Bird Sightings

More strong easterlies today, force 5 for much of the day gusting force 6. Hundreds of hirundines arrived at the island, but didn't venture further, circling back as they reached Rat Island. They fed in the shelter on the west sidelands, and several hundred roosted overnight. A conservative estimate of 550 Swallows was logged, but it was a very tricky movement to count.  At least 11 Sand Martin and 10 House Martin were among them. Millcombe remained relatively deprived of birds, with one Chiffchaff, one Firecrest, four Goldcrest, 6 male Blackcap, 4 Spotted Flycatcher (plus two near Quarter Wall) and two Pied Flycatcher the highlights and pretty much sum total! A Common Whitethroat was by Quarters Pond in the village.

The drake Wigeon was on Barton Pond for the day and a Teal was flushed from QW Pond. A single Grey Heron was present, flying over the village at sunset. Two Black-headed Gull flew into the Landing Bay and were loafing for several hours. Nice counts of five Peregrine Falcon and five Kestrel benefited from good island coverage. Five Whinchat also remain along with three Wheatear in the south of the island. The highlight of the day however, was undoubtedly a female Great Spotted Woodpecker which worked it's way from Old Light to Benjamin's Chair along the fence posts of SW field, first record of the year.

A period of easterly winds has set in, and after a clear and calm night we found very few downed migrants in the morning. A hirundine pulse almost two hours earlier than is typically expected here resulted in a count of 278 Swallows, and a handful of Sand Martin and House Martin mostly between 0830 and 0900. Meadow Pipits and wagtails were moving too, with seven Pied Wagtail, 21+ Alba Wagtail, three Grey Wagtail all on passage. The winds picked up later on in the day making picking up any birds that were about there even more difficult, but Joe managed to pick up a new in Wryneck whilst driving visitors up the Millcombe switchbacks! It was flushed from the track near the battlements but not seen again. This is our sixth individual on the autumn. Our visiting ringers had a very quiet session early morning, but three Firecrest out of just nine birds ringed made for an outrageous ratio - very much a quality over quantity session! Spotted Flycatcher count was four, still three Pied Flycatcher but a meagre seven Blackcap recorded today! Eight Whinchat still remain and Wheatear are still very thin on the ground, just two seen today.

A Dunlin and a Snipe were seen near SW field and three Ringed Plover in the Landing Bay, with another count of 14 Oystercatcher on the west coast by Montagu's Steps. Another day highlight was a Wigeon seen in flight at the north end by our stock control team. 

Conservation Team illness limiting bird sightings again but yet again there are migrants turning up and we hope to get out soon and see them!

A Red-breasted flycatcher 1^st winter was by far the most noteworthy bird with this not only being the first of the year but the second earliest Autumn record for Lundy ever. The bird was seen around the Ugly flagpole/Lundy Field Society Steps of Doom for those who know this area of Millcombe. The bird was showing incredibly well to a crowd of birders and made for a very nice start to a calm day. Other birds in the area included an increase in Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatchers and Goldcrest. Around the Tavern, a/the Turtle Dove was seen and was noted flying around the Old Stone Crusher Site before being lost to view and ending up near Tibbetts this evening. There was also a passage of hirundines today with House Martins, Swallows and some Sand Martins being seen in the mix.

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

Ringing

The ringing team was operating in Millcombe and St John’s Valley today with over 150 birds caught and ringed throughout the day.

Conservation team illness has not helped with sightings today, although a visiting ringing group has certainly seen a few birds around which is nice.

Highlights:

• The Little Bunting remains around Quarters/The Tavern but seen first thing only and then went to ground and fed for the rest of the day in that area. No news this evening but it could be around.
• Our feral stock management team undertaking annual work on the island flushed a Turtle Dove near Tibbetts whilst driving through. An amazing record and the first of the year. A sad sign of the times for this species when reports of ‘hundreds’ were once seen on the island and regular flocks.
• A few migrants were around including Yellow Wagtails, Whinchats, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers as well as a mix of migrant warblers in the bushes of Millcombe and beyond.
• A flock of 4 Grey Herons were certainly new in migrants and were seen to be flying around the first half of the island for quite a while this evening before the rain set in.

Ringing

Ringing was undertaken in Tent Field today and a small sample of birds were caught and ringed throughout the day.