2026
May
8th May
A smart male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was found at North Valley Crossing by Steve Woolfenden. Three Rooks were seen at the Farm.
7th May
A Golden Plover flew over the Farm. Kittiwakes began nest-building in earnest, with a constant stream of birds flying to Moorey Mere from the Wick and returning with beaks full of mud and vegetation. An additional Curlew chick was spotted with the previous day's brood, bringing the chick total to four.
6th May
Seven Mute Swans were seen passing North Haven in the morning. The first three Curlew chicks of the year were being fiercely defended by their parents in the fields east of the Farm.
5th May
The first Peregrine egg was spotted at The Wick. A Dunlin was seen at Moorey Mere. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen at the Garland Stone and another at Green Pond.
4th May
Kittiwakes were seen nest-building at the Wick and Welsh Way. A Common Sandpiper was seen at North Haven.
3rd May
The first Guillemot egg was seen at the Amos.
2nd May
Two Whimbrel were seen at Payne's Ledge. Two Spotted Flycatcher were spotted at North Valley Crossing and two more at the Farm.
1st May
Three Short-eared Owls were seen scrapping over North Valley Rise.
April
29th April
The first Manx Shearwater egg of the year was found on the North Haven study colony. A Garden Warbler was seen at the Farm. A Dunlin was spotted at Moorey Mere.
28th April
The first Razorbill egg of the year was seen at the Basin. A Merlin was seen at South Stream.
27th April
A Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing at North Valley Crossing.
26th April
A Black Redstart and two Whimbrel were seen at Pigstone Bay.
25th April
A Hoopoe was seen in the morning and again at lunchtime, when it obligingly landed on the North Haven upper lime kiln for a few moments. A Yellow Wagtail was seen at Captain Kites. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen at the Farm
24th April
A male Pied Flycatcher was seen at the Farm while Spotted Flycatchers were seen at the Well and at North Valley Crossing. A Garden Warbler was heard singing at the Farm and a smart male Whinchat was seen at the Well. There was a big fall of Common Whitethroat with twelve seen just at the Farm. Red Admiral butterflies seemed to be everywhere this evening, with over twenty seen flying and fighting at the Farm in the evening.
23rd April
A female Common Redstart was seen at North Haven. A Chaffinch and a Siskin were heard at the Farm and a Reed Warbler was heard singing at North Valley Crossing.
22nd April
A Common Redstart was seen at North Valley Crossing.
21st April
A Grasshopper Warbler was heard at North Valley Crossing. A Black-headed Gull crossed North Valley, calling loudly, and a Rook followed shortly after. Robins were seen at the Farm, North Valley Crossing and North Valley Willows. A Ringed Plover was heard flying over North Valley.
20th April
A Pied Flycatcher was seen at North Haven.
18th April
The first Swift of the year was seen over North Valley.
18th April
Two Rooks were seen over the Farm and a Greylag Goose was seen at North Pond.
17th April
A Cuckoo was seen at North Valley Crossing in the evening.
16th April
Grasshopper Warblers were heard reeling in North Valley Crossing and at the Farm. A Common Whitethroat was seen at the Farm.
15th April
In the most surprising sighting of the year to date, guillemot field worker Bella spotted an Otter at the Amos.
13th April
Seven Common Dolphins and eight Harbour Porpoise were seen.
11th April
A Common Shrew was seen at the Farm.
8th April
A Knot was seen at South Pond. The first Sedge Warbler of the year was seen at North Valley Crossing. Two Short-eared Owl were seen in the fields west of the Farm displaying. Three Sandwich Terns were seen off the Mew Stone.
7th April
A Swallow at the Farm was bringing in nest material. 2 Black Redstarts were seen at the Farm and Green Pond.
6th April
1 singular Guillemot at Garland Stone. 2 Goldfinches were seen at North Haven.
5th April
4 Turnstone were seen in North Haven. A Merlin was flying at Captain Kites.
4th April
A female Marsh Harrier was seen briefly braving the strong winds at North Pond before dropping out of view at Bull Hole.
