Bird Sightings

by Greg Lee

With a very strong F8 westerly wind blowing through, the addition of rain and fog made for a very quiet day on the island, although it made for an excellent opportunity to do some office jobs. Birding highlights were few and far between but a Merlin was whizzing around the South End, a visiting Feral Pigeon was loitering around the Village and one of the Sparrowhawks was patiently watching a small flock of Chaffinches from the Sycamore tree by Government, I was able to sneak up on the latter as it was staking out a potential hunt, the wind making sure it didn't turn around and see me, which it never did. 

The Sparrowhawk, unaware it was being watched.

by Kirsty Cox

In a short break between weather hitting us from Storm Austen and Storm Boelo, there was an opportunity today for the helicopters to run, so a Sunday unexpectedly became a travel day which meant I was on Housekeeping. 

But first thing, making the most of the window of calmer weather, I was able to get out and do a full pup check for the first time since the 22nd. Since then the winds have been too strong for me to get to all the check points. There were a number of seals hauled out during the check which was good to see following the stormy seas. Sadly there was no sign today of the smaller pups who are still around but there was a weaned and moulted pup on Quarry Beach and another in the Landing Bay. 

Back at the office, there was time for toast before heading out with the Housekeeping Team. There were ten properties in total to clean across the island ranging from Tibbetts in the north to Castles in the south. It was so windy that we had to coordinate getting out of the Land Rover without getting blown away, especially when we were up at Old Light! 

However the main event of the day was at lunchtime when we made a trip back to the village to say goodbye to Emma. As she boarded the helicopter the staff were all there to wave her off and Cornelius, the helicopter pilot, even treated her to a fly by over the island! Emma arrived on Lundy on the 31st March and spent the first months she was here working as the Seabird Fieldworker and then stayed on when the seabirds left to take on the role of Volunteer Assistant Ranger. She has been a core member of the Conservation Team this season and will be much missed. We wish her all the best for all her future endeavours! Emma Abel and Herring Gull Chick!

Read more: 24/10/2026- Storm Boelo

by Greg Lee

I quite enjoy waking up in the morning to the sound of the wild winds battering the outside, (guaranteed I’m not obliged to go outside) and this morning was no exception with the census cancelled as there was no likely purpose to conducting a census when not only are the birds being blown backwards, but also, you are trying not be blown backwards! So that really was the flavour of the day with a trip down to the Tavern, where the fireplace was now roaring, to do some ringing data-entry and also check the internet and make sure there wasn’t some super influx event of Nearctic rarities being uncovered in the eye of the storm in Ireland or the South-west. There wasn’t. Realising I couldn’t go the whole day inside, I did have a nose in Millcombe, but it was pretty quiet with Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs being picked up in the bushes. I did join Tim Jones looking offshore for a short while, with a couple of Manx Shearwaters and Gannets moving past, but hardly the seawatch interest that merited a full committal to a session. I think it has easy to determine that nothing arrived today with the winds, meaning that the avifauna on the island is all what has been unfortunate to get stuck here for the time being including the Eastern Lesser Whitethroat and two Snow Buntings. Tomorrow is the time for Storm Boelo, which, as well as being just as strong, is also much more wet.