Some recent ringing totals

Below are totals for some of the migrants ringed on 29th & 30th April; data from Rob Duncan and David Kightley:

Mon 29th April: Blackcap 21, Willow Warbler 94, Chiffchaff 17, Sedge Warbler 3, Whitethroat 2, Grasshopper Warbler 3, Garden Warbler 2, Goldcrest 2.

Tue 30th April: Blackcap 30, Willow Warbler 22, Chiffchaff 10, Sedge Warbler 11, Reed Warbler 3, Whitethroat 7, Goldcrest 1, Pied Flycatcher 1(f). In addition, a French-ringed Sedge Warbler control (and the Eastern Subalpine Warbler, of course...).

30th Apr – Another Eastern Subalpine Warbler!

The highlight today was another Eastern Subalpine Warbler, the second in just over a week, and this time a second calendar-year female, first seen in the field on the lower flanks of the Ugly, near Millcombe House at about 12.50 by Richard Campey, Tim Davis, Rob Duncan & Tim Jones, then trapped in a mist-net in the 'Secret Garden' area of lower Millcombe a few minutes later and ringed by Dean Jones. Photos below; others from Richard Campey to follow.

Female Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Millcombe, 30 Apr © Tim Jones

Tail pattern of Eastern Subalpine Warbler; note that 2nd outermost feather on right side is unmoulted © Tim Jones

Most of yesterday's huge fall of Willow Warblers had moved on overnight, leaving just 50 today, whilst Swallows were also much less numerous, though an estimated 500 still passed through. Notable records during a busy day included: a ringtail Hen Harrier, a male Sparrowhawk, three Golden Plover, a Ringed Plover, three Whimbrel, three Dunlin, 102 Puffin (Jenny's Cove), a Cuckoo (calling at dusk from the Rocket Pole area), 7 Woodpigeon, a Collared Dove, a Swift (South West Point), two Kestrel, 14 Sand Martin, 30 House Martin, 30 Chiffchaff, 15 Sedge Warbler, three Reed Warbler (ringed), 50 Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, 15 Whitethroat, three Goldcrest, a Fieldfare, single Pied Flycatcher (f) and Spotted Flycatcher (both Millcombe), two male Whinchats (Quarter Wall), 30 Wheatear, two Tree Pipit, a Siskin and two Lesser Redpoll.

Compiled from observations by Richard Campey, Tim Davis, Mandy Dee, Rob Duncan, Dean Jones, Tim Jones and David Kightley.

29th Apr – Rush of Willow Warblers and Swallows, first Swift

Richard Campey reports that Millcombe was "heaving" first thing, with a major fall of Willow Warblers (including one acredula type), a Wood Warbler (seen by Dean Jones), singing Sedge Warbler, three Grasshopper Warblers (ringed), about 20 Blackcaps, at least two Tree Pipits and a Cuckoo. 30 unringed Wheatears south of Halfway Wall were all males, whilst a further 30, north of Threequarter Wall, were mostly females. Other notable species included the first Swift of the year, a Black Redstart along the Terrace, four Teal, five Dunlin, four Whimbrel, a Greenfinch and two Lesser Redpolls. A review of estimated totals at the end of the day came up with 1,000+ Willow Warblers and over 2,000 Swallows – at last!

Observations from Richard Campey, Rob Duncan, Dean Jones, David Kightley and visiting staff and students from the University of Exeter.

25th to 28th Apr – Storm Hannah followed by improving Swallow numbers and a Nightingale...

An update from Dean Woodfin Jones for the end of last week and the start of the weekend, followed by news from Richard Campey of yesterday, after a weather-delayed arrival on the island:

Thursday 25th April

A wet start to the day followed by sporadic sunny spells and light showers and of course strong winds by the end of the afternoon as Storm Hannah rolls in.

The female Sparrowhawk, a male Kestrel, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 4 Woodpigeon, 3 Sand Martin, only 11 Swallow, 18 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, the first Reed Warbler of the year, 28 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Common Redstart (both females), the first Whinchat of the year near the Stonecrusher, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail, 6 Chaffinch, the female Brambling, 8 Goldfinch and 40 Linnet.

Friday 26th April – Hannah picking up steam.

Birds of note: The female Sparrowhawk, 1 Whimbrel, the first Common Sandpiper of the year in the Landing Bay, 1 Collared Dove, 4 Woodpigeon, 3 Swallow, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 12 Blackbird, 1 White Wagtail, 3 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch and 43 Linnet.

Saturday 27th April – Storm Hannah at her peak! 


The birding was very difficult today unsurprisingly but there were a few good birds on the island for those brave enough to venture out of their properties. Birds of note: 6 Whimbrel, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 1 White Wagtail, a male Common Redstart, 2 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch and 20 Linnet. 


