Bird Sightings

Autumn migration continues to move through the gears with a double Hippolais warbler day and plenty of common migrants on show over the last few days. Storm Petrel ringing is now winding down after an eye-opening season. Latest totals currently sit at 538 new birds ringed this year (comfortably exceeding the all-time ringing total of 491 between 1947-2022). Throw in all the re-traps and recoveries and we've handled 642 different individuals(!), and a recent run of controls has also seen birds from France, Jersey and Alderney! Another nice seabird recovery came from a Manx Shearwater re-trapped at the Old Light colony which was originally ringed in its first-year at Wooltack Point, Pembrokeshire in September 2013.

Storm Petrel (foreground) and Manx Shearwater (background) © Luke Marriner

Turning to passerines, Pied Flycatchers have been recorded in small numbers everyday with a max count of five on 27th. Spotted Flycatcher have been equally present, also peaking at five individuals on 29-30th and Redstart have been pushing through in smaller numbers, with singles logged across the Terrace and Millcombe on 20th, 28th and 30th. Tree Pipit movement overhead has been slow and steady with ones and twos recorded most days. A change of pace came on the 23rd when a Melodious Warbler was trapped and ringed in the valley. A second (unringed) 'Melody' then popped up along the lower east coast on the 27th and an Icterine Warbler graced Millcombe between 27-28th while a Common Nightingale (scarce migrant on Lundy - only the seventh record this century!) skulked around the bracken to the north of the Quarries on 28th.

First-year Melodious Warbler in the hand before being released after ringing © Luke Marriner

First-year Pied Flycatcher © Luke Marriner

The first passage Tree Pipit of the autumn brightened up an otherwise relatively quiet census route. Two juveniles were ringed in Millcombe and another two passed south overhead. Other notables from the session included an adult female Reed Warbler and two juvenile Whitethroat which had both completed their post-juvenile moult - so presumed migrants rather than our local fledglings. Elsewhere a Sparrowhawk graced VC Quarry and a Curlew was calling over Barton Field/St Helen's Field.

Juvenile Tree Pipit © Joe Parker

Balmy summer conditions enjoyed some light wader passage with an summer-plumage Knot taking top spot. Initially picked up feeding along the intertidal in Devil's Kitchen, the moulting adult was later seen in Lametry Bay. A Ringed Plover pressed north over Old Light at midday and 22 Gannet were feeding off the south-east coast. A single House Martin headed south accompanied by 11 Swallow. Another slight arrival of Willow Warbler as 28 individuals flitted about with 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the move.

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A big clearout of yesterday's Willow Warblers saw numbers drop to a mere 12 individuals, with adults still representing a significant percentage. Few other migrants on show, best of the bunch being 3 Spotted Flycatcher and 5 Sand Martin cruising south. Gannet numbers on the increase with 56 birds actively feeding along the east coast. Plenty of Manx Shearwater action at Old Light where a ringing team monitoring the colony encountered the first wave of fledglings (6 young) and a healthy rate of between-season re-traps.

Adult Willow Warbler © Joe Parker

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