A day of gentle, but chilly northerly breezes, with variable cloud amounts giving some heavily overcast conditions interspersed with bright or sunny intervals.
There were further influxes of 75 Goldcrest and 20 Blackcap, plus a steady diurnal passage of 150 Swallow and a few House Martin (11 logged). Other migrant passerines included 10 Chiffchaff, a new Yellow-browed Warbler in Millcombe, 62 Siskin, 80 Goldfinch and 14 Linnet. Shed body feathers of the eastern-race blythi-type Lesser Whitethroat ringed on 11th were posted off for DNA analysis and the bird itself was still in upper Millcombe during the afternoon, but had lost its tail in a presumed altercation with a predator (having been seen in the same general area with an intact tail during the late afternoon of 11th). A single Willow Warbler was seen and later trapped and ringed in Millcombe. Notable non-passerines comprised two Teal, a Stock Dove, a Sparrowhawk, two Merlin and two Golden Plover.
The ringing total for the day of 71 comprised 40 Goldcrest, 14 Blackcap, 5 Siskin, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch, and singles of Swallow, Willow Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Wren, Stonechat and Dunnock.
The boat crossing from Ilfracombe to Lundy was enlivened by a Red-throated Diver flying right over MS Oldenburg, 12 Common Scoter, and a Purple Sandpiper circling the boat at sea level at 11:10 hrs, just over halfway across.
Sightings contributed by: Chris Baillie, Richard Campey, Tim Davis, James Diamond, Rob Duncan, Paul Holt, Tim Jones and Jac Turner-Moss.
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| Red-throated Diver flying over the Oldenburg, 12 Oct © Richard Campey |
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