Bird Sightings

Extended easterlies made for difficult field conditions but saw Slavonian Grebe recorded daily up until 5th while the Red-necked Grebe remained elusive, logged on 1st, 8th and 12th Feb! A single Golden Plover on 19th represent only notable wader appearance beyond the overwintering Woodcock, Jack Snipe and Common Snipe. Teal were present throughout, peaking at 5 male and 3 female on Pondsbury. Kittiwake were recorded daily, with day counts maxing out at 1,668 and 727 individuals, most of which involved in mega feeding frenzies of the east coast. Slight Common Gull passage detected in early February peaked at six individuals on 1st. From single figure auk counts in early February, it was great to enjoy over 3,000 Guillemot back on breeding ledges from 17th, while Razorbill numbers peaked at 506 on 22nd. Red-throated Diver were present off the SW and SW coasts between 4-16th, involving at least three different birds while Great Northern Diver were logged daily up to 19th when island coverage waned. A single Cormorant on 3rd became the first record of the year and the appearance of a male Kestrel over Millcombe on 12th was a welcome arrival to the island. The overwintering female Merlin has been sighted sporadically around southern half of the island throughout the month.

Turning to passerines, Skylarks have been being recorded daily from 3rd as breeding birds filter back on to territories and the overwintering Chiffchaff continued to frequent the Millcombe/village area up to 22nd. While Quarter Wall Copse is criminally under-watched, coverage on 11th resulted in detecting the overwintering Goldcrest. Starling maxima counts peaked at 124 on 5th & 18th. Black Redstart records were restricted to Benjamin's Chair and Pilot's Quay from 11-16th. Single Grey Wagtail sightings on 17th and 19th February became the first records of the year. A male Snow Bunting present at Halfway Wall up to 16th, supplemented by a small flock of three birds near the Old Hospital on 1st and 9th. 

Nice little run of island rarities and oddities over the last week. The Landing Bay Red-necked Grebe remained settled and (incredibly) was accompanied by a Slavonian Grebe from 27th, both seemingly absent on 30th. This marks the first 'Slav' since Feb 2011 and the only the 13th year in which this species has occurred since Lundy Field Society recording began in 1947. Great Northern Diver numbers have fluctuated between one to three throughout and a record island count of 34 Purple Sandpiper passed North Light on 25th.

Numerous seawatches from the Ugly have been fruitful of late, featuring a first-winter Little Gull feeding with Kittiwake on 26th (and again off North West Point on 30th), becoming the 14th island record. Incredibly, the same seawatch yielded an unseasonal Manx Shearwater ahead of Storm Éowyn! An influx of 51 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the sea in the Landing Bay 24th was followed by passage of 19 Common Gull off the east coast on 30th, coinciding with a small pod of 5 Common Dolphin feeding offshore. A Snow Bunting was at Halfway Wall on 25th, presumably the same bird located in the same area back on 5th and the Millcombe Chiffchaff continues to overwinter in Smelly Gully. The Pondsbury Teal count peaked at eight birds on 25th, with a Reed Bunting present thoughout. And it's been rather quiet on the raptor activity with the female Merlin only logged over the village on 20th and a scattering of Peregrine returning to territories.

Year list: 59 species

Slavonian Grebe in the Landing Bay, 27 Jan © Joe Parker

Great Northern Diver in the Landing Bay, 24 Jan © Joe Parker 

Nice birding over the last 10 days enjoyed a 7th for the island, large bait balls attracting seabird and cetacean interest and signs that spring is just around the corner.

The 12th opened with new-for-year Skylark and Reed Bunting at Pondsbury while a female-type Black Redstart - absent from usual south coast haunts - occupied North End. The first Pied Wagtail appearance arrived on 16th, followed by another record on 18th coupled with a whisper of Meadow Pipit movement involving two birds in-off at Rocket Pole. The first Linnet of the year featured over the village on 15th, increasing to two birds associating around Upper Millcombe until 21st. Millcombe continues to be immersed in the subtle, high-pitched tik calls of Song Thrush, while up to three Redwing logged near daily and a single Fieldfare in St Helen's Field on 20th. The Smelly Gully Chiffchaff is still going strong and present throughout and was accompanied by second individual near the Casbah on 21-22nd. Concluding the passerine roundup, the small overwintering Stonechat population remains thinly distributed across the island with a pair at Jenny's Jove, a female near the Castle and a male at North End.

