After a
few weeks of breezy south-westerlies it was great relief to the staff to see some
calm easterly winds in the forecast. From just after dawn the forecast did not
disappoint as the one of the biggest movements this autumn occurred. Overhead 523
Meadow Pipits streamed past heading
south with birds present in good numbers from the Mountain top to the South tip.
The sound of Skylarks followed suit with
flocks totalling to 194 by the end of the day. The first two Tree Pipits for some time buzzed by as did 13 Grey Wagtails, 18 Pied Wagtails, four White Wagtails, 93 Swallows, and six House Martins. The first push of autumn finch
passage comprised 40 Chaffinches, 14
Siskins, 102 Goldfinches, 177 Linnets,
and six Lesser Redpolls mostly moving before midday. After the temperatures rose
encouraging birds of prey and corvids to take to the air, with six Buzzards, one Kestrel, three Merlins,
nine Rooks, and 26 Ravens thermalling over the island.
Birds could
be seen moving offshore too with the first three Eiders of the year, two ducks and one drake, the obvious highlight.
A total of 67 Gannets, 77 Manx Shearwaters, 32 Cormorants,
eight Common Scoters, two Arctic Skuas, four Mediterranean Gulls, 122
Black-headed Gulls, 49 Common Gulls, 27 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls, 78 Herring Gulls, 675 Kittiwakes, two Sandwich
Terns, and 347 Razorbills made for an enjoyable sea-watch.
An
obvious arrival inland produced yet more Wrynecks
with two seen on the Mountainside around Nant, continuing the fantastic autumn
for this species on the island. Warbler numbers included two Grasshopper Warblers, one Garden Warbler, eight Blackcaps, 13 Chiffchaffs,
two Willow Warblers, 41 Goldcrests,
and best of all, a showy male Firecrest
at Ty Capel, the first this autumn. Two Lapland
Buntings continue finding the South
End to their liking whilst other new arrivals such as two Water Rails, 24 Dunnocks, 27 Stonechats, ten Wheatears,
two Song Thrushes, and one Starling
made census even more enjoyable.
A
noticeable increase in Lepidoptera included 26 Red Admirals, four Painted
Lady’s, two Small Tortoiseshells, four Hummingbird Hawkmoths, and 31 Silver Y’s.
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