Bird Sightings

Another nice day with high pressure dominating.

A steady day with counts to be fully updated soon. However, a ‘new in’ French ringed Kittiwake has joined the Kittiwake colony North of Jenny’s Cove. In Millcombe, a passage of hirundines lasted most of the morning; 3 Reed Warbler (island scarciity) were seen with one caught and ringed; 14 Redpoll flew North; single Whitethroat from the Ugly; and a Spotted Flycatcher was seen early morning. Elsewhere, a Great Northern Diver was in the Landing Bay; a male Whinchat at Quarter Wall; a Grey Heron on Ackland’s Pond; the first Stonechat fledgling of the year was seen near Pondsbury; and a pair of Kestrel from the Terraces.  

Ringing

Spotted Flycatcher Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston

A short session resulted in a small catch of migrants in Millcombe including our first Spotted Flycatcher of the year.

A really wet and windy morning with low temperatures again.

Census started in Millcombe where a single Goldcrest, 4 Blackbird, a single Song Thrush, 2 Robins, 2 Dunnocks, 6 Linnets, 5 Goldfinches, and 4 Wrens were seen. From the Ugly, 3 Shag, a small flock of 12 Herring Gulls (38 seen in total), a small flock of 4 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls (8 seen in total), and 3 Oystercatchers were spotted. Walking through Millcombe Woods, 13 Swallows were seen with 12 sat in the Casbar and a single Sedge Warbler on the path were cold looking migrants. Along the South Coast, 6 Razorbills, 2 Kittiwakes, a single Rock Pipit, and a single Peregrine were seen from Benjamin’s Chair. Rocket Pole Pond held the only Willow Warbler of the morning, 2 Skylarks, 7 Meadow Pipits, and the breeding pair of Stonechats. Lower Lighthouse Field is currently the second prime wetland site on the island after Pondsbury, with 2 Mallard and a single Whimbrel associating with a Curlew (island scarcity) seen this morning. The constant rain for the last 12hrs has led to the Airfield flooding and the Watertanks Pool returning. Here, highlights included a Dunlin, 23 Carrion Crow, and 4 Wheatears on the Airfield and 4 Great Black-backed Gulls on the Airstrip. Returning via a soggy Quarter Wall Copse and the fields, 3 Ravens, 78 Starlings and 9 House Sparrows were seen around the Village.

Greenshank on Pondsbury this afternoon. ©ThomasWeston

The highlight this afternoon was an adult Greenshank who was feeding on the Pondsbury island.

A lovely sunny day with a slight cool breeze from the East that steadily moved to the North throughout the day.

Spotted Flycatcher in Millcombe. ©Richard Campey

The nicer weather allowed a few migrants to push through. New migrants included a Dunlin on Rocket Pole Pond; a single Whimbrel on Brick Field; a Jackdaw off Southwest Point; a burst of hirundines involving Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins; a Grey Heron who flew Northeast; and an arrival of warbler, crests, and flycatchers. This included at least 12 Blackcap, a Grasshopper Warbler in Millcombe, a Lesser Whitethroat (island scarcity) just below Government House, 4 Whitethroats, at least 8 Sedge Warblers with 6 singing in Millcombe, 4 Willow Warblers, single Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests, 5 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Pied Flycatchers. Finches seemed a little more settled with small flocks dotted around the island including Goldfinches, Linnet, and a new in-migrant Lesser Redpoll.

Mallard brood at Quarter Wall Pond. ©Samuel Shaw

A brood of Mallard were really nice to see on Quarter Wall Pond, the fifth brood of the year recorded.

One of the West Coast Puffins. ©Samuel Shaw

A couple of West Coast Razorbills. ©SamuelShaw

Seabird surveys resulted in some incredible numbers of auks, Kittiwakes and other seabirds recorded. This included over 3200+ Guillemots, 1350+ Razorbills, 140+ Puffins, 260+ Kittiwakes, 34+ Fulmars and small flocks of Gannets seen feeding around Common Dolphins for the second day. A big thank you to Young Birder Samuel Shaw for taking these photos of the Puffins and Razorbills along the West Coast! Moreover, for the third night in a row, Manx Shearwaters filled the air with hundreds, if not thousands, calling on both the West and East coast.

Peregrine. ©Richard Campey

Kestrel near Quarry Cottages. ©Richard Campey

Elsewhwere, observations were collected from the majority of the island with both Peregrine and our pair of Kestrel seen today. These amaxing photos by Richard show the size and differences between these two falcons.

Ringing

A small mist netting session this morning resulted in 4 birds caught in the bottom half of Millcombe, with an afternoon session resulting in 9 birds in the upper half of Millcombe. The Lesser Whitethroat Keen to top up our Manx Shearwater data, we caught a really nice range of retraps including a bird from 2007, 2009 and adults from 2011 onwards.

• Visit Website

Swallow in the Village. ©Thomas Weston

A very wet census today as a cold front sat above Lundy for most of the day. Unfortuanetely the harsh reality of migration was seen with a couple of deceased Swallows found today - presumably cold, wet and tired.

Millcombe was quiet with a single Sedge Warbler near Government House; a single Grasshopper Warbler at the bottom of Millcombe; 5 Woodpigeons in Smelly Gully; and 5 Wrens, 9 Dunnock, 2 Goldfinches, 5 Blackbirds, single Song Thrush and 4 Robins seen throughout the valley. A pod of Common Dolphins encouraged 12 Gannets, 14 Shag, a single Kittiwake and 2 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in the Landing Bay whilst at Benjamin’s Chair/Rocket Pole Pond 23 Herring Gulls, 38 Razorbills, single Fulmar, 20 Carrion Crow, 2 Ravens, 2 Skylarks, 2 Linnets, single flyover ‘alba’ Wagtail and 6 Meadow Pipits were spotted. The plateau was quiet with a Mallard and 3 Wheatears on the Airfield; a single Whimbrel in Brick Field; a single Sand Martin and 36 Swallows flew North; 69 Starlings in Tillage Field; and 19 House Sparrows in the Village.

Other sightings included a Great Northern Diver and more surprisingly a Black throated Diver both in the Landing Bay. The latter is a rare species for the island.