Bird Sightings

An apparently nice, sunny day led to a band of wet weather loitering over the island in the afternoon. However, census was successfully completed in the morning followed by some team Starling monitoring!

Census counts from today included a 3 Mallard; single male Teal; 5 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers; 2 Great Black-Backed Gulls; 43 Herring Gulls, 9 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 26 Razorbills, 2 Fulmar; 2 Shag, male Kestrel, 11 Carrion Crow, 7 Ravens, 10 Skylarks, 3 Swallows, single Blackcap, single Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff, single Goldcrest, 13 Wrens, 53 Starlings, 6 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 7 Robins, single Stonechat, 7 Wheatears, 18 House Sparrows, 2 Pied Wagtail, single ‘alba Wagtail’, 8 Meadow Pipits, single Rock Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 9 Linnets, single Lesser Redpoll on the feeders by the Campsite, 9 Goldfinches, and a flyover Siskin.

Ringing

Dunlin caught during nocturnal surveys. ©Thomas Weston

A short mist netting session resulted in a nice mix of migrants with warblers dominating. Nest checking our Starling population resulted in 28 nests checked, 9 accessible nests and 37 Starling pulli ringed (plus a female recaptured and colour ringed). The female was originally ringed as a chick in summer 2022! A short nocturnal survey resulted in 2 Dunlin and 2 Skylark caught.

Another nice day with high pressure dominating.

A busy day for the Conservation Team resulting in low coverage across the island. Highlights from census and allcomers included a female Redstart, adult female Sparrowhawk, 2 Whimbrel, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Northern Diver in the Landing Bay, and a Greenshank (island rarity) heard near Pondsbury.

Ringing

A short session resulted in a small catch of migrants in Millcombe.

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.