Robert Vaughan Trip Report early May

Hi Peter,
Another great trip out with almost un-broken sunshine, easterly winds
and great birds. Un-doubted highlight was 3 white-billed divers on the
9th after 1 the previous evening. A great fall on the 9th left
migrants everywhere, blackcaps and phylloscs roving the island in
flocks!

Great Northern Diver- several off Maheroarty on the way out, only 1 on
the 8th, 2 on 9th and a minumum of 20 on the 10th and 11th.
White-billed Diver- 1 off the east end on 8th, 3 on the 9th. All 3
appeared to be moulting adults, but far less advanced than the vast
majority of great northerns. Easy to pick up early afternoon as most
divers seemed to be preening and sleeping, very difficult to locate
and follow divers at other times when they were actively feeding.
Fulmar- good numbers around the island each day. No counts.
Manx Shearwater- good numbers most days, passing east and west,
roughly 100 in an hour on 10th.
Storm-Petrel- 1-2 each evening while scanning for divers off the east
end, none from the ferry.
Gannet- good numbers each day.
Cormorant- small numbers around the island.
Shag- more numerous than cormorant.
Mute Swan- Pair east and west end with a lone juv. in the centre marsh.
Pink-footed Goose- 1 on the lighthouse lake each day. Seemed in good health.
Greylag Goose- 2 pairs west end each day.
Shelduck- Pair in the harbour on 9th.
Mallard- roughly 15 each day.
Gadwall- Male west end on 9th.
Wigeon- Male west end on 8th and 9th.
Tufted duck- 5 pairs West end.
Eider- pair in the harbour on 8th.
Merlin- female around the lighthouse on 8th.
Peregrine- male each day east end.
Corncrake- 2 Maheroarty around the carpark on 8th, 7 on Tory, 3 east
end, 2 below Grace's and 2 West town. Numbers the same each day but
birds moved about until final day. Atleast 5 in West town on the 11th
with another in the reeds towards the lighthouse, 1 below Grace's and
2 east end, so a minimum of 9.
Oystercatcher- Good numbers all around the island.
Ringed Plover- Good numbers and several pairs on nests.
Golden Plover- Approx 20 each day, mobile around the island.
Lapwing- Common
Sanderling- 1 bird on 10th all around the island, finally settled in
the harbour.
Turnstone- over 100 west town harbour, 20 east beach with several more
around the lakes and lighthouse.
Dunlin- Over 200 each day, numbers seemed to increase on the 9th.
Several pairs around the lighthouse.
Common Sandpiper- 1 on the lighthouse lake on 8th, 1 in the harbour on 9th.
Redshank- Common
Curlew- 3 9th and 10th around the harbour.
Whimbrel- upto 40 most days.
Snipe- several displaying and many more flushed from road-side
ditches, nest with 4 eggs by road at Grace's.
Great Skua- 1-2 East end cliffs on 8th, 1 east on the 10th.
Black-headed gull- common
Common gull- common
Herring Gull- around 50,mostly around the harbour.
Lesser-black backed gull- 50 or so, numbers fluctuated during the day.
Great black-backed gull- small numbers
Kittiwake- common
Iceland Gull- 1 2nd summer/ 3rd calender west end on the 8th.
Little Tern- 2 on the west lake on 10th.
Common Tern- 20 plus west end from the 9th.
Artic Tern- 1 on 9th
Puffin- common off east end
Black guillemot- 50 plus around the east end
Guilemot- good numbers off-shore, not on the cliffs yet.
Razorbill- as above.
Wood pigeon- 3 on 9th, 2 on 10th and 1 11th.
Collared dove- 6 on 9th, 8 10th and 2 on 11th.
Swift- 1 at the lighthouse on 9th.
Skylark- Common
Sand martin- 2 on 8th and 9th
House martin- 5 or so 8th-10th.
Swallow- common
Meadow pipit- common
Rock pipit- common
Tree pipit- 1 on 10th west end
Pied wagtail- 10 plus each day around the island.
White wagtail- atleast 12 each day, numbers and locations seemed
similar each day.
Wren- common
Dunnock- 1 in Anton's West town on 9th.
Black Redstart- 1 female on 9th, West town.
Wheatear- common
Whinchat- 1 female on 9th on way out to lighthouse.
Song thrush- 2 west town each day.
Blackcap- atleast 25 on 9th, 6 on 10th and 2 on 11th.
Lesser whitethroat- 1 in Graces on 9th.
Whitethroat- 3 on 9th and 10th.
Sedge Warbler- 12 on the 9th and aprrox 6 each day after.
Reed Warbler- 1 on 9th in bush beside hotel, moved to reed bed and not
heard after.
Willow warbler- 20 plus on 9th, less than 5 each other day.
Chiffchaff- 40 plus on 9th, between 5 and 10 each other day.
Spotted Flycatcher- 6 on 9th, 4 on 10th and 1 on 11th.
Pied Flycatcher- 1 female in East town on 10th.
Chough- 1 West town each day and 2 East end beach, but 5 over east end
cliffs on the 9th and 10th were too distant to make out if any juvs.
were involved.
Rook- 1 on 11th, west end.
Hooded crow- several pairs.
Raven- 2 pairs
Starling- common
Tree sparrow- approx 10 each day.
Linnet- a pair each day which were mobile, a lone female by the hostel
on the 11th.
Redpoll- 1 lesser on 9th in West town.
Goldfinch- 6 on 8th dwindled to 0 on 10th.
Siskin- 1 on 11th.