Fri 24 to Tue 28 Feb – Some good birds to close out the month

Martin Thorne was over on the island 24th–27th Feb, though his trip was curtailed by persistent clag, which prevented the helicopter from flying on four previous attempts last week and played havoc with plans for a week-long Lundy Field Society conservation work party.

In spite of having only two full days and further rough weather to contend with, Martin notched up some good birds, reporting two Red-throated Divers off Mouse Island and a Black-throated Diver and two Common Scoters in the Landing Bay, as well as a 'white-winged gull' (there has been a significant UK-wide arrival of both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in recent weeks) around the Airfield. There was also a noticeable arrival of passage Stonechats, with four on Ackland's Moor and up to 20 along the East Side. Dean Jones (Lundy Warden) also picked up the Stonechat influx, seeing seven below Quarry Cottages on 27th and 11 around the Rocket Pole area on 28th. Both Martin and Dean also detected a small passage of Redwings, including 20+ on 27th.

A pukka Lundy vagrant to end the month, and the first since Sep 2003, was a Great Crested Grebe in full breeding plumage, found by Dean in the Landing Bay this morning (28th); a bird he describes as "quite the treat". And so say all of us!

We now look forward to the first half of March, with its promise of the first migrant Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Sand Martins – and who knows what else?

28 Jan to 26 Feb 2017 – New Year, New Lundy Warden

New Lundy Warden, Dean Jones, took up his post at the end of January and has already logged a variety of interesting late-winter sightings, among them:

Teal – two on 18 Feb
Great Northern Diver – two on 13 Feb
Red-necked Grebe – one on 13 Feb (Lundy rarity)
Woodcock – two on 2 Feb
Snipe – one on 2 Feb
Kittiwake – 304 on 18 Feb, 400+ off the Landing Bay on 23 Feb (the day Storm Doris blew through)
Woodpigeon – two on 10 Feb (scarce in winter)
Merlin – one on 18 Feb
Skylark – six on 4 Feb
Goldcrest – one on 17 Feb (scarce in winter)
Fieldfare – two on 18 Feb
Redwing – six on 5 Feb, 13 on 16 Feb
Stonechat – three on 28 Jan, one on 4 Feb
Black Redstart – singles on 28 Jan & 4 Feb
Meadow Pipit – five on 4 Feb (scarce in winter)
Pied Wagtail – one on 17 Feb (scarce in winter)
Goldfinch – four on 16 Feb

At Jenny's Cove on Sunday 26th February there were 17 Gannets, 34 Fulmars, 2 Cormorants and 30 Kittiwakes all flying South and 365 Guillemots on the ledges.

On behalf of Lundybirds contributors and readers, welcome to Dean and happy Lundy birding!

Two rarities from the end of last year

Below are photos of the Red-necked Grebe (Lundy vagrant) and Red-throated Pipit (national rarity) found by Philip & Helen Lymbery on 18th December and 18th & 19th December, respectively. The grebe was in the Landing Bay and came remarkably close to shore, while the pipit was in the vicinity of the Church and Castle. Although Red-throated Pipit is significantly rarer at national level, there have actually been more Lundy records of this species than there have of Red-necked Grebe! Great records Philip & Helen; sorry to be late uploading the photos.

Red-necked Grebe, Landing Bay 18 Dec 2016 ©Philip Lymbery

Red-necked Grebe, Landing Bay 18 Dec 2016 ©Philip Lymbery

Red-throated Pipit, Castle Hill area, 19 Dec 2016 ©Philip Lymbery

Red-throated Pipit, Castle Hill area, 19 Dec 2016 ©Philip Lymbery

12 to 19 Dec – Probably the last blog of the year

Stonechat

Although there were other birders on the island logging interesting sightings, I cannot confirm their Water Rail, Red-necked Grebe, Red-throated Pipit or flock of Snipe.

Many common species were seen during the mild, windless and dry weather we had particularly in the sheltered space outside our property of Quarters. Regular feeding attracted Chaffinches, Sparrows, Starlings as well as up to three Wrens, a Robin the occasional Stonechat and a resident Chiffchaff. This was always seen working the vegetation in the overgrown wall on most days.

