Bird Sightings

Lesser-Black Backed Gull on Millers Cake. ©AndreaMay

A pretty special day, with glorious warm weather resulting in some great birding. Highlights included a Little Ringed Plover was heard flying around the Village around 00:15 whilst the Aurora was reducing until 01:30 when it flared up again. Daytime sightings included 3 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover both on Lower Lighthouse Field; a Sparrowhawk at the South End and one in off at Castles; a Siskin, 2 Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe, a Collared Dove at the Church; a female Redstart on the Terraces; a Lesser Whitethroat in Quarry Pond; the first Hobby of the year drifted SouthEast; a male Pied Flycatcher was on the Upper East; a Lapwing in SouthWest Field; a very surprising Fieldfare in Quarter Wall Copse; 2 Whinchat near Halfway Wall; a Golden Oriole male and female seen separately in Millcombe; a Wood Sandpiper flew over the Village calling this evening shortly followed by an Osprey being mobbed by a Carrion Crow and Herring Gull. Our gulls have begun settling down and breeding with Great Black Backed, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gull all noted with nests.

Ringing

A female Redstart in the Heligoland was the first of the year.

The busiest census counts of the year so far with a total of 44 different species spotted along the route! Also, a 9^th and 2^nd for the island! More details below...

Black Redstart female in the Village. ©Thomas Weston

The day started with a warm southeasterly breeze gracing the island. One of the first birds seen at the start was a lovely female Black Redstart who was hanging around the Shop entrance. She spent the rest of the day going throughout the Village playing hide and seek for most birders wanting to see her.

One of five Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston

Onwards into Millcombe, 3 Woodpigeons, a Collared Dove, 6 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, single Garden Warbler, 8 Blackbirds, 9 Dunnocks, the single Song Thrush still singing, 2 Chaffinch, 11 Robins and 11 Goldfinches were seen. A flock of 5 Spotted Flycatchers were near the Gas Store, a single Tree Pipit flew North calling, and a male was heard Cuckoo calling from Quarter Wall Copse symbolising a small arrival of both species. Viewed from the Ugly/Beach Road, a single Great-Black Backed Gull, 103 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory, 13 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls and 4 Shag were off the coast. Heading out of the valley, a flyover Lesser Redpoll was a nice spot, and 2 Oystercatchers were in the Landing Bay. Benjamin’s Chair held 2 Peregrines, a single Rock Pipit feeding unseen young, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Guillemot and 135 Razorbills. The first of today’s exciting waders were found with a Dunlin was on Rocket Pole Scrape where one of the 4 Mallards seen today was on Rocket Pole Pond with a female with 2 ducklings on Quarters Pond. Throughout the fields to Quarter Wall, 12 Skylarks, 11 Wheatears, 2 Stonechat, 7 Meadow Pipits, 2 Pied Wagtail and 12 Linnets were seen. At Quarter Wall, a single Sedge Warbler and a moment of ‘what’s that wader call?’ led to the island’s 9^th Little Ringed Plover heard only flying south before relocating to Lower Lighthouse Field for the rest of the day. In addition, a poor passage of Hirundines with 5 Swallows and 2 House Martins North, 11 Wrens were recorded across the route and 31 Starlings were spotted feeding the first fledged juveniles of the year. Finishing in the Village, single Feral Pigeon, 10 Carrion Crow; 6 Ravens and 14 House Sparrows were seen.

Additional sightings from outside of census a continuation of the wader theme with a Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, and 5 more Dunlin seen. A male Redstart was near Millcombe, a Collared Dove at Tibbetts, the island’s second ever Spoonbill flew North off the East Coast (an amazing find Mr Baille). This was followed by an incredible evening watching the aurora!!!

Ringing

A small catch of migrants in the afternoon resulted in a nice mix of species caught. A fruitless nocturnal survey was not an issue as the aurora was stunning and most likely lit us up like a Chrismas Tree.

