Bird Sightings
April 12th Sightings - An April Fall
A busy census and Terrace check this morning!
White Wagtail near the Watertanks Pool. ©Thomas Weston
Highlights so far have included the first 3 Grasshopper Warblers of they year with 2 in Millcombe and a single at the Terrace; the first female Redstart of the year with a female going back and forth around the Heligoland Trap; a male Pied Flycatcher in the willows in Quarry Pond; a fall of Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff and Blackcap with a high proportion along the East coast; a passage of Linnets and Goldfinches with the highest count of the year for the former species; a pair of White Wagtails in Watertank Pool; an arrival of new Wheatears; 4 late Redwing; and a steady passage of hirundines.
Census counts this morning were completed before the rain/thick fog set in for the rest of the day. Totals included 2 Mallards, 4 Woodpigeons, 3 Oystercatchers, 75 Herring Gulls, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Guillemots, 52 Razorbills, single Great Northern Diver, single Fulmar, 2 Gannets, 6 Shag, 2 Kestrels, 24 Carrion Crow, 5 Ravens, 8 Skylarks, 4 Sand Martins, 5 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 2 Blackcap, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 12 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff, 14 Wrens, 31 Starlings, 9 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, 3 Robins, 5 Wheatears, single Stonechat, 5 Dunnocks, 26 House Sparrows, 8 Pied Wagtails, 3 ‘alba’ Wagtails, 10 Meadow Pipits, single Chaffinches, 78 Linnets and 5 Goldfinches.
Ringing
The Heligoland Trap was run once and a single Blackcap was caught today.
April 11th Sightings - Foggy Jackdaw
A second day of fog means no active migration was recorded today although the second Jackdaw of the year was found just outside the Tavern.
A foggy Jackdaw outside the Tavern. ©Thomas Weston
Census counts this morning were completed before the rain/thick fog set in for the rest of the day. Totals included 2 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers, 14 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Shag, 4 Carrion Crow, 3 Ravens, 3 Skylarks, single Willow Warblers, single Goldcrest. 9 Wrens, 29 Starlings, 3 Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 3 Redwing, 6 Robins, 2 Wheatears, 4 Dunnocks, 23 House Sparrows, single Pied Wagtails, 3 ‘alba’ Wagtails, 8 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 4 Linnets and 4 Goldfinches.
Afternoon counts involved a Sandwich Tern, Great Northern Diver, Gannet and passing Manx Shearwater from the Landing Bay and a Peregrine hunting Starlings over the Village. A check of our artificial Manx Shearwater boxes revealed three returning adults, 2 unringed Wheatears and a few Meadow Pipits on the slopes.
Ringing
Three Manx Shearwaters were found in the boxes today. This included a 2023 pair who bred last year and returned for another year, lets hope they are successful again! A single individual was originally ringed in the boxes in 2020 and has bred every year since. We hope to see their partner again soon.
April 10th Sightings - Fogged Out
Census counts this morning were completed before the rain/thick fog set in for the rest of the day. Totals included 3 Mallard, 2 Woodpigeons, single Great Black-backed Gull, 210 Herring Gulls, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, single Guillemot, 53 Razorbills, single Great Northern Diver, single Fulmar, 2 Gannets, 6 Shag, 24 Carrion Crow, 2 Ravens, 3 Skylarks, 2 Blackcaps, 7 Willow Warblers, single Chiffchaff, single Goldcrest. 5 Wrens, 28 Starlings, single Blackbird, single Song Thrush, 4 Robins, 2 Dunnocks, 15 House Sparrows, 5 Pied Wagtails, 10 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 15 Linnets and 6 Goldfinches.
No counts were made this afternoon due to the weather.
Ringing
Another Manx Shearwater session resulted in 8 new, 13 re-trap Manx Shearwater in an hour session. The highlights included the 2009 chick, reacaught for the second time this year and adults ringed from 2011 , 2012 and 2014 onwards.
April 9th Sightings - Sandwich Tern
A change to strong Northwesterly winds resulted in a breezy plauteau today and sheltered spots on the south and east coasts.
Sandwich Tern in the Landing Bay. ©Thomas Weston
A few highlights from today included 5 Golden Plover in Brick Field, two summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls in Tillage (below), the first Sandwich Tern of the year moving between the Jetty and 1/4 Wall Copse (above), and a Great Northern Diver in the Landing Bay.
Two Black headed Gulls in Tillage. ©Thomas Weston
Census counts this morning were split due to it being a travel day. A single drake Mallard and a single Stonechat was on Rocket Pole Pond but was mostly sheltering from the wind. In Millcombe, 3 Woodpigeons were seen near Smelly Gully whilst a single Redwing, our singing male Song Thrush and the Collared Dove remained in the copse. Migrants spotted today included 7 Blackcaps, 8 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrests. Counts of the resident species include 6 Wrens, 3 Blackbirds, 3 Robins and 4 Dunnocks. From the Ugly, the Landing Bay was more sheltered than the fields with 4 Kittiwakes, 2 Razorbills, 2 Gannets and 5 Shags were spotted. The waterlogged fields of the west coast resulted in 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 131 Herring Gulls and 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls with the main flocks around the Water tanks. In the nearby fields, 17 Carrion Crows, 2 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails, 15 Meadow Pipits, and a surprise Rock Pipit was found. In Brick Field, 5 Golden Plover were sheltered with a male Wheatear whilst 2 Black-headed Gulls remain in Tillage Field. In the Village, 6 Ravens, 34 Starlings and 30 House Sparrows were present. Overhead 2 Chaffinches, 8 Linnets and 4 Goldfinches were migrating North.
Male Stonechat on the Terraces. ©Thomas Weston
Ringing
The Terraces/Lower East Path were the most sheltered area of the island today with a pair of Stonechat, 3 Willow Warblers, single male Blackcap, a pair of Kestrel, female Merlin and male Peregrine. The heligoland was the most suitable area of the island so a couple of 'pushes' of the trap today resulted in a few birds caught.