Lundy part 2

Friday 13 May - started with the arrive of the Hansearctic Nature a cruiser full of 230 German passengers many of whom disembarked onto Lundy for a few hours. The 13th cast it's spell for me as a Hawfinch was seen briefly in Millcombe by Tim Jones and later that day at Gannets Combe Tim Jones and Tim Davis found a Bluethroat. My finds were a solid zero.

However I did busy myself with a Lundy Peregrine.

Spotted Flycatchers were still in Millcombe.

It was a good day for hirundines, and fleeting view of a female Redstart.

Saturday 14 May - a gentle WSW breeze and I started the day with a Grasshopper Warbler in St Johns Valley. Several Sedge Warblers were singing in Millcombe and three Whitethroats contesting territory. I headed up towards Jenny’s Cove mid morning to look for Puffins. On the way Wheatears were displaying and singing with 11 birds seen from south end to Jenny’s Cove.

Whitethroat by the Ugly.

Sitting at the top of the rocks just north of Half Way Wall and it was easy to see Puffins on the cliffs, on the sea and flying to and from the slopes. I spent quite a while watching Puffins coming into burrows, flying off and around the Cove and other birds diving into the grassy slopes above the main Auk colony.

In all I managed to see 141 birds in just this small area. It was fantastic to see so many Puffins after their years of decline. The rat eradication programme surely responsible for this increase in birds and indeed the increase in successful breeding of Manx Shearwaters. The disturbance to Puffins from uninformed visitors and over jealous photographers remains a concern. Not only is it illegal to knowingly disturb a schedule 1 species it’s also very irresponsible just to get close up pictures when they can be photographed from there very top of the island (with a telephoto lens) especially as they are spreading further up the cliffs.

with winds turning easterly ....... expectations were high for the next few days........