21st Sep – A busy day of migration after a quiet start

The latest from Richard Campey...

 

"Nothing like a limp flagpole to start the day! Headed off round South End and Old Light across to Terrace and back along Upper East Side Path. Hardly any birds! A few Chiffchaffs along the Terrace, and one Lesser Redpoll overhead by Quarter Wall. Then Millcombe. Three Firecrests showing, plus a steady stream of Chiffchaffs and a few Willow Warblers. Also Whitethroats and Pied & Spotted Flycatchers. Caught up with Yellow-browed Warbler again and spent time photographing the Pied Flys. Both species of flycatcher were launching themselves from the roof of Millcombe House.

 

Firecrest among Sycamore leaves near the Casbah, Millcombe, 21 Sep © Richard Campey

 Pied Flycatcher on the lookout for food in calmer conditions, 21 Sep © Richard Campey

A nearby Spotted Flycatcher, Millcombe, 21 Sep © Richard Campey

 

Late afternoon did Upper East Side Path, Old Light and South End. Added Redstart. Good steady stream of Swallows after 11.00am for the rest of the day. 

 

A really great day post-10.00am. Tons of birds to look at and always that feeling there was something out there... That'll be Wednesday! In Tavern, about to have last supper, so to speak."

 

Additional species and overall totals included: a Water Rail, 3 Guillemot, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, a Merlin, 10 Skylark, 25 Sand Martin, 50 House Martin, 750 Swallow, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 10 Willow Warbler, up to 100 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Firecrest, 10 Goldcrest, a Song Thrush, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 12 Stonechat, 7 Wheatear, 4 Pied Wagtail, a White Wagtail, 100 Meadow Pipit, 100 Linnet, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Goldfinch, 6 Siskin.

 

Dean Jones counted 191 Shag – an unusually high number for late September. Dean also adds that: Other avian sightings of note on this beautiful autumnal day included two Collared Doves over the Village in the mid-morning – birds which were seen again later on perched upon the Millcombe Pines by Sam Bosanquet. Sam also had nine Golden Plover on the deck in heathland near John O'Groat’s House, and a Crossbill flying north past the Terrace Trap at around 09:30, followed shortly after by a Tree Pipit. Finally two Redstarts were present near Quarry Pond in the mid-afternoon (Tim Smith) and a Grasshopper Warbler was heard near Pondsbury (Mandy Dee)."

 

In non-avian news, 60 moths of 25 different species were caught in the Millcombe Heath trap, including two new species for the island! Namely the very localised micromoth Mecyna asinalis and a single Dichrorampha acuminatana. Also present in the trap were the first Brindled Orche and Feathered Ranunculus of the year, as well as a nice variety of migrant species, including two Delicate (the first since 2013), three Silver Y and two L-album Wainscot.

 

Sam Bosanquet also had a very productive night catching moths by torch and net in areas of Millcombe. Highlights included yet another new species for the island – Pinion-streaked Snout What's more, seven craneflys swept from Gannets' Combe included Lundy's first Tipula rufina. Very well done Sam!

Mecyna asinalis – a first for Lundy! Millcombe, 21 Sep © Dean Jones

The first two Delicate Mythimna vitellina since 2013, Millcombe 21 Sep © Dean Jones

The first Brindled Ochre Dasypolia templi of the year, Millcombe, 21 Sep © Dean Jones

Continuing on the insect front, Sam also had a Hornet near Old Light – only the second record for Lundy following an insect seen flying round the Laundry Room privet last year.

179 Atlantic Grey Seals were recorded during a round-the-island trip in the Warden's RHIB in the afternoon – a count that included nine white-coat pups! This brings the total number of pups found this year so far to an excellent 34.

The seal pupping season is now in full swing, 21 Sep © Dean Jones

This seal pup has obviously just had a bumper feed of milk! East coast, 21 Sep © Dean Jones