Sunday 28th April

Richard Campey, arriving 24 hours late after Storm Hannah caused cancellation of all transport to the island on Saturday, writes:

"Arrived to light drizzle and a fairly quiet Millcombe for warblers, but 27 Goldfinches and at least seven Siskins. Cormorant overhead going south, along with four Curlew (one calling in flight), an hour later, also going south. Already light wind steadily dropped mid pm, but also still some drizzle. 40 Swallows feeding over Airfield and on wires. One House Martin and one Sand Martin. A single Whimbrel in Brick Field. Merlin shot over Pondsbury late afternoon, where there were at least seven Mallard ducklings. Several singing and displaying Wheatears. Another 15 Swallows this evening as I walk back along Lower East Side Path, with hardly a breath of wind, Tavern bound!"

Dean Jones saw 60 Swallows go through and heard a Tree Pipit before the drizzle set in during the late morning, but the best bird of the day was a Nightingale trapped in the afternoon by Rob Duncan and David Kightley – a rare bird for both Lundy and Devon.

Common Nightingale, Millcombe, 28 Apr 2019 © Dean Jones

Reports composed of sightings from Rebecca Healey, Neil & Andy Trout, Rob Duncan, David Kightley, Richard Campey, and Dean Woodfin Jones.

23rd & 24th Apr – Migration in full swing but where are the Swallows?

The latest instalment of Lundy bird news, hot off the kyboard from island Warden Dean Woodfin Jones, covers a typically wide variety of late-April migrants, but hirundine numbers – and those of Swallow in particular – remain stubbornly low, perhaps reflecting challenging conditions further south:

Tuesday 23rd April

A rather pleasant day, with warm temperatures, blue skies and a light easterly breeze. Birds of note included 3 Whimbrel (2 above the Battery and 1 in the Devil’s Kitchen), 7 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, only 4 Swallow, 20 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 27 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (a control bird, ringed elsewhere in the UK – news of its place and date of ringing is eagerly awaited!), a female Goldcrest, a Black Redstart, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 White Wagtails, 3 Yellow Wagtails (2 male and 1 female flavissima types), the female Brambling, 21 Goldfinch, 63 Linnet and a single Lesser Redpoll.

Unfortunately there was no further sign of the Pied Crow after about 16.00 hrs on 23rd; where will he/she turn up next? Only time will tell...

Post-script: The Pied Crow cofounded predictions of an onward trip to South Wales, or even a return to East Yorkshire, instead choosing to return to the North Devon mainland, where it was seen in Mortehoe on 25th, then neighbouring Woolacombe on 26th, where it was still present on 29th, affording excellent views along the sea front.

Wednesday 24th April

A rather soggy and blustery day. Lots of food off the east coast in the afternoon attracted some nice numbers of seabirds, including 19 Gannet, 53 Shag, 109 Manx Shearwater, 11 Kittiwake and c30 Razorbill.

Other birds of note include a Whimbrel over the Village in the afternoon, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, the female Sparrowhawk, 2 Cuckoo (male & female), 4 Swallow, 14 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Goldcrest (both female), a Fieldfare, a female Stonechat, 23 Goldfinch, 56 Linnet and a single Lesser Redpoll.

Cuckoo, Millcombe, 24 Apr 2019 © Dean Jones

Late news: A Wood Warbler was found near the Quarries by Viate, L’Amie, Charlotte Gillard, Rachel Pettit and Vicky McKenzie on 21st April.

Report composed of sightings from Rob Duncan, David Kightley, Neil & Andy Trout, Kevin Welsh and Dean Woodfin Jones.

23rd Apr – Pied Crow!

A WhatsApp message from Dean Jones brought news that the Pied Crow, which has been wandering extensively around England and Wales for the last 10 months and which popped up eating sardines in a Clovelly garden yesterday after a 12-day sojourn in Cornwall, had made it to Lundy! Below, a great photo and short video clip from Dean, who said of his subject: "Amazing beast; it's blooming huge!!":

Pied Crow atop the Lundy General Stores, aka 'the Shop', 23 Apr © Dean Jones

Said amazing beast first appeared in East Yorkshire in June 2018, since when it has been in Licolnshire, Norfolk, Essex, East Sussex, North Somerset, Pembrokeshire, Cornwall and the Devon mainland – though not in that order – see map from BirdGuides below:

Pied Crow has an extensive sub-Saharan breeding distribution, as shown in the map below from HBW Alive:

