Martin Thorne was over on the island 24th–27th Feb, though his trip was curtailed by persistent clag, which prevented the helicopter from flying on four previous attempts last week and played havoc with plans for a week-long Lundy Field Society conservation work party.
In spite of having only two full days and further rough weather to contend with, Martin notched up some good birds, reporting two Red-throated Divers off Mouse Island and a Black-throated Diver and two Common Scoters in the Landing Bay, as well as a 'white-winged gull' (there has been a significant UK-wide arrival of both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in recent weeks) around the Airfield. There was also a noticeable arrival of passage Stonechats, with four on Ackland's Moor and up to 20 along the East Side. Dean Jones (Lundy Warden) also picked up the Stonechat influx, seeing seven below Quarry Cottages on 27th and 11 around the Rocket Pole area on 28th. Both Martin and Dean also detected a small passage of Redwings, including 20+ on 27th.
A pukka Lundy vagrant to end the month, and the first since Sep 2003, was a Great Crested Grebe in full breeding plumage, found by Dean in the Landing Bay this morning (28th); a bird he describes as "quite the treat". And so say all of us!
We now look forward to the first half of March, with its promise of the first migrant Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Sand Martins – and who knows what else?
Also seen during rhody seedling searches around Quatar Wall copse; at least 2 woodcock and possibly more as several times they were flushed from dead braken.
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