Bird Sightings

A big fall again on the island today with the most noticeable being the warblers. Birding began at midnight with 2 Tree Pipits heard flying around over the Village just after the turn of the new day. They were heard flying around Benjamin’s Chair where the release of a couple of Village Manx Shearwaters was being made.

Census was very busy with 15 Mallard, single Water Rail, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, single Herring Gull, 4 Lesser-black backed gulls, 3 Gannets, 33 Shag, 3 Kestrel, single Peregrine, 41 Carrion Crows, 3 Ravens, 2 Sand Martins, 9 Swallows, 59 Blackcap, single Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroats, 3 Reed Warblers, 12 Willow Warbler, 29 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrests, 3 Firecrest, 12 Wrens, 95 Starlings, 6 Blackbird, 28 Spotted flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 9 Robin, 12 Wheatears, 3 Whinchat, 4 Stonechat, 2 Dunnock, 17 House Sparrows, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Tree Pipits, 18 Meadow Pipits, single Rock Pipit, 6 Chaffinches, 30 Linnets, and 22 Goldfinches.

Along the Terraces 50+ Blackcap, 5 Whitethroats, 14 Spotted flycatchers, and a female Redstart. In Millcombe later this morning yielded a Red-backed shrike, the first one this year and a rather scarce bird for the island too! Meanwhile, there were 3 Spotted flycatchers and 2 Wheatears on South Light.  

Ringing

House Martin caught and ringed in Millcombe. ©ThomasWeston

A successful hour in the afternoon resulted in over 50 birds caught including a House Martin and a nice mix of Blackcap and other migrants.

Manx Shearwater in the Village. ©ThomasWeston

Another stray Manx Shearwater appeared between Old School today.

The rain and wind was very strong today and made for a damp day overall but a good fall with birds presumably from the East of the country filtering their way across and making it to the West and Lundy. Highlights from today’s fall taking into consideration census, Pondsbury and the Terraces included 40 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Pied Flycatchers, 5 Whinchats, 16 Wheatear, 10 Tree Pipits, 2 Reed Warblers, single Sedge Warbler, 21 Willow Warblers, 24 Chiffchaffs, 7 Whitethroats, 34 Blackcaps, 7 Goldcrests, single Firecrest, 4 Snipe, 3 Ringed Plover, 40 Swallows, single Grey Wagtail, single Teal, and single Yellow Wagtail.

A busy day on the island with a big fall of migrants. Ringing in Millcombe, census, an all round island cruise and a night of disorientated Manx Shearwaters led to a very busy day. The highlights included 5 Common Scoters out in the East; Eurasian Teal on Pondsbury; 6 Black-headed gulls flew North off the East Coast; a Grey Wagtail in Millcombe; a very nice arrival of warblers including large numbers of Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroats, single Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warblers; 50+ Spotted flycatchers signifying a large arrival; 3 Pied Flycatchers; 2 Firecrest in Millcombe; 453 Shag around the island; 17 Yellow Wagtails in the fields; 15 Whinchat; Sanderling over Quarter Wall; 2 Ringed Plover at Benjamin’s Chair; a Greenshank flew high out to the East over Millcombe; a Green Sandpiper flew low West over the Village; and a Common Sandpiper in the Landing Bay.

Ringing

Willow Warbler juvenile caught and ringed in Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston

A succesful ringing session with a large arrival of migrants, especially warblers, noted. Also, four stray Manx Shearwaters found their way into the Village this evening with one making its way into the Tavern.

A VERY humid start to the day with rain approaching from the east. An odd scenario where it was flat calm but quite warm making a pleasant census.

Whinchat in St John's Valley. ©Thomas Weston

Totals included 11 Mallard in Barton’s Field; 7 Woodpigeons in St Helen’s Field/Millcombe; single Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone all in the Landing Bay; single Redshank and Snipe over the Church; single Great Black-backed Gull and single Herring Gull over the Village; 4 Shag in the Landing Bay; 12 Carrion Crows and 7 Ravens the only corvids around; single Skylark in the Airfield; 6 Sand Martins, 7 Swallows and a single House Martin south; migrant warblers in Millcombe included 13 Blackcap, single Whitethroat, single Reed Warbler, 5 Willow Warbler, 18 Chiffchaff with additional 5 Goldcrests and the single Firecrest;  14 Wrens were recorded on the route; 67 Starlings split between the village and the fields; 11 Blackbirds in Millcombe; single Song Thrush on the path down to Millcombe House; single Pied Flycatcher at Stoney Paddock; 11 Robins split between the Village and Millcombe; single Wheatear with 4 Whinchat and 8 Stonechat in SW Field; 3 Dunnock in Millcombe; 37 House Sparrows split between Millcombe and the Village; single Yellow Wagtail and 2 Pied Wagtail in Tent Field; 2 Tree Pipits flew South; 19 Meadow Pipits in the fields, with some associated with 4 Rock Pipits around Old Light; single Chaffinch in the Village; with 30 Linnets, and 17 Goldfinches along the route.

An afternoon in the Landing Bay resulted in a nice arrival of Red admiral butterflies with a whole island count of ~1100 individuals flying in from the East and heading SW back out to sea. There were sightings of coasting Red admirals off the North Cornwall coast. There was also an arrival of Lesser-black backed gulls, 4 Cormorants, and a few hirundines.

Other sightings:

• A couple of extra Snipe over the Village
• A scattering of Whinchats around the island
• Wryneck on the Terraces

Ringing

Golden Plover caught and ringed in SW Field. ©Thomas Weston

A short session before the rain lead to four migrants caught however an evening session resulted in a Golden Plover, Skylark, and Wheatear caught adn ringed. The other team near the North End had a successful Storm Petrel session.