Bird Sightings

Census counts from today included 14 Mallard; 3 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; single Collared Dove flew south over Quarter Wall; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 10 Guillemots, 120 Razorbills, 48 Kittiwake off Benjamin’s Chair; 123 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 13 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; single Fulmar and 2 Gannets off the coast; a female Merlin flew North past the Church chasing Meadow Pipits; 15 Carrion Crow; 7 Ravens in the Village; 4 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing throughout most fields; 2 Swallows North; 2 Whitethroat around Millcombe; single Sedge Warblers at Quarter Wall; 2 Willow Warblers and 4 Chiffchaff singing; 11 Wrens across the route; 39 Starlings being super active today; 11 Blackbirds; single Fieldfare at Quarter Wall Copse; single Song Thrush still singing; single Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Robins in Millcombe; 4 Wheatears; single Whinchat female in SouthWest Field; 6 Stonechat including some fledglings near Millcombe; 17 House Sparrows in the Village; 2 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; a single Tree Pipit; 9 Meadow Pipits; 2 Chaffinch in Millcombe; 23 Linnets; with a Lesser Redpoll and 11 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe.

Other highlights included a Siskin over Millcombe, 3 Golden Plover in Aerogenerator Field, Ringed Plover over the Old Hospital, a Cuckoo on the Upper East Path, a Moorhen (very rare with less than 50 records) on Pondsbury and a female Golden Oriole in Millcombe.

Ringing

Two short sessions resulted in few migrants.

Lesser-Black Backed Gull on Millers Cake. ©AndreaMay

A pretty special day, with glorious warm weather resulting in some great birding. Highlights included a Little Ringed Plover was heard flying around the Village around 00:15 whilst the Aurora was reducing until 01:30 when it flared up again. Daytime sightings included 3 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover both on Lower Lighthouse Field; a Sparrowhawk at the South End and one in off at Castles; a Siskin, 2 Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe, a Collared Dove at the Church; a female Redstart on the Terraces; a Lesser Whitethroat in Quarry Pond; the first Hobby of the year drifted SouthEast; a male Pied Flycatcher was on the Upper East; a Lapwing in SouthWest Field; a very surprising Fieldfare in Quarter Wall Copse; 2 Whinchat near Halfway Wall; a Golden Oriole male and female seen separately in Millcombe; a Wood Sandpiper flew over the Village calling this evening shortly followed by an Osprey being mobbed by a Carrion Crow and Herring Gull. Our gulls have begun settling down and breeding with Great Black Backed, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gull all noted with nests.

Ringing

A female Redstart in the Heligoland was the first of the year.

The busiest census counts of the year so far with a total of 44 different species spotted along the route! Also, a 9^th and 2^nd for the island! More details below...

Black Redstart female in the Village. ©Thomas Weston

The day started with a warm southeasterly breeze gracing the island. One of the first birds seen at the start was a lovely female Black Redstart who was hanging around the Shop entrance. She spent the rest of the day going throughout the Village playing hide and seek for most birders wanting to see her.

One of five Spotted Flycatchers in Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston

Onwards into Millcombe, 3 Woodpigeons, a Collared Dove, 6 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, single Garden Warbler, 8 Blackbirds, 9 Dunnocks, the single Song Thrush still singing, 2 Chaffinch, 11 Robins and 11 Goldfinches were seen. A flock of 5 Spotted Flycatchers were near the Gas Store, a single Tree Pipit flew North calling, and a male was heard Cuckoo calling from Quarter Wall Copse symbolising a small arrival of both species. Viewed from the Ugly/Beach Road, a single Great-Black Backed Gull, 103 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory, 13 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls and 4 Shag were off the coast. Heading out of the valley, a flyover Lesser Redpoll was a nice spot, and 2 Oystercatchers were in the Landing Bay. Benjamin’s Chair held 2 Peregrines, a single Rock Pipit feeding unseen young, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Guillemot and 135 Razorbills. The first of today’s exciting waders were found with a Dunlin was on Rocket Pole Scrape where one of the 4 Mallards seen today was on Rocket Pole Pond with a female with 2 ducklings on Quarters Pond. Throughout the fields to Quarter Wall, 12 Skylarks, 11 Wheatears, 2 Stonechat, 7 Meadow Pipits, 2 Pied Wagtail and 12 Linnets were seen. At Quarter Wall, a single Sedge Warbler and a moment of ‘what’s that wader call?’ led to the island’s 9^th Little Ringed Plover heard only flying south before relocating to Lower Lighthouse Field for the rest of the day. In addition, a poor passage of Hirundines with 5 Swallows and 2 House Martins North, 11 Wrens were recorded across the route and 31 Starlings were spotted feeding the first fledged juveniles of the year. Finishing in the Village, single Feral Pigeon, 10 Carrion Crow; 6 Ravens and 14 House Sparrows were seen.

Additional sightings from outside of census a continuation of the wader theme with a Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, and 5 more Dunlin seen. A male Redstart was near Millcombe, a Collared Dove at Tibbetts, the island’s second ever Spoonbill flew North off the East Coast (an amazing find Mr Baille). This was followed by an incredible evening watching the aurora!!!

Ringing

A small catch of migrants in the afternoon resulted in a nice mix of species caught. A fruitless nocturnal survey was not an issue as the aurora was stunning and most likely lit us up like a Chrismas Tree.

Woodpigeon in Millcombe ©AndreaMay

Census counts from today included 2 Mallard on Rocket Pole Pond; a pair of Eurasian Teal on Ackland’s Pond; 3 Woodpigeons in Millcombe; 3 Oystercatchers in the Landing Bay; 32 Herring Gulls including nesting pairs on territory; 3 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls in Millers Cake; single Shag off the coast; 2 Carrion Crow; 4 Ravens in the Village; 5 Skylarks with birds displaying and singing throughout most fields; 3 Blackcap feeding in the woods of Millcombe; 3 Whitethroat around Millcombe; 4 Sedge Warblers with most singing; single Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaff singing; 14 Wrens across the route; 29 Starlings collecting food for the quickly growing young; single Blackbirds; single Song Thrush still singing; 2 Spotted Flycatchers, single Pied Flycatcher, 6 Robins in Millcombe; 8 Wheatears; 2 Stonechat; 6 Dunnocks; 14 House Sparrows in the Village; 4 Pied Wagtail throughout the fields; 3 Meadow Pipits; single Chaffinch in Millcombe;15 Linnets; and 6 Goldfinches mostly in Millcombe.

One of our breeding Wheatears feeding along the Landing Bay Road. ©Thomas Weston

Sightings from elsewhere included a couple of Wheatear on the Landing Bay Road; 23 Shag in the Landing Bay; the first Oystercatcher nest of the year on Rat Island; 3 Spotted Flycatcher in St John’s Valley; 2 Merlin; 7 Kestrels with 3 individuals flying North off the island; a Reed Warbler by Government; a Collared Dove being harassed on Rat Island by a Peregrine; 3 Cormorant flew North over three quarter wall; a Dunlin on Lower Lighthouse Field; a Whitethroat in Millcombe; a Redstart in Quarter Wall Copse; the first Hobby of the year flew East over Quarter Wall Copse; a Lesser Redpoll over the Village; and some large counts of auks at Jenny’s Cove counted during our seabird station.

Female Bullfinch in Millcombe. ©AndreaMay

Standout highlights from the day included a female Bullfinch in Millombe and a Minke Whale drifted North this afternoon too!