Bird Sightings

Hooded x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field. ©ThomasWeston

Census was quite quiet but nice after a day of fog yesterday. Breezy conditions made it difficult to find too much, but a good selection was recorded. A flock of 3 Mallards were in Barton’s Field; a Feral Pigeon remained around the Lambing Shed; a Woodpigeon was in Millcombe; 2 Oystercatchers and 5 Shag were in the Landing Bay; 2 Great-Black Backed Gulls were on nests off Benjamin’s Chair; 255 Herring Gulls were in breeding colonies on the cliffs and in nonbreeding flocks on the Plateau; 28 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls were mixed in with the large gull flocks; 109 Guillemots, 51 Razorbills and 3 Puffins were off Benjamin’s Chair; a Peregrine was noted; 3 Carrion Crows and 12 Ravens were feeding on the Airfield; 9 Meadow Pipits, 13 Linnets and 6 Skylarks were in the Fields; a very slight passage of hirundines occurred with 2 Swallows and 7 House Martins flew North; a Garden Warbler was singing near the Gas Store; 2 Whitethroats and 2 Chiffchaffs were singing in Millcombe; a singing Sedge Warbler was on the Airfield again; 14 Wrens, 24 House Sparrows, and 64 Starlings were around; 3 Blackbirds, the lone singing Song Thrush, a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Chaffinches (including fledged young), 4 Robins, 3 Dunnocks, 4 Goldfinches, and a singing Lesser Redpoll were in Millcombe; and a Pied Wagtail was gathering food near the dung heap.

A trip to the North End resulted in a productivity survey being undertaken for the nesting Fulmar and nice views of breeding auks near North Light including Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins. Both Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were carrying food on the return along the main track showing both species have successfully nested and were feeding large young either in the nest or close nearby. On the way back, our Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid was showing well (see photo at the top).

Ringing

Our Wheatear team remain on the island catching adults for the RAS (Retrapping Adult Survival) Study. House Sparrow monitoring continues with the first brood coming to the end and the second broods starting. Manx Shearwater artificial box checks resulted in another box occupied by adults. This means that out of 30 boxes, 17 have shown some sort of sign of occupation. This is the highest occupation rate since the box project began.

Fogged out and windy all-day lead to very very few birds seen. Census was also not undertaken today so counts were are a bit few and far between. However, a Manx Shearwater found at the doorway to the Tavern had obviously tried to find a new burrow on the plauteau.

Ringing

One of two Collared Dove caught in the Lambing Shed.©Sophie Wilkins

The 23^rd and 24^th Collared Doves ever ringed on the island were caught whilst House Sparrow monitoring was being undertaken today.

Census was productive quieter than recent with odd showers arriving from the SW bringing some rain and gusts but fewer birds. The only wader recorded today consisted of a single Oystercatcher heard around Old Light. A single large flock of gulls totalled 26 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, and 195 Herring Gulls were in the fields showing the nice differences between the species. Off Benjamin’s Chair, 42 Guillemots, 4 Puffins, 50 Auk spp, and 108 Razorbills were seen on the water; whilst on the slopes a Rock Pipit family consisting of 2 adults and a juvenile and a male Wheatear were seen on the slopes. In the Landing Bay, 4 Shags were settled on the rocks/water while 2 Fulmars and 16 Manx Shearwaters passed. A small flock of 6 Carrion Crows, a single Pied Wagtail, and 5 Ravens were seen on the Airfield with a surprise Sedge Warbler singing by Ackland’s Pond. The fields were quiet with 4 Skylarks singing from SouthWest Field, a single Stonechat and 7 Linnets at Rocket Pole Pond, 8 Meadow Pipits seen along the route, and 80 Starling around Quarter wall. A trickle of hirundines resulted in 6 Swallows and 12 House Martins flying North, with both species recording about ~100 each today by all-comers. In Millcombe, 2 Garden Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaff, a single Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 3 Robins, 5 Chaffinches, 8 Goldfinches, single Dunnock and a single Spotted Flycatcher remained. Along the route, 8 Wrens were recorded singing and 19 House Sparrows were in the Village.

Hooded Crow x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field showing the extended black onto the belly, black between the legs and dark streaks throughout the lower chest. ©ThomasWeston

Hooded Crow x CarrionCrow Hybrid in Brick Field showing the extended black around the neck giving a shoal affect and black throughout the pink shoulder patch. ©ThomasWeston

Arriving yesterday on the 26^th, a Hooded Crow was reported to the team and would be a very rare bird for the island. From some distant views and a couple of photos the bird looked vey pure. However, on closer inspection and a few photos later, the bird was identified as a hybrid Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow. An interesting bird nonetheless but unfortunately not the real deal.

Intermittent showers and high humidity lead to several soakings but then warm patches leading to some nice sunshine.

Census started with a new in singing Garden Warbler near the Tavern, followed by a wander through Millcombe Pines. Millcombe was alive with bird song with singing birds consisting of a Collared Dove (2 in total today), 2 Robins, a Goldfinch (5 seen today), 4 Chiffchaffs, 8 Wrens (12 seen/heard today), the single Song Thrush, single Whitethroat (2 seen today) and 3 Dunnocks (5 seen today). Also, in Millcombe, a new in Lesser Redpoll, 3 Chaffinches, 5 Blackbirds (7 seen in total), 6 Spotted Flycatchers, single Woodpigeon, 3 House Sparrows (10 seen today) and a small flock of Starlings (70 seen today). In the Landing Bay, a new in Cruise ship must have had amazing views of the close passing Manx Shearwaters today – a new seawatching spot me thinks! Plus, a flock of Oystercatchers, pair of Great-Black Backed Gulls, and 5 Shags and the weirdest moment of today, a Feral Pigeon in off the sea and North. Along the south coast, 29 auk spp were associated with 96 Guillemots, 3 Puffins, and 26 Razorbills. On the top of the cliffs, a Wheatear male was busy feeding, a Ringed Plover came in off the sea and flew North. In the fields, 9 Meadow Pipits, 5 Skylarks, male Kestrel, and a male Mallard, 347 Herring Gulls and 26 Lesser-Black Backed Gulls were additional species seen.

Outside of census, a walk to Gannets Rock along the main track resulted in the Grey Heron being seen on Pondsbury, a Fulmar productivity survey resulted in 51 birds recorded including some incubating eggs. Walking back along the West Coast is one of the most fulfilling seabird adventures with over 3000+ Guillemot, 500+ Razorbills, 300+ Puffins and 200+ Kittiwakes recorded from some of the main colonies. Signs of breeding were in full swing for our Meadow Pipits, Wheatears, and Skylarks with all species seen carrying food for nests. A Manx Shearwater box check resulted in another returning individual from previous years ringing.

Puffins on the West Coast. ©Thomas Weston

We are currently experiencing large numbers of immature/non-breeding seabirds arriving back to the island for the first time to try and find a home for next year when they may think about breeding. To ensure the success of our seabirds colonising new areas of the island, where possible please limit the amount of disturbance by providing distance and sticking to the main tracks especially on the West Coast.