Bird Sightings
April 9th Sightings - Sandwich Tern
A change to strong Northwesterly winds resulted in a breezy plauteau today and sheltered spots on the south and east coasts.
Sandwich Tern in the Landing Bay. ©Thomas Weston
A few highlights from today included 5 Golden Plover in Brick Field, two summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls in Tillage (below), the first Sandwich Tern of the year moving between the Jetty and 1/4 Wall Copse (above), and a Great Northern Diver in the Landing Bay.
Two Black headed Gulls in Tillage. ©Thomas Weston
Census counts this morning were split due to it being a travel day. A single drake Mallard and a single Stonechat was on Rocket Pole Pond but was mostly sheltering from the wind. In Millcombe, 3 Woodpigeons were seen near Smelly Gully whilst a single Redwing, our singing male Song Thrush and the Collared Dove remained in the copse. Migrants spotted today included 7 Blackcaps, 8 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrests. Counts of the resident species include 6 Wrens, 3 Blackbirds, 3 Robins and 4 Dunnocks. From the Ugly, the Landing Bay was more sheltered than the fields with 4 Kittiwakes, 2 Razorbills, 2 Gannets and 5 Shags were spotted. The waterlogged fields of the west coast resulted in 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 131 Herring Gulls and 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls with the main flocks around the Water tanks. In the nearby fields, 17 Carrion Crows, 2 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails, 15 Meadow Pipits, and a surprise Rock Pipit was found. In Brick Field, 5 Golden Plover were sheltered with a male Wheatear whilst 2 Black-headed Gulls remain in Tillage Field. In the Village, 6 Ravens, 34 Starlings and 30 House Sparrows were present. Overhead 2 Chaffinches, 8 Linnets and 4 Goldfinches were migrating North.
Male Stonechat on the Terraces. ©Thomas Weston
Ringing
The Terraces/Lower East Path were the most sheltered area of the island today with a pair of Stonechat, 3 Willow Warblers, single male Blackcap, a pair of Kestrel, female Merlin and male Peregrine. The heligoland was the most suitable area of the island so a couple of 'pushes' of the trap today resulted in a few birds caught.
April 8th Sightings - Pied Flycatcher!
A slight ease in the wind and a change to South Easterlies resulted in a bit of movement first thing this morning. The standout highlight was a stunning male Pied Flycatcher who was the first of the year!
Pied Flycatcher male in Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston
Counts from this morning's census included 4 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers, single summer plumaged Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, 59 Herring Gulls, 2 Guillemot, 3 Razorbill, 5 Shag, single flyover Cormorant, 15 Carrion Crows, 5 Raven, 4 Skylarks, 6 Swallows, single House Martin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers 17 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 7 Wrens, 22 Starlings, single Blackbird (there are certainly more out there), single Redwing, 3 Robins, Wheatear, single Song Thrush, 3 Dunnocks, 12 House Sparrows, single Pied Wagtail, 15 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 13 Linnet and 9 Goldfinches.
Other sightings from around the island included a nice passage of Siskin on the West Coast whilst watching the Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills. A trip to Pondsbury resulted in 4 Eurasian Teal but still no sign of the American Green-winged Teal so we think that may have departed and moved North for the Spring. A flock of 6 Golden Plover were seen in Brick Field, the highest count of the year. The Landing Bay was a good location with evening with Great Northern Diver and 12 Shag on the water as well as a passage of Manx Shearwaters, Gannets and Kittiwakes heading out of the Bristol Channel and a Collared Dove was in Millcombe this evening.
Ringing
Single Blackcap whilst completing some post-storm net maintenance.
April 7th Sightings - Storm Kathleen Day 2
Another breezy day as a result of Storm Kathleen. A seabird station resulted in 107 Kittiwakes, only 9 Puffins, 2 Razorbills, passing flocks of Gannet and passing flocks of Manx Shearwaters later. Our Wheatears are now on territory, with colour ringed individuals returning from their wintering grounds so if you do see any colour ringed birds, please let us know as all resightings help towards the Lundy Wheatear RAS (Recapturing Adult for Survival).
Counts from this morning included 5 Mallard, 2 Woodpigeons, 4 Oystercatchers, a new flock of 3 Golden Plovers, a new flock of 3 summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls, 14 Great Black-Backed Gulls, 24 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, 308 Herring Gulls, Razorbill, 3 Gannet, 7 Shag, single Kestrel, 36 Carrion Crows, 4 Raven, only one hardy Skylarks singing, 4 Swallows, single Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, single Goldcrest, 8 Wrens, 33 Starlings, 4 Blackbirds, 2 Redwing, 6 Robins, single Song Thrush, 3 Dunnocks, 21 House Sparrows, single Pied Wagtail, 11 Meadow Pipits, 4 Linnet and a single Goldfinches.
Passing Gannets through Landing Bay. ©Lucy Pécasse
Oystercatcher in the Landing Bay. ©Lucy Pécasse
A trip down to the Landing Bay resulted in a small flock of Gannets and Oystercatchers.
Ringing
A short night catching session resulted in lower than previous numbers of Snipe, Meadow Pipits, and Skylark seen with one of each caught and ringed.
April 6th Sightings - Storm Kathleen
Storm Kathleen maybe brings 50 – 65mph wind gusts to the island but we continue the census and daily tasks.
Counts from this morning included 2 Mallard, 6 Woodpigeons, 11 Great Black-Backed Gulls, 11 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, 2 Fulmar, 3 Gannet, Shag, Peregrine, 20 Carrion Crows, 6 Raven, 4 Skylarks, 3 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers, single Goldcrest, 13 Wrens, 33 Starlings, 2 Blackbirds, 3 Redwing, single Song Thrush, 4 Dunnocks, 28 House Sparrows, 4 Pied Wagtails, 4 Meadow Pipits, 4 Chaffinches, Linnet and 2 Goldfinches.
Ringing
One of the Manx Shearwater caught and ringed at the study colony. ©Oli Henman
We retuned to the Manx Shearwater colony for the second night in a row and caught an additional 12 new and 18 retrap individuals. Highlights from this evening included a bird originally ringed as a chick in 2009 and not seen since alongside a bird that was ringed as a chick in 2010 and subsequently encountered in April 2023. Incredible birds and great to know Lundy born birds are returning to Lundy to breed.