Bird Sightings
April 18th Sightings – Woodchat Shrike
A Woodchat Shrike on the Upper East Side Path near Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston
Highlights from today:
- Golden Oriole in Millcombe again
- A ‘new in’ Woodchat Shrike from the Tavern/St Helens Field and Copse
- A Hooded Crow flew South over Tent Field.
- Two Jackdaw flew North.
- A Yellow Wagtail on Barton’s Field again.
- Canada Goose on Pondsbury again
- A Night Heron flew over Millcombe.
- Single Rook flew South
- More colour ringed Wheatears reported to us – great work everyone taking the time to find, photograph and report these birds to us! Every resighting counts.
Census counts this morning were completed in beautiful weather today. Rarities were found during the census but have been included in the highlights above. Totals included single Mallards, 2 Woodpigeons, 3 Oystercatcher, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 16 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, Guillemot, 393 Razorbills, 5 Fulmar, single Peregrine, 2 Jackdaw, Rook,19 Carrion Crow, 10 Ravens, 9 Skylarks, 15 Sand Martins, 18 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 7 Blackcap, 15 Willow Warbler (a big arrival on the island today), 3 Chiffchaff, single Goldcrest, 13 Wrens, 28 Starlings, 7 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 5 Robins, 15 Wheatears, 3 Stonechat, 7 Dunnocks, 12 House Sparrows, 5 Pied Wagtail, 2 ‘alba’ wagtails, 13 Meadow Pipits, single Chaffinch, 46 Linnets, 13 Goldfinches and 2 Siskin.
April 17th Sightings – Good Coverage
A Green Sandpiper flying from the St Johns Valley area. ©Thomas Weston
Highlights from today:
- Golden Oriole in Millcombe again
- Green Sandpiper flew out of St John’s Valley.
- A Jackdaw on Upper Lighthouse Field and 2 over the Ugly
- A Yellow Wagtail flying around Tent Field with the same (or another) seen on Barton’s Field again.
- Canada Goose on Pondsbury again
- Purple Sandpiper at Brazen Ward
- 1st Tree Pipit of the year
- Ring Ouzel at Halfway Wall
- Sub-adult Night Heron in Smelly Gully
- Colour ringed Wheatears reported to us – great work everyone taking the time to find, photo and report these birds to us! Every resighting counts.
Subadult Night Heron in Millcombe's Smelly Gully. ©Alan Rowland
Census counts this morning were completed in beautiful weather today. Rarities were found during the census but have been included in the highlights above. Totals included 2 Mallards, 4 Woodpigeons, 6 Great Black-backed Gulls, 61 Herring Gulls, 6 Guillemot, 28 Razorbills, single Fulmar, Kestrel, 10 Carrion Crow, 8 Ravens, 9 Skylarks, 10 Sand Martins, 26 Swallows, 5 House Martins, 18 Blackcap, single Sedge Warbler in Millcombe, 46 Willow Warbler (a big arrival on the island today), single Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 15 Wrens, 48 Starlings, 4 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Robins, 8 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 5 Dunnocks, 19 House Sparrows, single Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinch, 113 Linnets (big movement throughout the day), 6 Goldfinches and a Siskin.
Ringing
A big fall of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps today with these, plus others, caught and ringed in Millcombe today resulting in 257 birds ringed. A Manx Shearwater box check found a returning pair back in their 2023 breeding burrow!
April 16th Sightings – More Island Scarcities
Census was breezy with the North Westerly wind again today.
Highlights from today:
- Golden Oriole in Millcombe this morning and late afternoon with a noticeable absence throughout the middle of the day.
- Ring Ouzel pair at Quarry Cottages with the female remaining throughout the day in the vicinity but the male being very mobile.
- Yellow Wagtail spotted in Barton’s Field again today on census.
- Jackdaw – 2 over the Terraces
- Canada Goose now sat on Pondsbury and seen throughout the day.
- Ring Ouzel by the Terraces
A Redwing along the Upper East Path near Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston
St Helen’s Field held the flock of 8 late Redwing. Millcombe was very busy again with the single Song Thrush, 6 Dunnocks, 12 Wrens, 9 Blackbirds (2 outside this area), 2 Chaffinches, 5 Goldcrests, 6 Robins, 9 Woodpigeons, single female Blackcap. Around the coastal parts of the census included 26 Gannets, 3 Shag, 4 Great-Black Backed Gulls, 11 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 2 Fulmar, single Oystercatcher, single Razorbill, single Guillemot and a Peregrine. In the fields, 97 Herring Gulls, 4 Skylarks, single Mallard, 6 Greenland Wheatears and single Yellow Wagtail. Ending in the Village involved 29 House Sparrows, 7 Ravens, 29 Starlings and a Pied Wagtail. However, throughout the census visible migration overhead included 63 Swallows, 5 Meadow Pipits, 42 Linnets, single Goldfinch and 3 House Martins. Not seen on census but flying around Millcombe was a Spotted Flycatcher (first of the year found yesterday).
Alongside the Canada Goose, a pair of Mallard, pair of Teal and 6 Skylarks were noted at Pondsbury. At nearby Jenny’s Cove, 72 Kittiwakes, 17 Puffins, 6 Herring Gulls, 3 Wheatears, a single Skylark, single Wren and 51 Fulmar were seen The Terraces were quiet but still held Linnet, Wrens, Dunnocks, 4 Blackbirds, single Blackcap and 2 Oystercatchers.
Ringing
A ringing session throughout the morning/early afternoon resulted in a small catch of migrants.
April 15th Sightings - A Brief Update
Canada Goose in the Landing Bay. ©Thomas Weston
Highlights from a very windy NW wind today:
- Two Night Herons in Millcombe (1st summer and adult)
- Golden Oriole remains in Millcombe all day.
- Single Jackdaw in the Village
- 'New in' Canada Goose flew into the Landind Bay - the first of the year!
- 'New in' Green Sandpiper flew into Millcombe/St John's Valley - the first of the year!
Census counts this morning were completed before the rain/thick fog set in for the rest of the day. Totals included 4 Mallards, 6 Woodpigeons, 3 Oystercatchers, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 212 Herring Gulls, single Guillemot, single Great Northern Diver, 4 Gannet, 5 Shag, 36 Carrion Crow, 8 Ravens, 5 Skylarks, 2 Swallows, single Blackcap, single reeling Grasshopper Warbler in Millcombe, single Chiffchaff, single Goldcrest, 10 Wrens, 58 Starlings, the Golden Oriole, 6 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 2 late Redwing, 4 Robins, 6 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 5 Dunnocks, 14 House Sparrows, a Yellow Wagtail in Barton’s Field, single Pied Wagtails, 12 Meadow Pipits, 2 Chaffinch, 21 Linnets, and 3 Goldfinches.