Calf of Man Bird Observatory

We have spaces for volunteers on the Calf this spring! Our main projects are Rock Pipit territory mapping and Eider nest monitoring. There will also be plenty of opportunities to help out with the general work of the Observatory! For more info contact calfbirdwarden@mwt.im

It was with sadness that we said goodbye to the Calf last week. With 149 species recorded it was another great year - thank you to everyone who made it happen. @manxheritage @manxnature

@HarriHoltta Ah right, sorry - we ringed this individual on the Calf when we caught it.

@CalfObs I mean doesn't this individual have a ring, though the birthplace stays secret since in practice all of them are ringed as adult?

I was very excited to catch this Jack Snipe today - in a Heligoland, of all places!

@HarriHoltta This Jack Snipe will likely be coming from eastern Europe or even Russia, and are moving down to winter in the UK or possibly as south as France.

@CalfObs Where was this Jack coming from?

@BirdingBobNYC Yes, that's right 👍

@CalfObs In a Heligoland bird funnel/trap?

A Yellowhammer and 49 Twite yesterday, and an easterly push today – our 7th Yellow-browed Warbler ringed (a new Calf record), and sightings of five Brambling, 156 Fieldfare and 634 Redwing.

Have you ever fancied working on the Calf of Man? We have vacancies in the 2025 team! Full details: mwt.im/jobs

Yesterday saw our first Woodcock of the autumn and today our 18th record of Little Egret for the year. Before this year, Little Egret had only been recorded 17 times in the Observatory's history.

Oct 20th – 26th highlights: Manx Shearwater (20th), 2 Pale-bellied Brent, 8 Knot and a Black-throated Diver (21st), 10 Swallow (22nd), a Stock Dove, 805 Woodpigeon and two new Yellow-browed Warbler (23rd), 17 Lapwing (24th) and a Black Redstart (25th - 26th).

Oct 15th – 19th 7 Teal (16th) and a Snow Bunting (17th). Today was the calm before the storm: 3 Canada Geese, 3 Barnacle Geese, over 600 Starling, 6 Swallow, our 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler of the season (2nd bird also still present) and a Brambling.

1st-year Lesser Whitethroat and our 2nd Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn in the Heligoland trap this morning. A pleasant surprise, considering thick fog overnight and strong winds first thing.

Oct 10th – 14th Finally the winds dropped enough for some vis mig and mist netting! Small movements of thrushes, Skylark, finches and Starling. Autumn firsts: Fieldfare (10th), Whooper Swan (13th) and Brambling (14th). Pic: first ringed Greenfinch of the autumn (10th).

Oct 6- 9th: A slow start to the week. Highlights: Yellow-browed Warbler (7th), male Black Redstart (7-8th), 5 Pink-footed Geese and 9 House Martin (8th), and a Knot and a Tree Pipit (9th). A Ringed Plover was “on the deck” during the day from 5th onwards… yet vanishes overnight!

We managed to scrape up 51 species for #GlobalBigDay here on the Calf, battling against a mixed bag of weather: from sun to hail to gale-force winds! Highlights: 3 Wigeon on seawatch, a Wheatear at the Lighthouses and an Eider off Grant’s Harbour.

Finally joining in the Y-b action!

A windy week on the Calf! Mipits and finches continue to trickle through. First autumn Redwings on 2nd, and the first Mistle Thrush and Ring Ouzel on 4th. Other birds of note: tristis Chiffchaff (28th), Little Egret (29th-1st), Jack Snipe (1st), Wigeon (3rd) and Lapwing (3rd).

Common species often take on a rarity status on Islands and here @calfobs we have been treated to our first Blue Tit of the autumn, plus a fly-over Mute Swan. The latter being just the 11th record for the islet, with September accounting for six of those records.

The variety continues @CalfObs with a Barred Warbler and Merlin trapped this morning.