Bird Sightings

Census was undertaken this morning but there were signs of migration here and there. Counts included 6 Mallard, 2 Oystercatchers, a Green Sandpiper flushed from Ackland’s Pond and flew high south before veering round to the North to Pondsbury, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Herring Gulls, single Fulmar, 2 Manx Shearwaters, single Gannet, 16 Shag, 7 Carrion Crows, 8 Ravens, single Swallow, 4 Willow Warblers, 4 Wrens, 62 Starlings, 2 Blackbird, single Spotted Flycatcher, single Robin, single Stonechat¸ single Dunnock, 16 House Sparrows, single flava x flavissma Yellow Wagtail juvenile, 2 Pied Wagtails, 16 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, 44 Linnets, and 5 Goldfinches.

An afternoon/evening seawatch from North End resulted in 2772+ Manx Shearwaters, 41 Gannets, a slight passage of Kittiwakes, and the odd Fulmar and gull.

Juvenile Kestrel at Benjamin's Chair. ©ThomasWeston

A busy day in the field started at 06:00 when the team opened the mist nets in Millcombe. There was a nice cool breeze coming from the North but there were very few signs of migration going on. Ringing was slow with only 6 birds in three hours though did include a Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, another Lundy-born Chiffchaff and Pied Wagtail, and our first known migrant Blackcaps. The team packed up and census was completed soon after. Sightings included 14 Mallard, 3 Feral Pigeons, 5 Woodpigeons, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Herring Gulls, 2 Shag, single juvenile Kestrel (showing really well and a little stunner at that), 2 Peregrines, 3 Carrion Crows, 11 Ravens, 3 Skylark, 6 Swallows, single Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, single Chiffchaff,  9 Wrens, 28 Starlings, 2 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 5 Wheatears, Stonechat¸ Dunnock, 57 House Sparrows, single flava x flavissma Yellow Wagtail juvenile, single Pied Wagtails, 12 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, 81 Linnets, and 10 Goldfinches.

Juvenile Mallard caught and ringed in Barton's Field. ©ThomasWeston

A quick Mallard catch in Barton’s Field resulted in 4 ducklings and an adult female caught and ringed.

Seabird productivity surveys were split with the Fulmar chicks doing really well with two looking like they maybe thinking about fledging soon. The Kittiwakes have all now fledged the nests and are feeding out in the Atlantic with a couple seen passing close by, but not associating themselves with the 57 adults who were still present. A Wheatear in off the West coast was unexpected but very interesting.

Ringing

An amazing piece of artwork of our Wheatear nightcatching work in/around the Village. ©ThomasWeston

Wheatears arriving in off the sea in the afternoon inspired an evening of dazzling, and under a hazy red moon caused by Canadian wildfires, 11 Wheatears were seen with one caught and two Skylarks caught to. See this incredible artwork subsequently painted into one of the guest accomodation logbooks.  We thank Paul and Jo for coming to wildlife log, coming out with us nightcatching, painting this amazing piece of artwork and allowing us to share it with you.

A fledged Swallow in Millcombe being fed from the branches/Government House. Photo taken a couple of days ago. ©ThomasWeston

Census was undertaken today and was relatively quiet. The nice conditions meant the walk was pleasant and visibility was good, we just needed a few more migrants to drop in with the warm weather. Census started in Millcombe where a nice selection of species were noted including 4 Chaffinches, 3 Carrion Crows, 4 Woodpigeons, 6 Swallows, single Blackcap, single Whitethroat (a ringed individual in the same territory since this spring), 2 Chiffchaff, 15 Wrens, 11 Blackbirds, single Spotted Flycatcher feeding next to Millcombe House, 3 Robins, 2 Pied Wagtails and 4 Dunnocks. The Landing Bay held 6 Shag but nothing else. Moving around to Benjamin’s Chair and SW Fields were quiet with 4 Herring Gulls, single Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Wheatears, 2 Stonechats and 17 Meadow Pipits noted. In the Airfield, a single Kestrel, 8 Ravens, 76 Starlings, 73 Linnets, and part of the flock of 17 Goldfinches were seen. In the Village, 12 Mallard and 37 House Sparrows were seen.

A lovely sunny day today with basically no wind at all.

Amazingly, there was few migrants which was a bit of a surprise. Unlike recently, there were very low numbers of Willow Warblers noted in Millcombe and only a couple of Blackcap seen in the Valley too. The latter were all Lundy born juveniles and a male who could have been a migrant. Finch flocks were present with both Linnet and Goldfinch seen up to Quarter Wall. A Grey Heron and Sand Martin were the only birds of note moving and both species headed South over the Village. An evening visit to Millcombe to check if any migrants had filtered into the valley resulted in no migrant birds seen at all!

Ringing

A Willow Warbler caught and ringed in Millcombe this morning. ©Thomas Weston

Four Willow Warblers and a single retrap Blackcap in Millcombe - not the most busiest given the change in weather.