Bird Sightings

Sedge Warbler on bracken near the Airfield. ©Thomas Weston

A boat day today meant a busy day for the team. As a result, census was split but was very productive. The area in Millcombe was covered during ringing so a nice mix of residents and migrants were recorded. Outside of Millcombe sightings included 3 Mallards and 3 Woodpigeons in Barton’s Field; 3 Great Black-backed gull, 9 Herring Gulls, 2 Stonechats and 3 Wheatears in SW Field; 4 Carrion Crows and 12 Meadow Pipits on the Airfield; a mixed flock of 32 Linnet and 4 Goldfinches mostly in Brick Field; a single Swallow over the Village; a nice arrival of 4 Sedge Warblers and 20 Willow Warblers feeding in Bracken between Pointless Wall and Quarter Wall; 5 Wrens in bushes throughout the second half; and 29 Starlings and 18 House Sparrows in the Village.   

Ringing

Alongside census, Millcombe ringing was productive with Willow Warblers making the majority of the catch but a Sedge Warbler were all caught before 07:30. An evening wander around the Village resulted in 5 Wheatears caught and ringed that was very productive.

Fulmar on our Productivity Site. ©ThomasWeston

A morning of ringing in Millcombe was successful with a flurry of Willow Warblers moving through the valley on their usual 45/60 minutes after sunrise. The session was not busy, but census was split into two to make it easier and well timed. Other species noted during ringing included 6 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Herring Gulls, 18 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Gannets, 7 Shags, 2 Kestrels, 2 Carrion Crows, 3 Swallows (presumably local breeders plus and additional bird), 2 Blackcap fully fledged juveniles, 52 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 8 Wrens, 6 Starlings, 3 Blackbirds, 3 Robins, 2 Stonechats, 4 Dunnocks, 2 House Sparrows, 4 Pied Wagtails, 2 Meadow Pipits, 6 Chaffinches, 12 Linnets, and 6 Goldfinches.

After Millcombe ringing, the Fulmar productivity survey was undertaken with the chicks growing well and looking very fluffy sat on their rock. The Kittiwakes seem to be fledging still with fledged juveniles returning to the colony to roost whereas others remain out at sea. It won’t be long before all the Kittiwakes fledge and leave for the autumn/winter, we have still got a month at least until the Fulmar begin to fly.

Ringing

Millcombe ringing was productive with Willow Warblers making the majority of the catch but a Sedge Warbler and a retrap juvenile Blackcap, the latter born on the island was a good haul of migrants this morning.   

ConservationTeam. ©Caoimhe

A day we said goodbye to our Seabird Assistant Lucy head off the island this year. Lucy migrated off the island with all the Puffins, and other auks. We would like to say a massive thank you for everything, it’s been a great summer of seabirds and many many hours out on the cliffs day in day out. Whilst Lucy was here, Lucy helped process over 650 Manx Shearwaters, helped start a new Herring Gulls productivity study, spent hours watching Puffins, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Fulmars, and has managed to process during bird ringing over 600 birds since arriving. Plus lots more! We will certainly miss Lucy and hope she will return with the Puffins next year.

Ringing

The day was rather chill after a night of Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwaters and Wheatears. However, the only brood of Swallows was ringed on the island from a nest by Old House North.

A calm day with a slight South East wind. This, combined with cloud cover resulted in another big arrival of ~100 Willow Warblers this morning that trickled through Millcombe from 06:30 - 10:30. A bit of ringing resulted in 53 more Willow Warblers caught and ringed in this time period. There was a bit of wader passage this morning with a Curlew heard distantly out in the Bristol Channel calling as it presumably migrated Southeast whilst the calls of our breeding Oystercatchers were heard in the Landing Bay. This was closely followed by a Redshank that arrived from the Southeast, circled around the Landing Bay before heading back out East. This was the first of the year and a pleasant surprise during census and ringing. The last notable wader of the day was at Quarter Wall where a Ringed Plover was heard and seen briefly as it flew from the West cutting across the island and heading out East. The seabird surveys were undertaken today for our remaining productivity survey species: Kittiwake and Fulmar with both species doing okay considering a pretty turbulent season so far. A fun evening at the Battery, resulted in a Rock Pipit, a mix of Herring and Lesser-Black Backed Gulls as well as a singular Fulmar seen whilst down by the Cannons.

Ringing

Willow Warbler caught and ringed in Millcombe. ©Lucy Pécasse

Millcombe Willow Warblers.