Bird Sightings

Ringing

Census was not undertaken today, however, we did manage to get out in the evening for some Manx Shearwater ringing whereby we caught 20 birds in an hour. The moon phase is not ideal at the moment so it was great to go out before the moon broke from behind the clouds.

Census counts included 6 Mallard, 14 Swifts, 5 Feral Pigeons, 5 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Oystercatcher, 110 Herring Gulls, single Lesser-Black Backed Gull, 62 Guillemots, 40 Razorbills, 3 Puffin, 4 Shag, single Grey Heron, single Kestrel, single Peregrine, 9 Carrion Crows, Hooded x Carrion crow, 8 Skylark, 3 Swallow, Blackcap, 4 Whitethroats, single Willow Warbler, 28 Wrens, 94 Starlings, 7 Blackbirds, single Song Thrush, 5 Robin, 4 Wheatears, 2 Stonechats, single Dunnock, 16 House Sparrows, Yellow Wagtail male, Blue-headed Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtails, 13 Meadow Pipits, single Rock Pipit, single Chaffinch, 21 Linnets and 4 Goldfinches were seen.

Ringing

Whitethroat in Millcombe. Originally ringed in May 2023 ©Thomas Weston

We caught a retrap Whitethroat that had been ringed last year, a juvenile Chaffinch and a few other bits and bobs. See below when updated.

Census counts included 5 Mallard, 2 Feral Pigeons, single Woodpigeon, single Great-Black Backed Gull, 110 Herring Gulls, 42 Guillemots, 22 Razorbills, single Gannet, single Shag, single Grey Heron, single Kestrel, 23 Carrion Crows, 2 Raven, 3 Skylark, single Swallow, 4 Whitethroats, single Willow Warbler, single Chiffchaff, 23 Wrens, 6 Blackbirds, single Song Thrush, 2 Robin, 5 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 2 Dunnocks, 21 House Sparrows, 4 Pied Wagtails, 9 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinches, 27 Linnets and 16 Goldfinches were seen.

Kittiwake Study Site. ©Thomas Weston

Our seabird productivity surveys have been very busy recently so we apologise for the lack of updates recently. However, the we can confirm the Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Puffins and Fulmar seem to be having a good breeding season so far.

Other sightings today included the return of the female Blue-headed Wagtail with the male Yellow Wagtail in Barton’s Field. We have not seen them around for a while so we hope they have been hanging around unseen for the past few days. Also, an unidentified wader species was seen by a member of staff, our thinking is a Green Sandpiper but we are not 100% sure.

Jennys Cove surveys. ©Thomas Weston

No sightings from today unfortunately.