Survey Season


It has been another beautiful few weeks on Ramsey. We have had some torrential rain for parts but also warm sunny weather which has been reminding us that summer is not far away.

Low tide and calm seas on the 30th © Alys Perry.

April has brought a variety of jobs, including assisting with bringing materials and equipment across from the mainland for work on the harbour wall later on in the season. It has also brought the start of the breeding bird surveys across the island, continued monitoring of the breeding chough, and plant monitoring, as well as the usual reserve and maintenance jobs. 

Derek brought across tons of aggregate on the 10th © Nia Stephens.

The view from Llundain looking north during a breeding bird survey on the 17th © Nia Stephens.

We also managed to tag along on a Thousand Islands boat trip to count Oystercatcher and rock pipit pairs that we could not view from the island. Thanks again to Thousand Island for letting us join a trip © Alys Perry.

Over the past few weeks, we have been checking our Manx Shearwater nest boxes in our study plot and now have 5 pairs incubating eggs. We have also spent some time on the cliffs at night to try to recapture some previously ringed shearwaters. We caught 27 retraps in total, with birds recaught for the first time since they were ringed as fledglings from 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020. 

Nia ringing a new shearwater from one of our nest boxes on the 30th © Alys Perry.

A shearwater incubating its egg on the 30th © Alys Perry.

We now have 9 pairs of Chough incubating eggs on the island, but 10 pairs on territory. Large flocks of non-breeders have also been present on the island, with flock counts of 49 and 60 seen feeding in the northern fields on the 29th and 30th.

A pair of Chough doing a courtship display on the 29th © Alys Perry.

April has also brought more wader records, with sightings of Curlew, Whimbrel, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, and Redshank.

A Whimbrel in the Northern fields on the 29th © Alys Perry.


Seven of nine Purple Sandpipers on the South of the island 30th © Alys Perry.

A few interesting migrants have also made an appearance in April, including this Blue-headed Wagtail (or Blue-headed Wagtail x Grey-headed Wagtail hybrid) that was spotted in the Central fields on the 29th. 
On the same day, we also had our first Spotted Flycatcher of the season and a male House Sparrow on the Farmhouse roof. A surprise Quail was also recorded whilst out Manxie ringing on the 26th.

A Blue-headed Wagtail in the central fields on the 29th © Alys Perry.

A Spotted Flycatcher behind the farm buildings on the 30th © Alys Perry.

A Male House Sparrow at the Farmhouse on the 30th © Alys Perry.

More and more wildflowers are appearing by the day, including wild primrose, bluebells, lesser celandine, spring squill, birdsfoot trefoil, dog violets, thrift, bugle, sea campion and heath milkwort. 

Lesser Celandine © Alys Perry.

Spring Squill © Alys Perry.


Now that Ramsey has reopened to the public, Thousand Islands have released the landing dates for May and June. For the official landing dates and booking information, please follow this link to the thousand islands website Thousand Islands or call 01437 721721. 


Until next time!

Alys Perry

Assistant Warden 























 

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