Bird Sightings

A great spell of birding opened with the Wood Warbler lingering overnight to 22nd, showing well in Millcombe sycamores. A mobile first-winter female Great Spotted Woodpecker bounced around Millcombe and Benjamin's Chair between 22-23rd, while a female-type Common Redstart flitted around Old School and a Lapland Bunting showed well just south of Gannet's Combe on 23rd. However, this was all quickly overshadowed by the discovery of a Short-toed Lark feeding along the main track near the Pondsbury area and Halfway Wall on 23rd - constituting the 24th island record - and stayed the following day, remaining very faithful to the main track.Wood Warbler 22 September © Ashley Saunders

The Red-breasted Flycatcher has now cleared out, last recorded on 21st, but the light wader passage continues, with a single Golden Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, and 6 Snipe logged on 23rd. A modest fall of passerines enjoyed on 24th, featuring 86 Chiffchaff, 240 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, singles of Redpoll and Reed Bunting plus Meadow Pipit passage peaking at 246 individuals moving south. The Goldcrest tally rose to 14 individuals, outnumbering Firecrest 7:1, while the ringed Spotted and Pied Flycatcher continue to linger. Passage Grey Wagtail are now being logged daily in small number and migrants ducks accompany the adult Grey Heron at Pondsbury, peaking at 5 Wigeon and 5 Teal on 23rd.

Lapland Bunting 23 September © Angus Croudace

Short-toed Lark 23 September © Angus Croudace

Short-toed Lark featuring finders Thomas Weston & Eleanor Harris in background 23 September © Angus Croudace

A day of two halves, with a windy overcast morning and a sunny, calm afternoon which brought out much more activity. A total of 62 Blackcap were recorded in Millcombe, including just 10 from census - there was a modest arrival in the afternoon. Four Spotted Flycatcher, two Pied Flycatcher and three Firecrest were all in Millcombe. One of the Pied was new in, the other a ringed individual who has been present by Millcombe pond for well over a week now. At 0830am our first migrant Chaffinch flock of the autumn came in-off over the Landing Bay, with 27 birds dumping onto the island somewhere north of St Helen's Copse. The main highlight of the day beside the Red-breasted Flycatcher continuing it's stay was a stunning Wood Warbler found by visiting birders in Millcombe, showing at point blank range at times, oblivious of its observers. A short more favourable period in the afternoon allowed for a bit of hirundine passage, but 180 Swallows remained at the end of the day, and roosted in Millcombe.

Other log book totals included: one Wigeon, six Teal, two Water Rail, one Ringed Plover, three Snipe, female Sparrowhawk, female Merlin, 13 Skylark, single Reed Warbler, ten Sand Martin, 430 Swallows, 39 House Martin, four Willow Warbler, eight Chiffchaff, ten Blackbird (some new in), seven Whinchat, six Wheatear, one Grey Wagtail, one White Wagtail, eight Pied Wagtail, 34 Meadow Pipit, five Rock Pipit and 31 Chaffinch.

Another similar day, with strong easterlies keep birds hunkered down and hirundines trapped on the island. At least 100 Swallow roosted on the island overnight. The Red-breasted Flycatcher continues and good numbers of Firecrest came to the fore when the winds calmed down, with six recorded, outnumbering the five Goldcrest, which is a rare occurance! Good island coverage was achieved today, with the west coast raked and the highlight being a mobile Lapland Bunting, the first of the year. First picked up at Aztec Bay solo it heading north to Three Quarter Wall.

1st winter Red-breasted Flycatcher, Millcombe © Angus Croudace

Day totals of other notable species included: five Wigeon, five Teal, two Water Rail calling in Millcombe, a Ringed Plover, two Snipe, three Dunlin which remain at Middle Park, one Grey Heron, one female type Merlin, nine Skylark, single Reed Warbler, three Willow Warbler, five Chiffchaff, ten Blackcap, five House Martin, eleven Sand Martin, six Spotted Flycatcher, six Whinchat, nine Stonechat, five Wheatear, one Grey Wagtail, ten Pied Wagtail, two Alba Wagtail, 86 Meadow Pipit, 11 Rock Pipit, 296 Linnet, 20 Raven and 31 Carrion Crow.

Strong easterly winds approaching gale force at times battered the island. Today's highlights included the welcome return of a first winter Red-breasted Flycatcher sensibly feeding in the shelter of Millcombe Pines, which showed on and off throughout the day. A Pied Flycatcher and at least four Spotted Flycatcher were also logged along with three Firecrest, four Goldcrest, single Garden Warbler and Common Whitethroat, plus a handful of Blackcap. The weather has brought a small arrival of ducks, with Pondsbury hosting three Wigeon and six Teal. An Osprey, the first of the autumn but unfortunately too distant to age was seen briefly over the Landing Bay at 0820am with a couple of Ravens ensuring that it did not linger. Finally, an exhausted juvenile Knot dropped onto the track outside the Tavern late morning, the first record for the year. It stayed long enough for some visitors to photograph it, and then flew off over Old House. Our ~150 benighted Swallows were feeding on the West Sidelands as once again the strong winds prevented them from leaving.