8th to 14th August – First arrival of Flycatchers

A warm week with days starting calm and northeasterly winds picking up towards the afternoon. Temperatures reached a peak of 28.1° on the 14th.

A large group of around 90 Swifts were seen feeding on flying ants over Castle Hill on the 10th. Smaller groups were seen the rest of the week apart from the 13th. A Cuckoo flew through Millcombe on the morning of the 12th pursued by the local Swallows. Two Stock Dove were reported on the 11th.

Waders were often heard flying over the island during the mornings. Golden Plover were heard on the 9th and 10th, Ringed Plover on the 12th and 14th and a Curlew on the 8th. A Dunlin was heard on the 9th and then one was on Pondsbury on the 14th. Three Snipe were around Pondsbury on the 8th, 4 on the 10th and three on the 14th. A Common Sandpiper was by Rat Island on the 14th and two Green Sandpipers were by Pondsbury.

A Sandwich Tern was seen briefly on the 11th as it flew past Rat Island. Three Cormorant flew over Millcombe on the 9th and a Grey Heron was at the North End on the 11th. A Sparrowhawk was seen around Millcombe on the 12th and then by Tillage Field on the 13th. A female/immature Marsh Harrier flew over Barton Field on the 8th and a female/immature Hen Harrier headed south over the Castle on the 13th.

Small groups of hirundines were seen this week with a max count of 10 Sand Martins on the 8th and 11th. A high count of 42 Swallows was seen on the 14th and 13 House Martins on the 9th.

Willow Warblers were still being seen in good numbers this week. 62 were counted on the 12th and at least 120 were seen on the 14th. Single Chiffchaff were seen on the 8th, 10th and 13th with two on the 9th. Two Blackcap were ringed on the 14th. The first Garden Warblers of autumn were seen with one on the 13th and two on the 14th. Low numbers of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were seen every day.

A single Spotted Flycatcher was first seen on the 9th with a peak of 10 seen on the 12th. Pied Flycatchers first arrived on the 10th with a high count of six on the 14th. Flycatchers were not only seen in Millcombe but quite often sitting on walls or fence lines across the south of the island. A female Redstart was by Quarter Wall on the 9th and a Whinchat in South West Field on the 13th. A high count of 31 Wheatear were seen on the 13th with most seen around the airstrip and Ackland's Moor.

Female Redstart, Quarter Wall © Stuart Cossey

Wheatears, Ackland's Moor © Stuart Cossey

Pied Flycatcher, Water Tanks © Stuart Cossey

Spotted Flycatcher, Quarter Wall © Stuart Cossey

Three Tree Pipits were heard flying over on the 12th and 13th with a single on the 14th. A Greenfinch was reported in Millcombe on the 12th and two Siskins flew over on the 14th.

In non-avian news, a Basking Shark was reported off the Castle on the 14th. Two Common Pipistrelle were picked up on a bat detector on the 11th. One at Quarry Pond and the other in Millcombe. Two Hummingbird Hawk-moths were seen on the 12th and another on the 14th. There was an excellent moth trap haul on the morning of the 14th with over 200 moths of 42 species.

Contributors: S Cossey, R Ellis, Z Wait, M and J Webber