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Skomer Island Bird Report 2017

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Skomer Island Bird Report 2017 Skomer Island Bird Report 2017 Page 1 Published by: The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales The Nature Centre Fountain Road Tondu Bridgend CF32 0EH 01656 724100 [email protected] www.welshwildlife.org For any enquiries please contact: Skomer Island c/o Lockley Lodge Martins Haven Marloes Haverfordwest Pembrokeshire SA62 3BJ 07971 114302 [email protected] Skomer Island National Nature Reserve is owned by Natural Resources Wales and managed by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. More details on visiting Skomer are available at www.welshwildlife.org. Seabird monitoring on Skomer Island NNR is supported by JNCC. Page 3 Table of Contents Skomer Island Bird Report 2017 ............................................................................................................... 5 Island rarities summary 2017 .......................................................................................................................... 5 Skomer Island seabird population summary 2017 .......................................................................................... 6 Skomer Island breeding landbirds population summary 2017 ....................................................................... 7 Systematic list of birds ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Rarity Report ................................................................................................................................................. 68 Systematic checklist of the birds of Skomer Island ....................................................................................... 71 Page 4 Skomer Island Bird Report 2017 The island was manned between 6th March and 24th November. During this time, a total of 172 bird species were recorded, the highest year total of the last ten years at least, improving on the 165 seen in 2016. Island rarities summary 2017 Species Island status Last recorded Eastern Subalpine Warbler 1st and 2nd records n/a Dark-eyed Junco 1st island record n/a Common Rosefinch 15th island records 2015 Melodious Warbler 16th island records 2016 Bonelli’s Warbler sp. 1st island record n/a Red-necked Phalarope 1st island record n/a Radde’s Warbler 2nd island record 2007 Red-breasted Flycatcher 20th island records 2015 Siberian Stonechat 1st island record n/a Common Crane 1st island record n/a Sabine’s Gull 5th and 6th records 2016 Long-tailed Skua 9th island record 2015 Grey Phalarope 8th island record 2008 Leach’s Petrel 3rd and 4th records 2008 Hawfinch 5th island record 2005 In addition to these island rarities, a host of scarce species were recorded, including Whooper Swan (8) Greater White-fronted Goose (17), Barnacle Goose (2), Red-breasted Merganser, Pomarine Skua, Spoonbill, Wryneck, Kingfisher (2) Sooty Shearwater, Osprey (2), Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff (2) Bullfinch, Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting. Page 5 Skomer Island seabird population summary 2017 Fulmars and Razorbills were not counted (whole island) in 2017. All other species were counted and the table below summarises the whole island population counts and makes comparison with the previous count as well as giving a five-year percentage change. All the Gulls, except Great Black-backed Gulls, continue to decline but the auks are increasing. Species and count units Totals for 2017 Totals for 2016 % change from Comparison previous count with mean of previous 5 years Fulmar (AOS) n/a1. 675 +15.584. Cormorant (AON) 0 4 -1005. Shag (AON) 5 6 -16.675. +19.05 Lesser Black-backed Gull (AON) 4935 6836 -28.855. -37.96 Herring Gull (AON) 297 321 -7.485. - Great Black-backed Gull (AON) 120 108 +11.115. +15.83 Black-legged Kittiwake (AON) 1336 1477 -9.555. -6.57 Guillemot (IND)* 24788 n/a2. +4.393. - Razorbill (IND) n/a1. 7250 -3.194. Puffin (IND) 25227 22539 +11.935. +35.77 Data on the seabirds breeding season has been compiled from the Skomer Seabird Report 2017. Notes: 1. Not censused in 2017 (see 2.1 Whole island counts) 2. Not censused in 2016 (see 2.1 Whole island counts) 3. % change between 2017 and 2015 4. % change between 2016 and 2015 5. % change between 2017 and 2016 Count units used in this report: AOS-Apparently Occupied Site AON-Apparently Occupied Nest AOT-Apparently Occupied Territory IND-Individual Page 6 Skomer Island breeding landbirds population summary 2017 The below data was collected by island staff during the breeding season, mostly through the annual Breeding Bird Survey, mapping territories along set transects across all parts of the island at least three times between mid-April and mid-June. In addition, many breeding territories are noted during the daily patrol and wardening of the nature reserve. A total of 34 species of ‘landbird’ bred on Skomer this year. Goldfinch bred on the island for the second time and Common Chiffchaff bred once again after no breeding records in 2016. Species Total for 2017 Total