Lundy 29th May to 2nd June

Tim Davis and I have just got back from a short trip over for the Lundy Field Society's excellent "Discover Lundy" week. In between a packed programme of talks and walks, we managed to enjoy some great birding, including f/1st-s m Golden Oriole in Quarter Wall Copse on 30th (was also present but not seen by us on 29th), the two 2nd calendar-year male Subalpine Warblers ringed on 30th (already posted on this site), one of which was glimpsed off and on in Millcombe up to yesterday afternoon, two Greater Short-toed Larks (together) found by Chris & Carol Baillie on the main track at Halfway Wall gate on evening of 1 June and still present yesterday (2nd), a male Red-backed Shrike near Quarter Wall gate on 2 June, and a Black Guillemot which I saw distantly in flight off the East Side on evening of 1 June, with up to 3 seen from Oldenburg as she left the Lundy Landing Bay for the return trip to Ilfracombe yesterday evening. Two had also been seen from the boat, on arrival at Lundy on Saturday 26th – the first ever Tystie records for the island. Other birds included a singing male Firecrest in Millcombe on 30th, a female Treecreeper with a brood patch (!) trapped and ringed, but not seen/heard before or after, and a high count of at least 100 Puffins on 31st – the best one-day total since 1981! All in all a pretty spectacular five days...