Chiffchaff

 

From here we were also rewarded with our only sighting of a “flock” of 4 Peewits in Lighthouse Field on the 18th

During the week occasional mixed flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing were seen mainly in the southern end of the island and on one occasion two different Kestrels at Old Light and Quarterwall on the west – again on the 18th.

Redwing

Our foray along the west coast gave a sighting of 24 Fulmars, mainly in pairs occupying ledges on Long Roost on the 14th and almost 300 Guillemots at Jenny’s and St Phillip’s Stone were lining the ledges on the 18th.

Wed 9 to Fri 11 Nov – Bird-wise pretty quiet

Richard & Rebecca Taylor's last three days on Lundy produced the following sightings, for what Richard reports were quiet days bird-wise:

Wednesday 9th Nov: Blackbird 27, Common Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 2, Firecrest 1, Blackcap 1, Woodcock 3, Snipe 10, Jack Snipe 2, Merlin 1 and Wigeon 2.

Thursday 10th Nov: Redwing 52, Fieldfare 9, Teal 7, Great Skua 1, Chiffchaff 2, Firecrest 1, Great Northern Diver 1, Blackcap 1 and Wigeon 1.

Friday 11th Nov: Great Northern Diver 1, Lapwing 2, Redwing 70, Blackbird 25 (including a group of 14 passing up through St John’s and onwards), Fieldfare 20, Brambling 1, Chiffchaff 1, Siskin 2, Skylark 7 in over Landing Bay and heard throughout the morning, and a small passage southwards of some 200 Chaffinches.

Unless there are further regular birdwatching visitors to the island between now and the end of the year, this is likely to be the last report of 2016. Thanks to everyone who has either uploaded photos and reports, or has sent texts and photos for uploading.

Mon 7 & Tue 8 Nov – A bit windy!

Richard & Rebecca Taylor began their five-day stay on 7th (effectively a half-day after their arrival by helicopter from Hartland Point) with a Firecrest, a high count of ten Snipe, three Woodcocks, three Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps.

The following day (8th Nov) they tallied six Wigeon, two Great Northern Divers, a Jack Snipe, six Snipe, three Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a Firecrest, three Goldcrests, 250 Redwings, at least one Mistle Thrush, 30 Fieldfares, 50 Blackbirds and five Redpolls.

Given Richard's opening comment ("Hello. It's a bit windy!"), it seems unlikely that they have been able to open the mist-nets. With calmer winds on Wednesday (9th) the chances look better... but less so on Thursday (10th)!

Photos from 31 Oct to 4 Nov

Spent five days last week on the island with Tim Davis and James Diamond – here is a selection of photos – Richard Campey

Fieldfare - all over the island, this one in Lighthouse Field

 Another Fieldfare in the top of Millcombe

 Meadow Pipit near Quarter Wall

 Black Redstart at Quarter Wall Cottages

 Firecrest in Lower Millcombe by Smelly Gulley

 Kestrel seen flying through Millcombe from The Ugly

 Redwing in Tent Field living up to it's Latin name !

Pallid Swift & Pallas's Warbler photos from 25 & 27 Oct

Thanks to Simon Slade for sending through his photos of the Pallid Swift, which entertained birdwatchers for half-an-hour or so on 25th October, and the Pallas's Warblers seen on 25th and 27th. With regard to the Pallas's Warbler seen on 25th, Simon says: "The light and shadow makes a big difference to how the bird looks but it seems to me that there are enough differences to indicate that it was a different bird to the one shown in the in-hand image."

Of the Pallid Swift, Simon says: "It was hard to photograph but the image shows the key features of primary contrast and wing shape and you can just about make out the pale throat and breast pattern."

Unless a currently pending record of Pallid Swift at Hope's Nose on 17th November 2010 is accepted, the Lundy bird, if accepted, will be a first for both Devon and Lundy.

 Pallas's Warbler, Lundy, 25th October 2016

 Pallas's Warbler, Lundy, 25th October 2016

 Pallas's Warbler, Lundy, 27th October 2016

 Pallid Swift, Lundy, 25th October 2016

All photos © Simon Slade