for 2016 5 year % change Canada Goose (AON) 22 21 -6 Shelduck (AOT) 2 3 +25 Mallard (AOT) 5 3 +25 Shoveler (AOT) 4 2 +100 Pheasant (AOT/IND) 6 14 +25 Common Buzzard (AON) 5 3 +19 Peregrine (AOT) 3 3 0 Common Moorhen (AOT) 4 5 -33.3 Oystercatcher (AOT) 46 66 -27.9 Eurasian Curlew (AOT) 3 3 -6.5 Wood Pigeon (AON) 3 2 -16.7 Short-eared Owl (AON) 4 2 +53.8 Little Owl (AON) 0 1 -100 Skylark (AOT) 6 7 -3.2 Barn Swallow (AON) 8 7 +2.6 Meadow Pipit (AOT) 114 115 +22.3 Rock Pipit (AOT) 27 19 +23.9 Pied Wagtail (AON) 4 3 +17.6 Dunnock (AOT) 17 19 +9 European Stonechat (AOT) 4 3 +185.7 Northern Wheatear (AOT) 24 27 +20 Blackbird (AOT) 5 2 +31.6 Song Thrush (AON) 1 0 +100 Common Whitethroat (AOT) 14 14 -30 Sedge Warbler (AOT) 53 40 +32.5 Page 7 Common Chiffchaff (AOT) 1 0 -16.7 Wren (AOT) 71 71 +6.3 Magpie (AOT) 6 5 -6.3 Red-billed Chough (AOT) 3 2 0 Western Jackdaw (AOT/IND) 26 28 +6.6 Carrion Crow (AON) 12 11 +36.4 Common Raven (AON) 9 8 +66.7 Common Linnet (AOT) 5 6 +257.1 European Goldfinch (AOT) 2 1 +900 Reed Bunting (AOT) 3 4 0 Page 8 Systematic list of birds Sarah-Kay Purdon, Edward Stubbings and Leighton Newman Status categories Vagrant – one to 10 records Rare – 11 to 40 records Scarce – one to five records per year Uncommon – six to 50 records per year Fairly common – 51 to 250 records per year Common – 251 to 1000 records per year Abundant – 1001 to 2500 records per year Very abundant – more than 2500 records per year Note: Status’ are given in an island context, not a national context. Breeding categories Very rare breeder – one to 10 breeding records Rare breeder – 11 to 40 breeding records Scarce breeder – one to five breeding records per year Uncommon breeder – six to 50 breeding records per year Fairly common breeder – 51 to 250 breeding records per year Common breeder – 251 to 1000 breeding records per year Abundant breeder – 1001 to 2500 breeding records per year Very abundant breeder – more than 2500 breeding records per year Count units and terminology used in this report AOS – Apparently Occupied Site AON – Apparently Occupied Nest AOT – Apparently Occupied Territory IND – Individual BBRC – British Birds Rarities Committee WRP – Welsh Records Panel NRW – Natural Resources Wales List of contributors mentioned within the report Name Initials Name Initials Name Initials Eddie Stubbings EMS Birgitta Bueche BB David Astins DA Jason Moss JWM Ted Wallen TW Leighton Newman LN Elisa Miquel Riera EMR Mike Wallen MW Sarah-Kay Purdon SKP Ollie Padget OP Pia Reufsteck PR Steve Woolfenden SW Jamie Boulter JB Notes The species order for this systematic list is taken from ‘The British List’ published by the BOU in Jan 2013. Cover photo –Razorbill by Edward Stubbings © Page 9 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Vagrant, six previous records involving 24 birds. Last noted 2005. Five were reported flying over Wooltack Point towards Skomer on the 5th of October. In addition eight were seen flying North on the evening of the 29th of October. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Rare. Twenty-five previous records, involving at least 176 individuals. Of those identified to race, all bar one have been Greenland White-fronted Geese A. a. flavirostris. One European White-fronted Goose A. a. albifrons was recoded in May 2015. A good year for this species with at least three flocks passing over in late October and early November. Two additional flocks of geese were seen which could have been of this species. None were seen well enough to assign to subspecies. Four flew north over North Valley on the 27th of October. On the 29th of October a flock of twelve were seen and there were further flocks of 15 and nine seen towards dusk that were not identified with 100% certainty but probably belonged to this species. Finally a flock of 13 were seen on the 2nd of November. The final count was an impressive 29 but could have been as high as 53. Greylag Goose Anser anser Vagrant. Ten previous records, involving ten birds. Last recorded 2016 There were four records in October (on the 13th, 16th, 27th and 30th), probably all relating to the same individual. Canada Goose Branta canadensis Uncommon breeder. First bred 1993 Present throughout. A total of 22 pairs nested on the island in 2017, a minor increase on the 21 pairs in 2016. The five-year trend for this species is one of slight decline (-6%), though the population trend over the past ten years is still an increase of 22.2%. Birds were noted as being paired up and on territory by 25th March at least. The first eggs were found on 1st April at North Pond and the first goslings on 3rd May. No chicks were thought to have fledged. Numbers dwindled in August as birds departed the island to moult, between zero and eleven birds were noted on 30 days between 31st July and 28th August, with the sole exception of 25 individuals on the 13th August. Numbers increased into the autumn with birds roosting on the island and commuting between the island and the mainland, and the ten highest counts of the year all occurring in September and October.
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