Bird Sightings

By Greg Lee

The south-westerly winds ramped up in intensity, therefore curtailing all plans for fieldwork for the day including census. Nonetheless, a myriad of data-entry and office jobs needed attention in the morning. Once the rain had stopped, I did risk a nose outside to scope out the Starling nests around the Village. In a few short days, the noisy brown fledglings will be squeaking around the place and forming small flocks with the parent birds. It is also a good time for rogue pink-coloured Starlings to appear, so I am keeping an eye out, especially as a bird of such description was seen across the Bristol Channel last week.

I took the opportunity to also check the migration hotspots on the Lower East Side. Overall, it was relatively quiet although it was nice to see the various resident birds cracking on with their breeding season with Stonechats and Meadow Pipits carrying food, streaky young Linnets bothering their parents and demanding feeding and the male Whitethroats delivering their scratchy song from the various territories. The plateau itself was extremely windy, with most wildlife sensibly choosing the option to hide in cover. A Reed Warbler singing in Secret Garden was a nice migrant of the late spring migration season, a few seem to turn up later in the UK before presumably moving onwards. A Siskin lingering in Millcombe was also slightly unseasonal. Offshore, a stream of Manx Shearwaters was piling over the tempestuous seas, presumably waiting for darkness to fall to return to their colonies. They will be enjoying the conditions coming up.

By Emma Abel

The day started early for me, heading out to Jenny's Cove at 5.30am for some morning monitoring. The sky was dramatic with the rising sun's rays shining down through the clouds over the sea. The Quail seen later on census must not have been an early riser as I didn't catch a glimpse of it on my walk past Quarry Cottages. However, I did spot a female Mallard sneaking her small brood of ducklings through the reeds at Pondsbury, a Great Black-backed Gull on the prowl nearby.

Sunrise over Quarry Cottages by Emma A

On reaching Jenny's, I started to watch the Puffins coming in to their burrows and noting their behaviours. The most exciting behaviour being a couple of adults arriving with Sand Eels in their beaks. That classic image that springs to mind of a Puffin sitting with its bright orange beak filled with fish is a sign that deep within some burrows are some fluffy Pufflings. Despite their name, Sand Eels are not actually true eels but small fish with long eel-like bodies that many seabirds species rely on, especially around the breeding season. Over the next weeks the number of adults feeding returning with fish will increase as more chicks hatch and grow. Another fluffy sighting today included a Lesser Black-backed Gull chick popping up its spotty head between the adult's legs, obviously quite freshly hatched as its egg tooth was still present.

First Puffin with Sand Eels through scope by Emma A

After my monitoring I set up my scope for Seabird Station, which was quite quiet as the westerly winds had started to pick up and Jenny's was in the firing line. Those who stuck around were treated with good views of puffins, especially when the sun came out and reflected off of their orange beaks and feet, and it was great to chat to everyone about the seabirds we have on the island. I chatted to some visitors who brought news of an exciting sighting from their walk further North, which was a Quail. I had to dispapoint them that they were not in fact the first sighting and Thomas had beaten them to it with a sighting of a separate individual that very morning, making theirs the fourth Quail of the year. They had been able to get a video of the bird flushing, meaning they got the fourth Quail, but the first footage!

Additionally a female Water Rail was heard calling from the Airfield scrub, which is the first any have been heard in a little while.

Quail at Widow's Tenement by Chris S

By Simon Parker

June is here! That means sunshine, calm seas and heatwaves, except this is the UK and on Lundy none of those things are guaranteed.  Today would be described as dank, thick fog and constant steady rain awaited as I headed out to do the morning Census.  Millcombe did have a little activity, a pair of Whitethroat were hiding up in the canopies along with a few Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Willow Warbler.  A brief view of the landing area as the fog cleared saw ten Shag in a close group feeding just off the shore.  Passing past brambles villa, a young Stonechat starting getting quite vocal and a Robin popped out briefly before shooting back into the gorse bushes.

The top of the island was where the thickest fog lingered and visibility was below 20m, Rocket Pole Pond area yielded a few Linnet before I moved up past the Old Light and onto Ackland's Moor.  At this point it became a little disorientating, but heading in a general direction I managed to somehow stay on track.  A lone Skylark and several Meadow Pipit were scuttling along the ground. The rest of Census followed the same story and by the time I'd arrived back I was absolutely soaked.

No one had a clue where we were

A badly needed recharge from the Marisco Tavern before getting into some admin and meeting up with the Biosphere team online. I was quite glad the rest of the day was spent inside as the weather became gradually worse.  The good news is that the island needed some rain, everything was starting to look a little dry and the water supply a little shaky, still no bath plugs in the properties if you're wondering..