Native range of Pied Crow Corvus albus Source: HBW Alive

Records north of the Sahara, including those in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, are generally considered to be either the result of escapes from captivity, or due to birds hitching a ride on a passing ship. A December 2018 BirdGuides article about the individual that has now paid a visit to Lundy, concluded that the bird's origins "are still clearly up in the air. Showing no obvious signs of plumage wear, and slight peachy feather discolouration when it first appeared consistent with sand-blasting in the Sahara (or further south), it seems worthy of consideration as a ship-assisted or even migrant bird, despite the high escape risk. That said, its confiding nature suggests past affiliation with humans, and it seems unlikely that this long-staying and widely wandering bird will get anywhere near the British list. However, this bird's presence has been widely discussed both in literature and online, and it's arguably surprising that an owner hasn't yet come forward to claim it. Perhaps its origins don't lie in Britain after all..." It will be interesting to see where its next port of call is. Back to Wales, perhaps?

Post-script: The Pied Crow quickly moved on from Lundy and was not seen after about 4pm on the day that it arrived (23 Apr). It cofounded predictions of an onward trip to South Wales, instead choosing to return to the North Devon mainland, where it was seen in Mortehoe on 25th, then neighbouring Woolacombe on 26th, where it was still present on 29th, affording excellent views along the sea front. Photos here and here.

20th to 22nd Apr – Yellow-browed and Eastern Subalpine Warblers

Lundy Warden Dean Woodfin Jones rounds up all the news from three eventful days on the island:

Saturday 20th April

A beautiful sunny, warm day brought with it the first full ship of the season as well as a superb array of migrant birds. Highlights include the female Sparrowhawk, 12 Woodpigeon, only 4 Swallow, 20 Willow Warbler, 15 Chiffchaff, 7 Sedge Warbler, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler in Millcombe, 300+ Blackcap (though this is probably a gross underestimate), 2 Whitethroats, 2 Pied Flycatcher, the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year, a Grey Wagtail in the Devil's Kitchen, 1 White Wagtail in Barton Field, the first Yellow Wagtail of the year at Pondsbury, a Tree Pipit over Millcombe, 5 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch and a single Lesser Redpoll over the Village in the evening. The bird of the day, however, came in the form of a Yellow-browed Warbler which was found by Andy Trout in the Sycamores at the top of Millcombe in the mid-afternoon. This is the first spring record for this hardy little Siberian warbler on Lundy, a superb find!

Sunday 21st April

Another sunny and very warm day saw another arrival of migrants including a Merlin, the female Sparrowhawk again, 19 Swallow, a single House Martin, 60 Willow Warbler, 15 Chiffchaff, 5 Sedge Warbler, 6 Grasshopper Warbler, 150 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat and 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Black Redstart, a female Common Redstart, 4 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail again in Barton Field, along with a stonking male Yellow Wagtail, 4 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch, a single male Greenfinch, 1 Siskin, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 22 Linnet and a female Brambling feeding with the Chaffinch in Barton Field.

Ringing totals = 138 birds: 79 Blackcap, 31 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 5 Sedge Warbler, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Wren, 4 Goldfinch and 1 Greenfinch. 

Monday 22nd April

Slightly cooler day today compared to the weekend due to the strong easterly winds, though all in all, still very sunny and pleasant. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the presence of an Eastern Subalpine Warbler which turned up in a shelf of a mist-net in Millcombe and was subsequently ringed by David Kightley. The bird turned out to be a second calendar-year male and was in good health and carrying a small amount of fat. This is the 19th record of Subalpine Warbler for the island.

Other birds of note included the female Sparrowhawk hunting Woodpigeon in Quarter Wall Copse, a male Kestrel, a Dunlin on South West Point, a Collared Dove in the Village, the first Cuckoo of the year, only 8 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 22 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, the first Garden Warbler of the year, 53 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit over Millcombe in the early morning, a female Stonechat at Quarter Wall, 3 Chaffinch, 14 Goldfinch, a Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 51 Linnet and the female Brambling.

Ringing totals = 54 birds: 30 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 10 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Meadow Pipit and singles of Goldcrest, Woodpigeon, Whitethroat and of course the Eastern Subalpine Warbler.

Unsurprisingly with all this sunny weather we have also had some nice diurnal Lepidoptera sightings this weekend, with Peacock butterflies, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Green-veined White, Small White, Orange-tip, Painted Lady, Silver Y and Emperor Moth all on the wing.

Report composed from sightings from Chris & Mandy Dee, Rob Duncan, David Kightley, Neil & Andy Trout and Dean Woodfin Jones.

1st calendar-year male Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Millcombe, 22 Apr 2019 © Dean Jones

Female Brambling, Millcombe, 22 Apr 2019 © Dean Jones

Male Orange-tip on Bluebell, Millcombe, 22 Apr 2019 © Dean Jones