Woodpigeon in Millcombe ©AndreaMay

Census counts from today included 2 Mallard on Rocket Pole Pond; a pair of Eurasian Teal on Ackland’s Pond; 3 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 32 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 3 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; single Shag off the coast; 2 Carrion Crow; 4 Ravens in the Village; 5 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing throughout most fields; 3 Blackcap feeding in the woods of Millcombe; 3 Whitethroat around Millcombe; 4 Sedge Warblers with most singing; single Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaff singing; 14 Wrens across the route; 29 Starlings collecting food for the quickly growing young; single Blackbirds; single Song Thrush still singing; 2 Spotted Flycatchers, single Pied Flycatcher, 6 Robins in Millcombe; 8 Wheatears; 2 Stonechat; 6 Dunnocks; 14 House Sparrows in the Village; 4 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; 3 Meadow Pipits; single Chaffinch in Millcombe;15 Linnets; and 6 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe.

One of our breeding Wheatears feeding along the Landing Bay Road. ©Thomas Weston

Sightings from elsewhere included a couple of Wheatear on the Landing Bay Road; 23 Shag in the Landing Bay; the first Oystercatcher nest of the year on Rat Island; 3 Spotted Flycatcher in St John’s Valley; 2 Merlin; 7 Kestrels with 3 individuals flying North off the island; a Reed Warbler by Government; a Collared Dove being harassed on Rat Island by a Peregrine; 3 Cormorant flew North over three quarter wall; a Dunlin on Lower Lighthouse Field; a Whitethroat in Millcombe; a Redstart in Quarter Wall Copse; the first Hobby of the year flew East over Quarter Wall Copse; a Lesser Redpoll over the Village; and some large counts of auks at Jenny’s Cove counted during our seabird station.

Female Bullfinch in Millcombe. ©AndreaMay

Standout highlights from the day included a female Bullfinch in Millombe and a Minke Whale drifted North this afternoon too!

Stonechat male around Rocket Pole Pond. ©Thomas Weston

Census counts from today included 4 Mallard split between Quarters Pond and Rocket Pole Pond; a Swift headed North over the Church; 4 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 2 Ringed Plover flew over the Tavern in the direction of Lower Lighthouse Field; a breeding pair of Great-Black Backed Gulls  on Miller’s Cake; 93 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 1 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; 102 Razorbills split between Benjamin’s Chair and the Landing Bay with an additional 40 auk spp off the latter; 2 Great Northern Divers with one bird frequently calling off the Landing Bay with the calls echoing along the cliffs; 27 Shag off the coast; single male Kestrel in Millcombe; 18 Carrion Crow mostly in a non-breeding flock on the Airfield; 10 Ravens in the Village; 12 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing throughout most fields; a slight passage of hirundines with 2 Sand Martins, 31 Swallows, and 2 House Martins all heading North; a single Garden Warbler and 2 Blackcap feeding in the woods of Millcombe; 4 Whitethroat around Millcombe; a nice arrival of 10 Sedge Warblers with most singing; 4 Willow Warblers and 3 Chiffchaff singing; 11 Wrens across the route; 39 Starlings collecting food for the young; 9 Blackbirds; single Song Thrush still singing; 4 Robins in Millcombe; 16 Wheatears with the majority being the ‘Greenland’ subspecies; 4 Stonechat with two pairs noted; 28 House Sparrows in the Village; 8 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; 14 Meadow Pipits mostly in SW Field; 2 Rock Pipit around Benjamin’s Chair; 12 Linnets; 2 Lesser Redpoll flying around Millcombe; and 15 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe

A Skylark on Middle Park. ©Thomas Weston

We undertook a Skylark census today to determine the number of breeding birds on the island. Being the first time, this methodology was undertaken, it was great to find 12 on the census route, an additional 11 singing birds mostly between quarter and halfway wall, and 5 more birds not seen singing but displaying to one another resulting in 38 birds in total.

At the end of the survey a half an hour visible migration watch resulted in a Yellow Wagtail heading North (plus another in Barton’s Field), 4 Whimbrels headed North, a few hundred Swallows, small pulses of House Martins, low number of Sand Martins, and a single Swift. Our breeding auks were in good numbers with a good mix of species seen.

Other sightings seen today included a Cuckoo in Millcombe, Collared Dove on Rat Island, 2 Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe, and the 2 Black-tailed Godwits still on Pondsbury.