beautiful juvenile Wryneck was caught and ringed at the Terrace Heligoland, an all too infrequently encountered species these days, due to habitat loss. Since this, a Wryneck has been seen about the terrace daily, presumably the same bird. This seemed to be the signal for autumn migration to begin in full flow, and we have had a flurry of exciting sightings over the last few days.

Wryneck, caught in the Terrace Heligoland. F. Turner, August 19

A first for the autumn, one Firecrest was seen in Millcombe on both the 19th and 20th, and one Goldcrest in Quarter Wall Copse, also on the 20th. A male Common Redstart was found on the Terraces on the 19th and both this and a Whinchat seen on the Castle Path on the 20th were also the first for the autumn on Lundy. A final first passerine migrant since spring, three Tree Pipit passed over the Island on the 20th.

Beating the count of 22 on the 15th, 36 Spotted Flycatcher were recorded during census and along the East Coast on the 20th, along with six Pied Flycatcher. Nine Swift were seen on the 19th, and three on the 20th. Two House Martin were noted on the 19th, and a further three on the 20th along with six Sand Martin. On the 18th, two Yellow Wagtail were heard in Barton's Field; only one was seen, an unringed juvenile, so presumably these birds are migrants rather than those which bred/were hatched on Lundy this year.

A pale morph Buzzard was spotted above Millcombe before travelling north up the East Coast on the 20th. Another nice raptor sighting, a possible male Sparrowhawk was recorded on the 19th, and a confirmed sighting of a male at Rocket Pole on the 20th followed.

In terms of warblers, decent numbers were counted on census and along the East Coast on the 20th, including 63 Willow Warbler, three Grasshopper Warbler and three Whitethroat.

Five Cormorant flew past Jenny's Cove on the 20th, heading North.

A Curlew was heard over Ackland's Moor on the 18th. A single Redshank was heard and seen about Pondsbury on both the 18th and 19th, while two Greenshank flew south from Rocket Pole on the 20th. Also on the 20th, a Ringed Plover was heard passing Quarter Wall on the West Coast, two Green Sandpiper visited Pondsbury, two Turnstone were seen below Montagu's Steps, and two Snipe were also noted near Quarter Wall. Two Snipe were also present on the 19th, these at Pondsbury.

A night time mist netting session of Storm Petrel gained 6 retraps and 35 new birds on the night of the 19th, along with two Manx Shearwater. A fledgling Manx Shearwater, rather lost, was found bewildered in the Black Shed in the morning and was ringed before being returned to the slopes.

Whinchat. J. Parker, August 20