2nd April
15 Linnet were seen around the island. 1 Kestrel was seen on Central Fields East.
1st April
A Willow Warbler was heard singing at North Valley Crossing. A Sparrowhawk was seen in the fields west of the Farm, and a neat queue of five Shelduck were seen standing near Captain Kites. Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes were present in good numbers.
March
31st March
Three House Martins seen at North Haven.
27th March
Two ringtail Hen Harriers were seen over Green Pond, and a Red Kite flew low over the Farm courtyard to the irritation of the resident Pied Wagtails. Three Gadwall were seen at North Pond.
23rd March
Four Shelduck were seen on North Pond. A Collared Dove was perched on the roof of the library at North Haven. Kittiwakes were back on the cliffs but auks were present in only small numbers. Common Dolphins and Porpoise were seen off the Garland Stone.
22nd March
Two Shovelers and a Short-eared Owl were seen at North Pond.
21st March
A Barn Owl was present at the Farm. The ringtail Hen Harrier is still present and was seen quartering the fields east of the Farm in the morning. Good numbers of Razorbills, Guillemots and Puffins seen in North Haven.
20th March
A male Gadwall was seen at Moorey Mere. The first Puffin was seen on land.
19th March
The day began with the year's first Firecrest at North Pond, followed in quick succession by the first House Sparrow of the year at the Farm. There was a marked increase in Wheatear numbers with 20 birds seen - the vast majority are males, but a handful of females are beginning to arrive. An out of season Grey Seal pup at Driftwood Bay was something of a surprise, as was a spring sighting of two Long-tailed Tits at North Valley Willows. It was the first day when we saw Puffins in good numbers, with 4450 birds recorded in a partial island count.
18th March
On a glorious March day, the first Blackcap and the first Swallow of the year were both seen at the Farm. Here also a Robin began its day by chasing two Black Redstarts. We heard a Grey Heron call as it flew over the fields west of the Farm, as well as the rather more tuneful sound of the first Skylark singing in the same fields. At North Haven and at the Farm we saw a female Chaffinch. As we emptied the compost toilets into the yard bins we saw flocks of nine Ravens, seven Pied Wagtails, and eleven Cormorants. The final highlight of the day was the sight of four Sand Martins.
17th March
A Marsh Harrier was seen at North Pond, to the annoyance of all of the resident gulls. Chiffchaffs were heard at North Valley Crossing and North Valley Willows. A female-type Black Redstart joined us in the yard in the morning.
14th March
Nine Sand Martins were seen flitting over North Pond.
11th March
Two Goldcrests were seen at North Valley Willows. 119 Oystercatchers were seen roosting at South Stream.
9th March
Two Shelduck were seen flying through South Stream valley. Kittiwakes were back on the cliffs at the Wick, though absent elsewhere.
8th March
The first Manx Shearwaters of the season were seen and heard, with a handful crashing down through the dense fog to the Farm courtyard.
7th March
A Goldcrest was seen and heard singing at the Farm. The first Blackbirds were heard singing. A Water Rail was heard at North Valley Crossing.
6th March
A Barn Owl was seen near the old chicken sheds at the Farm.
5th March
A very smart male Wheatear was seen in the fields east of the Farm. Frogspawn was seen in one of the streams running from Moorey Mere, which is holding an impressive amount of water this spring. A Common Snipe was seen near Garland Stone.
4th March
A single Chiffchaff was seen in the willows by North Pond. Three Peregrine were seen scrapping at North Haven.
3rd March
Over 500 Razorbills in North Haven, along with 14 Guillemots and one solitary Puffin. Curlew heard singing in the fields west of the Farm.
2nd March
A Reed Bunting was seen at Moorey Mere and a Sparrowhawk at the Farm. Ravens are on nests and Chough back in breeding territories.
February
28th February
Ringtail Hen Harrier seen over North Pond. Red Kite seen at the Farm. Siskin heard over North Haven.
19th February
Great Northern Diver seen in North Haven.