Bird Sightings

Stonechat male around Rocket Pole Pond. ©Thomas Weston

Census counts from today included 4 Mallard split between Quarters Pond and Rocket Pole Pond; a Swift headed North over the Church; 4 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 2 Ringed Plover flew over the Tavern in the direction of Lower Lighthouse Field; a breeding pair of Great-Black Backed Gulls  on Miller’s Cake; 93 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 1 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; 102 Razorbills split between Benjamin’s Chair and the Landing Bay with an additional 40 auk spp off the latter; 2 Great Northern Divers with one bird frequently calling off the Landing Bay with the calls echoing along the cliffs; 27 Shag off the coast; single male Kestrel in Millcombe; 18 Carrion Crow mostly in a non-breeding flock on the Airfield; 10 Ravens in the Village; 12 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing throughout most fields; a slight passage of hirundines with 2 Sand Martins, 31 Swallows, and 2 House Martins all heading North; a single Garden Warbler and 2 Blackcap feeding in the woods of Millcombe; 4 Whitethroat around Millcombe; a nice arrival of 10 Sedge Warblers with most singing; 4 Willow Warblers and 3 Chiffchaff singing; 11 Wrens across the route; 39 Starlings collecting food for the young; 9 Blackbirds; single Song Thrush still singing; 4 Robins in Millcombe; 16 Wheatears with the majority being the ‘Greenland’ subspecies; 4 Stonechat with two pairs noted; 28 House Sparrows in the Village; 8 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; 14 Meadow Pipits mostly in SW Field; 2 Rock Pipit around Benjamin’s Chair; 12 Linnets; 2 Lesser Redpoll flying around Millcombe; and 15 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe

A Skylark on Middle Park. ©Thomas Weston

We undertook a Skylark census today to determine the number of breeding birds on the island. Being the first time, this methodology was undertaken, it was great to find 12 on the census route, an additional 11 singing birds mostly between quarter and halfway wall, and 5 more birds not seen singing but displaying to one another resulting in 38 birds in total.

At the end of the survey a half an hour visible migration watch resulted in a Yellow Wagtail heading North (plus another in Barton’s Field), 4 Whimbrels headed North, a few hundred Swallows, small pulses of House Martins, low number of Sand Martins, and a single Swift. Our breeding auks were in good numbers with a good mix of species seen.

Other sightings seen today included a Cuckoo in Millcombe, Collared Dove on Rat Island, 2 Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe, and the 2 Black-tailed Godwits still on Pondsbury.

Our Wild Westcoast. ©ThomasWeston

A day where the cloud never really parted but a nice warm breeze drifted across the island. As a result, it was quite a quiet day for migration that resulted in a small pulse of Swifts and other hirundines moving North. Annoyingly, there was some all too brief glimpses of a Red-rumped Swallow which flew North past Aztec Bay with some Swallows mixed in too. Let’s hope another one makes an appearance and lingers a little longer.

Black-tailedgodwit pair on Pondsbury. ©AndreaMay

The day also saw large counts of Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins from Jenny’s Cove during our seabird stations; a French ringed Kittiwake who was originally ringed as a chick in 2009 in Brittany and resighted since; a Grey Heron on Pondsbury; a Lesser Redpoll in Millcombe; 2 Whimbrel around Castle accommodation; 2 Dunlin still on Lower Lighthouse Field and the second rarest bird of the day, 2 Black-tailed Godwits on Pondsbury. The latter a less than annual passage wader.

A sunnier day than yesterday resulted in a nice census walk before the breeze picked up in the afternoon.

A Lesser Redpoll on the Camping Field feeder. ©Thomas Weston

Census counts from today included a 10 Mallard (6 ducklings) on Quarters Pond; 3 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 2 Dunlin in Lower Lighthouse Field; 40 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 2 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; 109 Razorbills off Benjamin’s Chair; 3 Gannets in the Landing Bay; 5 Shag off the coast; male Kestrel in Millcombe; single Peregrine on Shatter Rocks; 7 Carrion Crow mostly on the Airfield; 6 Ravens in the Village; 10 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing; 5 Sand Martins North; 28 Swallows, 2 Whitethroat in Millcombe; 2 Sedge Warblers singing; single Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff singing; single Goldcrest near Smelly Gully; 14 Wrens across the route; 30 Starlings collecting food for the young; single Song Thrush still singing; 5 Robins in Millcombe; 3 Stonechat with one pair feeding young; 2 Spotted Flycatchers with a single bird in off at Benjamin’s Chair; 5 Wheatears; 14 House Sparrows in the Village; 4 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; 6 Meadow Pipits mostly in SW Field; single Rock Pipit around Benjamin’s Chair; 38 Linnets; 2 Lesser Redpoll on the feeders; and 9 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe.

Whimbrel around Castles. ©Andrea May

Other sightings included a Pied Flycatcher in Millcombe, a flock of 4 Whimbrel at Castles, and a steady stream of hirundines again.

Ringing

A short session this morning resulted in the first Garden Warblers of the year caught in Millcombe. Another Starling search resulted in the 30^th nest found pushing our total up to 10 accessible nests and 40 chicks ringed so far this year. An afternoon session to catch adults resulted in an adult from winter 2021 caught and colour ringed. An evening nocturnal session resulted in Manx Shearwaters caught at one of the colonies on the island.

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.