25 August, 2014

Migrants

Despite the breezy conditions, a recent flowering of Golden-rod has attracted an impressive number of migrant butterflies to Skokholm. The first Clouded Yellow of the year joined dozens of Painted Ladies and Red Admirals already nectaring on the flowers a couple of days ago, further emphasising the current colour scheme across the island...

Clouded Yellow

Painted Lady

Red Admiral

It's an exciting time of year, with migrant birds also beginning to pass through. The last couple of days have seen Garganey, Osprey, Pied Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit and a Water Rail turn up, and everyone is feeling a sense of anticipation for what could be lurking in the next bush.

This Pied Flycatcher was sheltering on a cliff face below me whilst I watched the last few Puffins enter their burrows with fish. Not a pair that often come into the same binocular view.

13 August, 2014

Hurricanes and Convolvulus Hawk-moths

The tail end of hurricane Bertha hit Skokholm on Saturday night as forecasted, bringing with it some pretty impressive weather. The wind and rain combination was relentless for the best part of a 24 hour period; filling up the ponds, stirring up a huge sea swell and leaving the island with a completely new 'autumnal' feel about it that I haven't previously experienced.

The wildlife has also made a noticeable turn to the autumnal, with an "interestingly large hawk-moth" found inside one of the observatory's heligoland bird traps by our 'stranded' guest ringer yesterday morning. Walking into the kitchen to find a Convolvulus Hawk-moth staring back at me from the inside of a pint glass is certainly one of the more surreal wildlife encounters I've experienced, but I'm not complaining... it's one of my dream moths!



12 August, 2014

Tebenna micalis



Tebenna micalis

Continuing the recent run of island moth 'firsts', Tebenna micalis was a surprising find in a small, sheltered coastal gully a couple of days ago. As well as being a notably scarce migrant to Britain, it has also got to be one of the most beautifully pattered moths I've come across yet- lovely iridescent markings and a wing-shape shared by no other British species.

The South Haven gully stream is a gem of a spot to search for rare invertebrates on Skokholm- tucked away off the main track, sheltered from harsh westerlies and flourishing with Common Fleabane (the larval foodplant of Tebenna micalis!) and Water Mint- I could (and do) spend all day in there.

09 August, 2014

Island update


With the passing of July comes the inevitable drop in seabird activity on the Skokholm cliffs. The auks have been disappearing from their breeding ledges since mid-July, but I still wasn't quite ready for the complete exodus of Guillemots and Razorbills that has taken place so abruptly, with the last couple of chicks fledging last week.

It's hard to imagine that only a couple of weeks back I was spending much of the dark hours on the moonlit cliff-tops, watching on in awe as Guillemot chicks reluctantly threw themselves towards the beckoning calls of their parents sat hundreds of feet below on the water. It was magical to watch, but also horrifying at times. I couldn't help but grit my teeth at the sounds made as chicks jumped off their small, awkward ledges- bouncing off boulders on their way down and often falling into seemingly inescapable crevices, only to reappear moments later by their parent's side; both birds wasting no time in quickly swimming out into the open ocean.

Their absence has left the coastal paths eerily quiet, with only the odd noisy Chough or alarm-calling Common Sandpiper to accompany the sound of waves beating against the shear cliffs. Rock Pipits still flit about amongst the last of the summer's flowering Sea Campion- most pairs having now fledged young- whilst the beautifully scented Sea Mayweed has acted as a convenient food source for hoverflies and other invertebrates, many no doubt newly arrived in off the sea.







With the Puffins and Manxies at their most active during July, the Farm has been brimming with visiting guests, photographers and ringers. July mornings were very much dedicated to the general maintenance tasks needed to keep the island looking in shape, but with the toilets (and various other facilities!) emptied and cleaned by mid-morning, the rest of the days could be spent ringing Puffins, gulls & Manxies, helping out with various Storm-petrel monitoring projects or just appreciating walking the coast.

It is sad to watch as the cliffs empty of seabirds, but on the other hand it's exciting to be able to look forward to the possibilities that late-summer and autumn will hold for migrant birds and moths. The likes of Cory's Shearwater and Short-eared Owl have already turned up so far this month, and new moths for the island database are disturbed from the cliffs on a daily basis.









Sitting here outside the cottage (the same cottage outside which Ronald Lockley carried out some of the world's first seabird studies back in the 1930s), clinging on to the little internet connection available whilst listening to Manxies calling all around me in the darkness, it's surprisingly hard to fully summarise the first month's worth of island life. Try as I might, I can't find the right words to describe the character of the island during high-summer; character shaped not only by the fantastic bird fauna and the awe-inspiring landscape, but also by the different folk I find myself mingling with week after week, each sharing the same relatable passion for remote places and nature, and each bringing with them a refreshing element of knowledge and enthusiasm to the observatory.


It's an exciting time of year, and we've got a potentially epic week of Lighthouse seawatching ahead of us if this storm hits. Watch this space and keep up with the Skokholm Blog!

01 August, 2014

Skokholm stuff

Many, many bird-related things have been going on in the past few weeks here on Skokholm- too many things to sum up in one quick post at 1am after three consecutive nights of Manxie/Stormie ringing (and thus no sleep!). A more detailed write-up on the way soon, but for now here are some moths (of which there have been plenty)...

Broom Moth

Dolicharthrica punctalis

Diamond-back Moth

Mullein Wave

Crescent Dart

Agriphila selasella

Garden Tiger

The wind and waves are set to pick up tomorrow- not great for a guest changeover boat but perfect for watching these guys at sea. Embarrassingly clumsy and dopey when they arrive back on the island each night, Manx Shearwaters are built to ride stormy seas. I feel breathless just watching them from the comfort of a hide...


Bring on the storm...