Bird Sightings

A warm census today with a breezy but warm SW wind. Millcombe was a bit sheltered and held most of the juvenile passerines. Here, our breeding residents included a single Robin, single Woodpigeon, single Song Thrush, 13 Blackbirds (couple of broods seen), 7 Dunnock, 4 Goldfinches, and 19 Wrens (juveniles heard across the route). Breeding migrants included a single Blackcap (possibly a juvenile or female based on call), 3 out of the 4 Whitethroats, single Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaff. It is hard to tell what’s really going on with the gulls in the colonies and on the plateau but today a single Great-Black Backed Gull, 78 Herring Gulls and 10 Lesser-Black Backed Gull were seen. Benjamin’s Chair was a bit choppy but held a few seabirds below. This involved 78 Guillemots and 6 Puffin on the water and a slight passage of 17 Manx Shearwaters and 3 Gannets. Walking towards Rocket Pole Pond and the juvenile Grey Heron was seen on the pond again. Moving through the fields, flocks of Starlings emerged and flew along the walls, 3 Skylark were singing, 2 Wheatears and 3 Stonechats alerted me to their presence and 14 Meadow Pipits fed in the grass. Old Light was a little hotspot for activity today with 2 juvenile Rock Pipits, 21 Linnets, single male Kestrel trying to hunt Starlings and a flock of 13 Carrion Crows in the vicinity. Walking back into the village and then the village itself, 12 Mallard, 5 Feral Pigeons, 4 Collared Doves, a single Swallow, 16 House Sparrows and 3 Pied Wagtails were seen.

Later, the Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid was seen again on the Airfield and the Yellow Wagtail male was heard only flying around Barton’s Field.

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.