Manx BirdLife

Welcome to Manx BirdLife

Kittiwakes - Maughold - June 2008. Photo: Pat Cullen

Welcome to Manx BirdLife’s website. Manx BirdLife is a charity based in Laxey in the Isle of Man. It works to conserve the Isle of Man’s wild birds and their habitats through advocacy and by raising public awareness of conservation issues. We base our work on sound scientific research and actively seek partnerships to better achieve conservation goals.

To send us any observations of birds on the Isle of Man, please click on the ‘Your Sightings’ box on the right of this page.

To contact Manx BirdLife, click on CONTACTS at the top of the screen. Click on RECENT REPORTS for recent Manx bird observations. Please join the Manx BirdLife mailing list - just enter your Name and Email address in the boxes at the right of the page.

Recent reports

Apologies for the lack of recent reports. I hope to add reports from recent reports shortly. Meanwhile keep sending in your sightings!

Many thanks,

Mark

Dawn Chorus event

The next Manx Ornithology Society’s new event is an outing this Saturday, 12th May, to hear the dawn chorus in Silverdale Glen. This event is a joint venture with the Manx Wildlife Trust, and your knowledgeable guide will be the President of the Manx Ornithology Society, Pat Cullen. Meet at the car park next to the cafe at 4.30 am (yes, 4.30 am!). The early start is to enable participants to experience the abrupt transformation from relative silence to tumultuous birdsong.

Week ending 22nd April 2012 – bird sightings on the Isle of Man

Yet another fascinating week on the bird front on the Isle of Man. Considerable numbers of summer visitors are back – some may be continuing further north, but no doubt many will be staying. Considerable numbers of Whimbrels were reported, both from Langness/Derbyhaven and also from the Ayres, while smaller numbers of Common Sandpipers were seen around the coast – with a good chance of others being present but not seen. The Donnellys were lucky enough to see a large flock of Sandwich Terns at Smeale; these were almost certainly on the way back to their breeding colony in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.

A few Cuckoos were heard. It should still be possible to hear any Cuckoos for the next few weeks, so please keep your ears pinned back and tell us if you hear one.

The numbers of Swallows seen has continued to increase, along with smaller numbers of Sand and House Martins. The first Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers were seen; a Redstart was found on the Calf.

Despite good numbers of Ring Ouzels being seen on the hills of the south of England, none have been seen on the Isle of Man; does their migration route avoid the Isle of Man, or maybe they tend to favour parts of the Island less frequented by bird watchers. Sites like Bradda or the hills along the west coast north of Fleshwick seem ideal. Do look out for them and if you see one, let us know.

For full details of last week’s sightings, please click here. They can also be seen by clicking on ‘RECENT REPORTS’ at the top of the screen, go down to ‘April’, then clicking on ‘22nd’. Thank you to everyone who has sent in their observations and photographs.

Please continue to send in your observations and photographs using this form.

So far this year 151 different species have been reported to Manx BirdLife, see here for details. The five new species this week were: Grasshopper Warbler, Jack Snipe and Red Grouse on the main Island along with Redstart and Sedge Warbler on the Calf of Man. If you see any species that has not yet been reported this year, please could you do so using the usual form.

: Willow Warbler – Onchan – 19 04 2012. Photo: Mick Hawkes

: Brent Geese – Langness – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Brent Goose – Langness – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Common Sandpiper – Groudle Beach – 21 04 2012. Photo: Mick Hawkes

: male Great Spotted Woodpecker – Andreas – 16 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: male Great Spotted Woodpecker – Andreas – 16 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: male Great Spotted Woodpecker – Andreas – 16 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: male Great Spotted Woodpecker – Andreas – 16 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Male Kestrel – Castletown – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Male Kestrel – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Male Kestrel – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Linnets – above Groudle Glen – 15 04 2012. Photo: Mick Hawkes

: Little Egret – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Little Egret – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Little Egret – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Little Egret – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Leucistic Magpie – Jurby – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Leucistic Magpie – Jurby – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Leucistic Magpie – Jurby – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Mallard (probably descended from a domestic variety) – Cooildarry – 15 04 2012. Photo: Eve

: Mallard with ducklings – Surby Mooar – 17 04 2012. Photo: Eve

: Mallard with ducklings – Surby Mooar – 17 04 2012. Photo: Eve

: Pied Wagtail – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Sandwich Tern – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Sandwich Tern – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Sandwich Tern – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Shelduck – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 20 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Skylark – Smeale – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Wheatear – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Wheatears – Groudle Beach – 20 04 2012. Photo: Mick Hawkes

: Whimbrel – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Whimbrel – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Whimbrel – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Whimbrel – Point of Ayre – 21 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

Manx bird observations – week ending 15th April 2012

For full details of last week’s sightings, please click here. They can also be seen by clicking on ‘RECENT REPORTS’ at the top of the screen, go down to ‘April’, then clicking on ‘15th’. Thank you to everyone who has sent in their observations and photographs.

Please continue to send in your observations and photographs using this form.

So far this year 146 different species have been reported to Manx BirdLife, see here for details. The four new species this week were: Arctic Tern, Cuckoo, House Martin and Osprey. Not previously included in the list was Reed Bunting (first report was from the Calf of Man on 15th March). If you see any species that has not yet been reported this year, please could you do so using the usual form.

: Tufted Duck – Eairy Dam – 10 04 2012. Photo: Fred Hodgson

: Black Guillemot – Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Black Guillemots mating – Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Chiffchaff – The Raggatt, Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Chough – Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Chough – Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Glaucous Gull – Peel – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Red-throated Diver – Point of Ayre – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Shelduck – Bride Hill – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Skylark – Point of Ayre – 09 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Willow Warbler – Surby Mooar, Rushen – 15 04 2012. Photo: Eve

: Fieldfare – Surby, Rushen – 14 04 2012. Photo: Sheila Norris

: Fieldfares – Surby, Rushen – 14 04 2012. Photo: Sheila Norris

: Goldfinch (ringed) – nr Breagle Glen, Port Erin – 14 04 2012. Photo: Eve

: Greylag Goose – Poyll Dooey, Ramsey – 13 04 2012. Photo: Cindy Scale

: Kestrels displaying – Druidale – 15 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Linnets – nr Groudle Glen – 15 04 2012. Photo: Mick Hawkes

: Sandwich Tern – Smeale – 15 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 13 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 13 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 13 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 13 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Short-eared Owl – Langness – 13 04 2012. Photo: John Donnelly

: Wheatear – Druidale – 15 04 2012. Photo: Brian Liggins

: Willow Warbler – Surby Mooar, Rushen – 15 04 2012. Photo: Eve

Bird sightings on the Isle of Man for week ending 8th April 2012

For full details of the week’s sightings, please click here. They can also be seen by clicking on ‘RECENT REPORTS’ at the top of the screen, go down to ‘April’, then clicking on ‘8th’. Thank you to everyone who has sent in their observations and photographs.

Please continue to send in your observations and photographs using this form.

So far this year 141 different species have been reported to Manx BirdLife, see here for details. The two new species this week were: Manx Shearwater and Great Skua. If you see any species that has not yet been reported this year, please could you do so using the usual form.