A interval of northerly winds in a single day noticed a reasonably substantial fall of Blackcaps on the thirteenth with over 60 ringed and 76 recorded. Nevertheless, clear skies and low winds shortly beckoned them onwards and a mass exodus left us with only a few birds on the finish of the week. Robust easterlies over the weekend introduced a couple of new birds in, however most sensibly hunkered down. In the one quick lull on Sunday night feeding exercise resumed, and a shocking first-year Barred Warbler dropped into the slope internet in Millcombe.
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| First-year Barred Warbler ringed in Millcombe on seventeenth © Anna Sutcliffe |
A pair of Teal have been current on Pondsbury on the thirteenth, though simply the male has been picked up subsequently at Quarter Wall pond. A Water Rail was heard calling in Smelly Gully on the thirteenth and fifteenth. One Cormorant was seen on the thirteenth. The primary-year Gray Heron has nonetheless been current every day, with a raiding get together of six additional first-years driving the thermals alongside the east coast on the fifteenth.
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| Six first-year Gray Heron alongside the east coast on the fifteenth © Angus Croudace |
By way of waders, a single Ringed Plover was heard on the thirteenth. Three Snipe on the thirteenth together with two by Rocket Pole and one at Pondsbury on fifteenth. A Snipe was additionally ringed within the evening of the seventeenth. Greenshank single picked up calling because it flew over Millcombe by Tony Taylor on 14th. A Dunlin was feeding on Barton’s Pond on the fifteenth. Two Golden Plover over the Airfield on the 14th and a single calling on sixteenth and seventeenth. On the fifteenth additionally Joe efficiently dazzled and rung a first-year Dotterel on the north finish, simply the seventh chicken ringed on Lundy!
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| First-year Dotterel ringed on the north finish of the island on fifteenth September © Joe Parker |
The northerly winds on the thirteenth that introduced the arrival of Blackcaps additionally carried hirundines over our shores, with a push of 120 Sand Martin, 136 Swallow, and 67 Home Martin. Passage was minimal on the finish of the week, however one Swift was picked up over Barton’s on the fifteenth. We’re nonetheless awaiting a giant Swallow push this season, maybe to return on the finish of this week when winds flip extra beneficial for big scale passage.
Willow Warbler additionally moved out, with 12 on the thirteenth, however simply 3 of each Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff the remainder of the week. A Sedge Warbler was current on the thirteenth together with three Reed Warbler and 5 Whitethroat. Goldcrest are one of many few migrants that remained when seemingly all the pieces else abandoned us, with 18 on the thirteenth and 14th, and 10 on the fifteenth. One Backyard Warbler was current on the fifteenth and a Firecrest was feeding in an Oak in Millcombe on the seventeenth.
We had 4 Noticed Flycatchers and only one Pied Flycatcher on the thirteenth earlier than none have been recorded on Thursday or Friday. A single of every species was detected over the weekend in Millcombe. Single Whinchat on the thirteenth, fifteenth and seventeenth at Barton’s Subject. A complete of 18 Wheatear have been current on the thirteenth however this had diminished to only a couple on the finish of the week. Two Wheatear have been ringed on the seventeenth, together with one of many Greenland race leucorhoa.
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| Whinchat and Meadow Pipit at Barton’s. © Angus Croudace |
There have been one, typically two Yellow Wagtail across the village all week and a Gray-Headed Wagtail (Yellow Wagtail subspecies m.f.thunbergi) in St Helen’s Subject on the fifteenth. Two Tree Pipit flew over on the thirteenth.
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| Gray-headed Wagtail m.f.thunbergi in St Helen’s Subject on fifteenth. © Shaun Robson |
A few Wryneck continued their tenure on Lundy on the east and round Millcombe, with one unringed particular person additionally new-in on census at Rocket Pole on the 14th. Two birds at Terrace and Millcombe nonetheless on the seventeenth. The primary-year Rose-coloured Starling can be nonetheless current across the village.
Numbers are dwindling within the final remaining seabird colonies and a late season Manx Shearwater ringing try at North Mild solely gained three new birds, while one other fledged chicken was situated by the Tavern the identical evening. One other two fledged younger turned up within the village on the seventeenth (see earlier weblog for a proof). Two groups setup at The Battery and North Mild mist netting Storm Petrels on the fifteenth caught 4 birds between them, and though numbers have been low, excitingly they included a management. Lastly for this week, about 30mins away from Lundy Anna and Steve Sutcliffe noticed a dark-morph Arctic Skua from the MS Oldenburg on the sixteenth.
