Bird Sightings

Census was also undertaken today with counts including 3 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 8 Lesser-Black Backed Gull, 56 Herring Gulls, 6 Razorbills, single Puffin, 5 Carrion Crows, single Whitethroat, single Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 9 Wrens, 45 Starlings, single Blackbird, 2 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 12 House Sparrows, single Yellow Wagtail male, 3 Pied Wagtails, 11 Meadow Pipits, single Rock Pipit, single Chaffinch, 24 Linnets and 5 Goldfinches were seen.

Puffins at Jenny's Cove. ©ThomasWeston

1^st Grayling of the year and a new colour ringed Kittiwake in one of our colonies. Our Puffins are still doing well and showing well before they begin heading off for the Autumn. 

Sightings from across the island by all-comers involved 8 Mallards, single Feral Pigeon, single Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Doves, 3 Swifts, 12 Oystercatchers, 100 Puffins, 200 Razorbills, 500 Guillemots, 40 Kittiwakes, 40 Herring Gulls, 6 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 7 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 16 Fulmar, 500 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Gannet, Shags, 3 Peregrines, 5 Carrion Crows, 8 Ravens, single Swallow, 15 Wrens, 30 Starlings, single Song Thrush, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, single Robin, 6 Stonechats, 50 Wheatears, 2 Dunnock, 20 House Sparrows, Flava Blue-headed Wagtail female, Flavissma Yellow Wagtail male, 2 Flavissma x Flava Wagtail hybrids, 8 Pied Wagtails, 14 Meadow Pipits, 6 Rock Pipits, 25 Linnets, and 5 Goldfinches.

No census today after last night’s busy night. However, we checked all our Manx Shearwater nest boxes today with visiting birder/ambassador David Lindo. Thank you for your assistance with the checkups and it was great to see some chicks growing up. The largest of these chicks was ringed today and we will continue our checks until they fledge.

Mallard in Bartons Field. Sophie WIlkins

Today also saw the 43^rd Mallard ever ringed on the island. A nice record of one of the most underappreciated species on the island. The adult male was in main moult and currently flightless on Barton’s Field. It will be interesting to see whether the team can catch any more moulting wildfowl on the island.

A very busy day for the team.

To begin, the Puffin productivity survey was successful with more pufflings recorded in the study site adding to the previous sightings. In the next three weeks, the number of pufflings should increase, whilst the overall numbers of adults decrease as they begin their migration.   

Census was also undertaken today with counts including 2 Mallard, a single Feral Pigeon, 3 Woodpigeon, a single Collared Dove, 2 Kittiwake, 13 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 9 Lesser-Black Backed Gull, 66 Herring Gulls, 4 Guillemots, 12 Razorbills, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Shag, Kittiwake, 26 Carrion Crows, single Raven, 2 Skylark, single Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 2 Whitethroats, single Willow Warbler, single Chiffchaff, 13 Wrens, 60 Starlings, 3 Blackbirds, single Song Thrush, single Robin, 3 Wheatears, 3 Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 14 House Sparrows, single Yellow Wagtail male with the Blue-headed Wagtail female, 4 Pied Wagtails, 14 Meadow Pipits, 2 Rock Pipit, 26 Linnets and 12 Goldfinches were seen.

Our quarterly seal census was completed at low tide. Between the four sections of the island a nice count of ~112 Grey Seals were recorded with all of these seen on the East Coast.

Peregrine on the Cliffs. ©Thomas Weston

After the seal census, the Fulmar, Kittiwake and Guillemot productivity surveys were undertaken. In the Fulmar productivity survey, the first chick of the year was confirmed within the colony with other birds seen on eggs. In comparison, the Kittiwakes are rapidly growing with the last of the nests still to hatch. Moreover, the Guillemots are growing and the first of the fledglings already out at sea with their adult looking after them. During the surveys, the first juvenile Peregrine of the year was seen on the cliffs.

Yellow Wagtail chick. ©Joe Parker

The day wasn’t over after these surveys, with the Yellow Wagtail + Blue Headed Wagtail nest found by visiting ringer/birder Noah. The four chicks were of the correct size to ring and this was undertaken this evening. This species tends to fledge quite early so it will not be long before they are seen in Barton’s or St Helen’s Field. It is an incredible record for the island with this being the first ever breeding record for this species after an unsustantiated report from the 1930's.

Storm Petrel from the Jetty. ©Joe Parker

A night of Storm Petrel ringing at the Jetty resulted in a catch of 30 including 27 new, 2 ringed on the island last year and a bird ringed elsewhere. The bird was originally ringed by the Teifi Ringing Group at either Mwnt or Strumble Head in June this year. This is quite impressive but not unexpected for a species who travels and moves large distances to feed.