7th & 8th Sep – Modest Blackcap influx

Tony Taylor reports that the main feature of 7th was the arrival of at least 18 Blackcaps. Other migrants included 6 House Martins, 4 Goldcrests, 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher and a Tree Pipit calling over Millcombe.

There were no notable observations on the island itself on 8th, amidst damp and breezy conditions, but the return crossing to Ilfracombe brought two Common Terns soon after departure from Lundy, along with a single Storm Petrel and a scattering of Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Manx Shearwaters (one being chased by a Great Black-backed Gull) and Gannets.

Reflecting on the past two weeks, Tony comments, "The sea has looked very empty from the island throughout our visit. No significant feeding flocks, just the occasional Gannet. Shearwaters weren’t passing or gathering offshore: presumably having to travel some distance for food."

6th Sep – Rose-coloured Starling

A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was in the chicken run outside Quarters, but things were generally a lot quieter on the migrant front. A female Sparrowhawk was terrorising the Starlings around the Village, a Ringed Plover flew over, whilst warblers and flycatchers were represented by just three Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, five Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and a Spotted Flycatcher.

The shearwater and petrel ringers took a well-deserved night off!

5th Sep – Golden Oriole still present

The Golden Oriole (a female or immature bird) first seen on 4th was still present on Wednesday 5th.

Other sightings included: single Whimbrel, Dunlin and Snipe, 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs,  a Wood Warbler, 20 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, 8 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Whinchats and a Tree Pipit.

Manx Shearwater ringing at the Old Light colony on the night of 5th/6th yielded 55 new chicks, two new adults, plus a few retraps.

4th Sep – Golden Oriole in Millcombe

Rich & Rebecca Taylor found a Golden Oriole in Millcombe at lunchtime. This is only the second autumn record for the Lundy, the first dating back just over half-a-century to 11 Oct 1967!

The supporting cast included: 13 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 33 Blackcaps, 10 Whitethroats, a Whinchat, 3 White Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and a Greenfinch.

The ringing team visited an area a little to the south of the main Old Light colony (the gully north of Sunset Butress) during the night of 3rd/4th and ringed 40 Manx Shearwaters (33 chicks and 7 adults).

Sightings collated from multiple observers by Tony Taylor.

Whinchat, Quarter Wall, 4 Sep © Dean Jones

3rd Sep – Signs of a good year for shearwater productivity

Migrants on Monday 3rd included: 12 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, 4 Whinchats, and a White Wagtail.

Ringing at the Old Light Manx Shearwater colony on the night of 2nd/3rd produced 50 new and 9 retrap chicks, and 3 new and 6 retrap adults. Tony Taylor comments "chicks clearly more numerous than in previous years".

Pied Flycatcher, Millcombe, 31 Aug © Dean Jones

Spotted Flycatcher, Millcombe, 2 Sep © Dean Jones

Willow Warbler, Aug 2018 © Martin Thorne

Migrating Cormorants over South West Field, Aug 2018 © Martin Thorne

1st & 2nd Sep – Ortolan Bunting among a good range of migrants

Saturday 1st September

A successful visit to the Old Light Manx Shearwater colony on the night of 31st/1st saw 84 shearwaters handled, of which 67 were chicks (59 newly ringed, 8 retraps) and 17 adults (11 new, 6 retraps, the latter including individuals ringed in 2008, 2010, 2011 & 2012). 

Other migrants included: single Grey Heron, Curlew and Dunlin, three Swifts, a Garden Warbler (ringed), a Goldcrest and four Pied Flycatchers.

Sunday 2nd September

At North Light on the night of 1st/2nd September six new Storm Petrels were ringed (and one retrapped), together with two adult and three young Manx Shearwaters. A Common Sandpiper was heard calling.

During the morning of 2nd, Rich Taylor found an Ortolan Bunting on the track near QuartersHe relocated it on the track above Benjamin's Chair in the afternoon and managed to grab a photo before the bird was unwittingly disturbed by daytrippers from the Waverley. Among other notable records were: a Dunlin, two first-winter Black-headed Gulls, two Swifts, the first Firecrest of the autumn (Quarter Wall Copse), a Goldcrest, 15 Pied Flycatchers, two Whinchats, a Yellow Wagtail and two Tree Pipits.

Maximum counts for other migrants across the two days were: 20 Sand Martins, 20 Swallows, two House Martins, two Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, two Sedge Warblers, three Spotted Flycatchers and six Wheatears.

Information collated by Tony Taylor from multiple observers.

31st Aug – A high count of Pied Flycatchers

Friday 31st was generally a quieter day, but for an unusually high count of 20 Pied Flycatchers, which were spread all along the East Side, with many in the Millcombe/St John's area. This is the highest total for many years, but a long way short of the all-time maximum of 100 on 2 Sep 1990.

Combined observations of other migrants included: two Cormorants, a Ringed Plover, three Swifts, 7 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 7 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Tree Pipits and a Yellow Wagtail.

During the night of 31st/1st the ringing team focused on Storm Petrels at North End, where they  caught 23 new birds, two Lundy-ringed retraps, two birds ringed elsewhere in Britain and two French-ringed birds, including the individual trapped on the night of 27th/28th.