Guillemot and Razorbill numbers are increasing offshore, with the species mix weighted heavily towards Razorbill peaking at 223 off the Landing Bay on 19th. While traipsing across the island on letterbox maintenance duties, Shop Manager Sue Waterfield logged two ledges crowded with Guillemot near St Philip's Stone on 22nd. Fulmar sightings are beginning to increase, with singles logged during seawatches from The Ugly on 22nd and 23rd.  A large feeding frenzy involving 1,196 Kittiwake two kilometres offshore along east coast, was accompanied by 678 Herring Gull on 15th, followed by light Great Black-backed Gull passage on 23rd involving 18 individuals moving north along the east coast. Gull feeding frenzies have been a feature of the east coast, finally attraction the attention of 15 Common Dolphin on 19th, with the same pod logged again close in at Brazen Ward three days later. The Landing Bay Great Northern Diver has remained elusive, but present up to 19th.

Great Black backed Gull in flight, 13 Jan © Joe Parker. Light passage north along east coast on 18 Jan

The full moon phase halted any nocturnal survey efforts but conditions are improving for the weekend ahead. Golden Plover were logged on several occasions south of Quarter Wall, peaking at 7 settled in High Street Field on 19th. Kestrel and female Merlin remained present around southern quarter throughout and a second female-type Merlin was observed bombing around North End on 12th. Peregrine territories are starting to be reclaimed, with pairs back at Gannets' and the South Coast, the latter being kept busy jostling with territorial Raven. A ringtail Hen Harrier made a welcome appearance on 18th, pushing north over High Street Field and brief Stock Dove appearance on 16th was kept alert by constant raptor threats.

However, Bird of the week is unquestionably awarded to the Landing Bay Red-necked Grebe on 22-23rd, constituting only the seventh island record. The last bird (logged in winter 2016/17) overwintered and stayed into early May! Will we be treated to a stunning summer plumage in a few months, only time will tell... In the meantime, let's see what Storm Éowyn brings.

Year list: 56

Red-necked Grebe in the Landing Bay, 23 Jan © Joe Parker

The island year list is currently sitting at 47 species at close of day on 11th. Amazingly, a Barn Owl was spotted in lower Millcombe from the housekeeping landrover by staff-member Tiina Pehkonen during the late afternoon. Voluntary Bird Observatory Assistant Luke Marriner, who happened to be driving, stopped the vehicle – in his own words – "very abruptly" (!) and was able to capture a video of the Barn Owl emerging from the gas store and flying down to the Beach Road turn at 'Windy Corner' and up over the flank of Castle Hill. It was not seen again, but left a souvenir in the form of a small pellet, found in the gas store. The pellet was dissected by Luke, who identified a Pygmy Shrew jaw-bone among other tiny bones, suggesting that the owl had managed to feed on the island. It seems possible that it had been displaced from the mainland by heavy snow blanketing most of Wales and central/northern England, whilst south-west England experienced less cold conditions, remaining largely snow free. This was the 11th Lundy record and only the second this century.

Kittiwake flocks have been feeding off the southeast coast, peaking at 425 birds on 11th, drawing in an adult winter Mediterranean Gull and 5 Common Gull. The adult Great Northern Diver continues its Landing Bay residence, while overwintering female Merlin is terrorising the Village and sidelands and two Goldcrest remain faithful to Quarter Wall Copse. A Chiffchaff on 9th is the only occurance so far this year and Meadow Pipit remain thin on the ground, with only 2 logged within Rock Pipit feeding parties across the sidelands and plateau. Six Common Scoter were logged within the Lundy recording area during a crossing on 6th. Tillage Field featured 10 Golden Plover on 9th, with singles logged overhead on 10th & 11th. Four Purple Sandpiper were present at Brazen Ward on 9th, but apparently absent on 11th. Pondsbury featured six Teal but numbers of Woodcock (2), Common Snipe (6) and Jack Snipe (1) remain low, maximum counts noted in brackets.

Barn Owl in Millcombe, 6 Jan © Luke Marriner

Primrose in flower at Quarter Wall Copse, 11 Jan © Joe Parker