LATEST NEWS – 2026
29 Aug: Teal 10, Grey Plover 1, Snipe 1, Kestrel 2, SE Owl 1, Pied Flycatcher 4, Redstart 2, Willow W 10, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Icterine Warbler 1, Siskin 20, White-Throated Sparrow still present. Minke Whale 5.
28 Aug: Golden Plover 1, Snipe 1, Greenshank 1 over, LITTLE STINT 1, Kestrel 5, Short-eared Owl 2, Wheatear 1, Pied Flycatcher 8, Redstart 10, Reed Warbler 1, Whitethroat 3, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Whinchat 1, Garden W 2, Tree Pipit 6, Siskin 22, White-Throated Sparrow still present, ORTOLAN BUNTING 1
27 Aug: Golden Plover 1, Kestrel 6, Pied Flycatcher 9, Redstart 4, ICTERINE WARBLER 1, Reed W 1, Wood W 1,, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Whinchat 1, Garden W 3, Tree Pipit 1, Siskin 12, White-Throated Sparrow still present
26 Aug: Golden Plover 1, Lapwing 1, Bonxie 1, Kestrel 3, fall including Pied Flycatcher 8, Redstart 5, Reed Warbler 1, WOOD WARBLER 1, Whitethroat 2, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Whinchat 3, Garden W 2, Siskin 12, White-Throated Sparrow still present
25 Aug: Manx Shearwater (20+), Sooty Shearwater (10+), CORY’S SHEARWATER 1, long-tailed skua 2, Arctic Skua 4, Bonxie 2, Red-throated Diver 1, Whitethroat, small fall will.ow W., White-Throated Sparrow still present
24 Aug: Sooty Shearwater 2, Manx 16, Bonxie 1, Red-throated Diver 1, Common Scoter 6, Greenshank 1, House Martin 8, White-Throated Sparrow 1, still present
23 Aug: Sooty Shearwater 3, Manx 19, Bonxie 3, Arctic Skua 3, GADWALL 1, Common Scoter 1, SE Owl 1, Treecreeper 1, Tree Sparrow 1, White-Throated Sparrow 1, still present
22 Aug: Manx 4, Ringed Plover 1, Whimbrel 1
21 Aug: No news
20 Aug: Pied Flycatcher (first of the autumn), SE Owl 3
19 Aug: Influx of Wheatear and Willow W, no numbers reported. Whimbrel 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Dunlin 1 amongst commoner waders
18 Aug: No news
17 Aug: Kestrel 1
16 Aug: White-throated Sparrow not seen today, SE Owl 2, Teal 1
15 Aug: White-throated Sparrow not seen today, Black-headed Gull 18, Common Gull 3
14 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still present, Wheatear 1, Willow Warbler 4, Common Sandpiper 1
13 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still present, Swift 2, Whitethroat 1, Wall butterfly 2
12 Aug: White-throated Sparrow not seen today, Turnstone 139, Purple Sandpiper 71, Common Sandpiper 9, Whimbrel 3, Ringed Plover 1, Teal 1, Manx Shearwater 5, Bonxie 1, Minke Whale 1
11 Aug: No news
10 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still present, SE Owl 1, Cuckoo 1
09 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still present, Tree Pipit 2, SE Owl, 64 Curlew
08 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still, Osprey 1 over, Sparrowhawk 1
07 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still, Sedge W 1 and Tree Pipit 1
06 Aug: White-throated Sparrow still, Marsh Harrier 1 immature/female, Garden Warbler 1
05 Aug: WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (1st. for the Isle of May) in Low Light bushes remained all day.
