15th Sep – Goshawk in the Mist

Richard Campey arrived on the island on Tuesday 15th and reported light winds and clear visibility until increasingly thick mist rolled in during the afternoon. He spent several hours scouring the Terrace for the Sora – last seen on the afternoon of 13th – but unfortunately with no success. En route to the rail hunt, he encountered 70 Swallows heading south, along with seven Sand Martins and a House Martin. Single Sandwich Tern and Redshank – both good Lundy birds – were calling off the Terrace, the Redshank eventualy being glimpsed on Quarry Beach in gaps between the banks of swirling mist. Other species in the vicinity of the Terrace included 80 Linnets, a male Blackcap, three Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff, plus a Golden Plover calling overhead. An unexpected highlight was a male Goshawk that flew in off the sea and perched briefly in VC Quarry. Richard comments: "Utterly fierce-looking with dark cap and ear-coverts and prominent white eyestripe adding to the malevolent appearance!" This is only the eighth Lundy record, the last being in May 2013.

Returning to the Village as the visibility deteriorated further, Richard added a female Sparrowhawk and three Wheatears to the list.

Dean Jones recorded a Turnstone over the Village, a flyover Snipe, seven Grey Wagtails, a lone Siskin and also noted the small push of hirundines before the mist arrived, counting 30 Swallows and two House Martins in two minutes from Tibbetts Hill.