A Bristol Channel Island

Since the 8th May, our last post, we have been pretty busy going here there and everywhere and we're just starting to catch up with our blog.  On Sunday 14th May Jackie and I joined our friend Justin on the Devon Birds visit to Lundy off the Devon coast, sailing from Bideford at 08:30hrs in the morning and arrive around 10:30 at the island.   On our crossing we had many Manx Shearwaters flying by as well as several Gannet, we also passed a raft of Manx loafing on the sea.

Manx Shearwater over Bristol Channel © Nick Hull

Raft of Manx Shearwater

Unlike many who perhaps, shall we say, weren't especially good sailors disembarked we took the hour tour on the boat to circumnavigate the island.   This was very interesting and with doing as we learnt about the Island's history and you get closer views of the seabirds than you can from the cliff top.

As we circled the island we had views of good numbers of auks, Fulmar, and several of the common  large gull species.  It wasn't until we were approaching Jenny's Cove famous for the visiting Ancient Murrelet back in 1990/91, a first for Britain and the Western Palearctic, that we had our first good views of Puffin with two birds on the water not far off the boat.

Puffin © Nick Hull

Puffin and Guillemot fly by © Nick Hull

We also had Razorbill, Guillemot, Puffins, Kittiwakes and Fulmar flying by the boat giving pretty good views to all.  After landing we made our way up to the top of the island where we decided not to try to walk around the whole Island but to concentrate on 25% and do it well, which I think we accomplished adding lots of Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatears, Linnets, Rock and Meadow Pipits, Swallow, House and Sand Martins all were zooming around feeding on the airborne insect life.  

Before we knew it it was time to go and catch the boat back to civilisation and Bideford for an evening meal.  Our trip back was fairly uneventful more Manxies and the odd Gannet and a Peregrine sat on the Bridge pillar as we came into the harbour made a nice finish to a very interesting day.