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After sturdy winds from the southwest the primary
week of August has been vibrant and heat. Mild winds from the north and
northeast have introduced migrants south, sometimes in massive numbers.
With most ponds
drying up within the sizzling climate, these have been good places to search for birds.
Pondsbury and Rocket Pole Pond are the one two nonetheless with good ranges. A
feminine Teal was seen on Pondsbury on
the third and seventh with a juvenile Garganey
skulking across the edges of Pondsbury on the third.
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| The final of the water at Quarter Wall Pond © Stuart Cossey |
A gaggle of
23 Swift had been seen foraging over the
Village on the night of the sixth. Numbers of Woodpigeon elevated to seven on the fifth which included one
juvenile chook.
Waders
proceed to be seen or heard over the island. A Ringed Plover was heard by
the Terrace on the first and over South West Subject on the sixth. A Snipe was heard over the village on the
night of the first with birds then being flushed on the fifth and seventh.
In the course of the
sunshine on the sixth, flying ants emerged throughout the island inflicting massive flocks
of as much as 500 Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls to swarm and circle above South Mild.
A Frequent Gull was seen off the North Finish on the third and a Black-headed Gull over the Village on
the sixth. Final week’s younger Gray Heron continues to be at Pondsbury and
sometimes take flights over the island. Probably the final Puffin of the yr was seen off the
North Finish on the fifth and a Crimson-throated
Diver was sudden throughout a seawatch on the North Finish on the third. The Manx Shearwater chicks within the synthetic nest bins had been ringed on the sixth and ought to be able to fledge by the tip of August.
A late evening Storm Petrel ringing session occurred in the direction of the North Finish on the first. 20 birds had been caught round a breeding colony. These included three controls (already ringed). One from North Wales, one from Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire and one from the Lizard, Cornwall. The oldest was ringed as an grownup in 2016. Storm Petrels are one of many smallest seabirds on this planet and are roughly the identical weight as a Home Sparrow. They spend most of their lives at sea and solely come to land at evening in the summertime to breed.
Hirundines
proceed to maneuver by way of in small numbers with 11 and 10 Sand Martin on the sixth
and seventh. Swallow passage peaked at
23 on the first and 25 on the seventh. Seven Home
Martins had been seen on the seventh.
Switching
of winds to the north on the first introduced an enormous fall of Willow Warblers. 207
had been seen on the morning census with not less than 400 seen all through the day.
Different warblers seen on the first included 4 Chiffchaff, ten Sedge Warbler and three Whitethroat. Solely 4 Willow
Warbler had been seen on the 2nd however the
remainder of the week remained at between 20 and 40 seen every day. Chiffchaff and Sedge Warblers have been
seen most days. On the 4th a Blackcap
was ringed within the Secret Backyard and a Grasshopper
Warbler was reeling briefly.
A Redstart was seen in Millcombe on the
sixth. A pair of Stonechat by Outdated
Mild are attempting for a late brood and had been seen taking meals to a nest on the
sixth. Wheatear proceed to be seen
with a excessive depend of 25 on the seventh. A Tree
Pipit was heard over Millcombe on
the 4th. Small numbers of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails have been
heard migrating over the island.
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| Northern Wheatear, Ackland’s Moor © Stuart Cossey |
Goldfinch numbers are constructing with 40 counted on
the seventh. Small flocks are current in Millcombe and across the thistles on
Ackland’s Moor. Two Siskin flew over
Millcombe on the 4th.
In
non-avian information, Frequent Dolphin are being seen repeatedly with
eight off the North Finish on the third and 4 off the East Coast on the sixth and
seventh. This time of yr a whole bunch of Spider Crabs transfer to shallower water to moult. We’re fortunate sufficient to have massive numbers within the Touchdown Bay and round Rat Island that may be seen while snorkelling and rockpooling. Two Convolvulus Hawk-moths had been
seen by Paradise Row on the night of the first and a Pipistrelle species was over Millcombe on the seventh.
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| Spider Crabs, Rat Island © Stuart Cossey |
Contributors:
S Cossey, R Ellis, Z Wait, J Dunning, M and J Webber
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