Bird Sightings

Collared Dove in the Village around the Lambing Shed. ©Thomas Weston

Another warm day on the island with bright blue skies and hot temperatures. It was impressive to see quite a bit of Saharan dust in the sunrise this morning. Without any concrete evidence, it is possibly this, as well as the wind direction that has been linked to the small influx of Painted Lady butterflies, Silver Y moths and the Southern Europe rarities we have had the last week.

Census was productive with 6 Woodpigeons, 8 Goldfinches, 2 Chaffinch (nest), single Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird, 4 Robins, 9 Wrens, single Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, in Millcombe; 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Shag, 2 Great-Black Backed Gulls and 2 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in the Landing Bay; 14 Guillemots, 112 Razorbills, 20 auk spp, 2 Pied Wagtail and 2 Wheatear from Benjamin’s Chair; 215 Herring Gulls, single Peregrine, 14 Carrion Crows, 18 Ravens, 10 Skylark, 4 Swallows, 73 Starling, 4 Stonechat, 4 Meadow Pipits and 19 Linnets in the fields; and  6 Mallards, 4 Collared Dove, and 18 House Sparrows in the Village.

Ringing

The clear weather does not produce any late falls of migrants but a nice number of new Chiffchaffs and a Reed Warbler (island scarcity) was caught. A Cuckoo bounced out the net and a retrap Starling originally ringed last year as a chick was colour ringed in the Village today.

A warm day again today with hot temperatures recorded across the island.

Nightingale in Millcoombe. ©Thomas Weston

Census was busy with the Subalpine Warbler making it onto the count near Quarter Wall/Quarry Cottages (no sign since), as well as the Nightingale that was caught this morning in Millcombe plus all our other wonderful island birds currently up to Quarter Wall. Counts from our seabird station/productivity assessments and census resulted over 3000+ Guillemots, 500+ Razorbills and 300+ Puffins recorded today (specific counts by the Conservation Team to be added soon).

Ringing

A short session resulted in Golden Oriole and Nightingale caught in a meagre 7 birds.

A warm day with light SE winds resulted in some new arrivals again.

Subalpine Warbler by Pointless Wall. ©Thomas Weston

The standout highlight was two immature/female type Golden Orioles joining our adult male. This means that in the last four days, there have been three different birds seen in Millcombe and the surrounding area. Now that is pretty impressive, and we are not sure if there are an other sites across the UK that have this many at the moment. Moreover, thank you to one of our guests for reporting a female type of Subalpine Warbler on the Airfield to us this afternoon. The bird was refound again in the evening to help with the identity. However, the reluctancy to call, the super elusive behaviour of the bird in the gorse bushes, and the inability to drop a faecal sample in view made it incredible difficult to prove the bird's identity. Alas the bird will remain a Subalp spp. 

Census was productive with 4 Mallards, 2 Feral Pigeon, 5 Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Dove, 4 Oystercatchers, 8 Razorbills, 210 Herring Gulls, 2 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 13 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 3 Shag, single Peregrine, 8 Carrion Crows, 9 Ravens, 3 Skylark, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Swallows, 3 Chiffchaff, 9 Wrens, 45 Starling, single Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird, 8 Robins, single male Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 8 Dunnock, 29 House Sparrows, single Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinch, 20 Linnets, and 4 Goldfinches. 

A busy boat day resulted in some good coverage from across the island. The 2 Golden Orioles remained in Millcombe showing well in both the morning and afternoon and a flyover Osprey was a stunning bird, the second one of the year, and was only seen by one lucky observer.

HerringGull in Lower Lighthouse Field. ©Thomas Weston

Counts from across the island resulted in 29 Mallards, single Feral Pigeon, 5 Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Dove, 5 Oystercatchers, single Whimbrel, 174 Puffins, 944 Razorbills, 2681 Guillemots, 181 Kittiwakes, 283 Herring Gulls, 4 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 59 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, the return of the 2 Great Northern Divers,  68 Fulmar, 7 Gannets, 19 Shag, pair Kestrel, Peregrines, 22 Carrion Crows, 7 Ravens, 20 Skylark, Sedge Warbler, single Sand Martins, 85 Swallows, 7 House Martins, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, single Blackcap, single Garden Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 23 Wrens, 77 Starling, single Song Thrush, 9 Blackbird, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Robins, 10 Stonechat, 14 Wheatear, 4 Dunnock, 27 House Sparrows, 2 Pied Wagtails, 26 Meadow Pipits, 11 Rock Pipits, 2 Chaffinch, 53 Linnets, Lesser Redpoll, and 10 Goldfinches.