Chicken Observatory Assistant Warden Luke Marriner summarises a various begin to Would possibly.
Reasonable to gentle winds from the northto get started the week expanding at the third and 4th from the southeast. Winds from the south west on fifth and sixth introduced low cloud and rain however cleared into blue skies with gentle winds on seventh.
It sort of feels that there are nonetheless two pairs of Teal at the island even supposing the Barton’s pond pair has moved onto Pondsbury. A male Shoveler was once on Pondsbury at the seventh. Two Shelduck had been observed flying alongside the east at the seventh. Now we have had Swift sightings on a daily basis this week with a perfect depend of 36 coming at the seventh. Two sightings of Cuckoo totalling to three birds with one calling in Millcombe at the third after which a Male observed alongside Higher East Facet and a feminine stuck within the terrace entice at the fifth. This being the primary to be ringed since 2009. Collard dove numbers peaked at 5 at the fifth when a the gang had been observed very first thing coming in off over Milcombe by way of Rob Duncan. At the Identical day a Turtle Dove was once observed at Quarter Wall. A Water Rail was once heard at Pondsbury at the night of the fifth.
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| Shoveler, Pondsbury © Stuart Cossey |
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| Cuckoo, Quarry Terrace © Luke Marriner |
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| Turtle Dove, Quarter Wall © Luke Marriner |
Wader passage has been just a little higher this week with a unmarried Whimbrel being observed day by day by way of Quarter Wall Pond. A unmarried Ringed Plover observed in center park at the third and 4th. Dunlin had been observed on Rocket Pole scrape peaking at 3 together with one being ringed at the third. A scramble round Rat island at the third additionally produced two Commonplace Sandpipers. Two Red Sandpiper had been nonetheless on Brazen Ward at the third.
Some other spherical island depend gave us a just right indication of the place our breeding sea birds are at. 16 Higher Black Subsidized gull, 94 Herring Gulls, 17 Lesser Black Subsidized Gulls, 2500 Guillemot, 350 Razorbill, 110 Puffin,32 Fulmar, 15 Gannet, 25 Shag, 3 Cormorant. A Nice Northern Diver was once nonetheless within the Touchdown bay at the second.
It’s been an excellent week for Herons with as much as 3 Gray Herons being observed around the week, then again the Megastar Chicken of the week has to visit the Red Heron that was once first discovered at the fifth and has been very cell and giving visiting birders and each wardens the run round, but if being observed giving just right perspectives. Simply the fifth document for the island, the remaining being in 2004.
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| Red Heron, South Gentle © Rick Morris |
Raptors had been quiet within the remaining week with Peregrines now being on nests and the Kestrels need to relax alongside decrease east. The Hooded Crow was once observed in Brick Box at the 1st. Buzzard was once observed on 3 events with the light chook nonetheless getting our hopes up for one thing rarer! A Feminine Marsh Harrier was once loved by way of all observers at the third and 4th with the chook quartering simply previous Quarter wall.
A Hoopoe was once discovered by way of Luke on Quarry pond at the third and was once watched for c30 minutes till it was once sadly misplaced to view. Now we have had an excellent week for Hirundine passage with three-figure counts of Swallow taking place on 3 events peaking at 17,000 at the entire island. On some days birds had been touchdown and roosting within the island within the fog. Sand Martin are nonetheless trickling via with unmarried determine counts day by day and now Space Martins are choosing up with the perfect depend coming once more at the seventh of 1000+.
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| Swallow, Millcombe © Stuart Cossey |
Warblers are beginning to sluggish now with many birds already
returning to their mainland breeding grounds. A Grasshopper Warbler was once observed at the 1st, Willow Warbler, Sedge
Warbler and Chiffchaff had been observed
day by day peaking at 21, 33, and 12 respectively. A silent Picket warbler was once observed in short in Pungent Gully at the fifth. Our
first of the 12 months. Reed Warblers
had been trickling via with a mini fall of 5 birds in Millcombe at the seventh. Blackcaps had been a relentless being in low
double figures all week peaking at 24 at the 1st. A unmarried Lawn Warbler at the second and two Lesser Whitethroat each men at the sixth and seventh. Goldcrest peaked with 3 at the fifth. Our
considering is that those are failed breeders and not using a chook been heard making a song for
a minimum of every week now.
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| Sedge Warbler, Quarry Pond © Stuart Cossey |
The resident male Track
Thrush continues to be making a song its middle out in Millcombe. Noticed Flycatchers are beginning to come via now being observed
day by day all week and peaking with 5 at the seventh. A feminine Redstart was once stuck and ringed at the 1st. Wheatear are nonetheless shifting via with some giant Greenland kind chook
round with migrants peaking with 70 at the 1st.
Yellow Wagtail was once
logged on 3 days all unmarried birds in Barton’s box. White Wagtail are nonetheless round with birds being observed in Barton’s
and at the running web site for the brand new water tanks.
Finch passage has slowed now with us now seeing Goldfinch and Linnet putting in territory however a Siskin flew over at the second and as much as two Lesser Redpoll had been associating with a gaggle of Linnet in Bartons
and in addition being observed in Millcombe.
Now we have began seeing butterflies now it has warmed up with
Small White, Pink Admiral, Painted Woman, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Copper all being recorded. Silver Y and Hummingbird Hawk-moths are turning into extra common
now too. Rabbits have bred neatly this
12 months and are being observed regularly round the entire island,
specifically Millcombe, South West Box and Fortress Hill. Probably the most
atypical document of the week was once a Commonplace
Toad heard in Quarry Pond on seventh. There are not any amphibians at the
island, the remaining information being escaped Eu Tree Frogs again within the 1900s.
Participants: Stuart Cossey, Luke Marriner, Rob Duncan,
David Kightley, Graham Madge, Rick Morris, W Shipman, Humprey Crick, N Gates, H
Taylor