(Pics courtesy D. Steel and W. Cresswell)
04 Aug: Whimbrel 1, Wheatear 2
02 Aug: Minke Whale 1, Whimbrel 1, Common Sand. 1, Sedge W 1,
01 Aug: Whimbrel 2
AUGUST
30 Jul: Leach’s Petrel 1 trapped and ringed
24 Jul: Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1, Redshank 16, Oystercatcher 6, Purple Sand. 1, Curlew 48, Turnstone 10
23 Jul: Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1
22 Jul: Whimbrel 1
21 Jul: Swift 27N
20 Jul: Manx 10N, House Martin 1, Dunlin 1, BH Gull 1
19 Jul: Common Scoter 4N, Manx 6, Sandwich tern 1, Curlew 61, Redshank 9, Purple Sand. 7, Common Sand. 1
18 Jul: Golden Plover 2, Manx 2, Whinchat 1
17 Jul: Sedge W and RB Shrike still, Kestrel 1, Hummingbird Hawkmoth 3
16 Jul: 10 Swift over, Short-eared owl, Sedge Warbler, Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1, Harbour Porpoise 3+
15 Jul: Great Skua 1N, Arctic Skua 1, Cuckoo (new bird), RB Shrike still present, Common Gull 1, Curlew 65, Whimbrel 1, Oystercatcher 51, Turnstone 19, Purple Sandpiper 7, Redshank 13, Common Sandpiper 2, Mallard 4
14 Jul: Manx Shearwater 10N, Cuckoo 1, Red-backed shrike 1 ad. f. still, Collared Dove 1
13 Jul: Red-backed Shrike 1 (ad. fem.)
12 Jul: Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1, Wheatear 2, Tree Pipit 1, BH Gull 1
11 Jul: Quail 1, Sand Martin 1
10 Jul: Swift 2, Tree Pipit 1
09 Jul: Quail 1, Lapwing 1 (1st of year), Wheatear 1, Chiffchaff 1, Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1
07 Jul: Common Sandpiper 1, Purple Sandpiper 2, Turnstone 8, Redshank 8, Whimbrel , Curlew 25,
05 Jul: Common Sandpiper 1, Whimbrel 1, Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 2
04 Jul: Sooty Shearwater 1N (first of the year), Manx 26N 5W, Common Scoter 52W, Whimbrel 1W. Quail 1, Whinchat 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Purple Sandpiper 1, Redshank 8, Curlew 5, Shelduck 3, Mallard 2
03 Jul: Velvet Scoter 2N, Common Scoter 31N, Goosander 1N, Arctic Skua 1N, Little Gull 1W, Common Gull 3W, Sandwich ter 2W, RT diver 4W, Manx 65N 9W. Crossbill 2, Goldfinch 1, Whimbrel 1
02 Jul: Bonxie, Arctic Skua, Grey Heron
01 Jul: Bh Gull 1juv., Dunlin, Roseate Tern
JULY
30 Jun: Manx 56N, Common Scoter 11W 9N, Grey Wagtail, Redshank 2, Turnstone 8, Wheatear 1juv.
29 Jun: Manx Shearwater 68N, Arctic Skua, Teal 1S, BH Gull 2W, Common Gull, Turnstone, Redshank, Roseate Tern, Short-eared Owl, Minke Whale 1
28 Jun: Common Scoter 26N, Goosander 4N, Manx Shearwater 16N, Arctic Skua 1, Sandwich Tern 2.
27 Jun: Quail 1, Large Shearwater sp. (prob. Cory’s) 1E, Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Swift, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Mallard brood 6 on Loch
26 Jun: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 3 Swift
25 Jun: Willow Warbler
24 Jun: Swift 2N
23 Jun: Black-tailed Godwit 1S, 62 Starling, Grey Heron, 3 Swift
22 Jun: Collared Dove
21 Jun: 3N Goosander, Bonxie 2
20 Jun: Orca 2x adult males, 2 presumed females and calf.
19 Jun: Curlew 2, Black-headed Gull 1, CORY’S SHEARWATER 1E, Manx Shearwater 35, Cuckoo 1
18 Jun: Sedge Warbler 1
17 Jun: Common Dolphin 10, Golden Plover 1s, Whimbrel 1, House Martin 1s, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Chiffchaff 1
16 Jun: Blackcap 1, Swift 3
15 Jun: Chiffchaff 1
10 Jun: Mute Swan 4N, Manx Shearwater 5 past, Common Gull 3, Whimbrel 1
07: Jun: Spotted Flycatcher 1, fledged Robin. ORCA 1
06 Jun: Canada Goose 8N, Quail 1, Roseate Tern 1, Crossbill 2,
05 Jun: Canada Goose 18N
04 Jun: Manx Shearwater 1s
03 Jun: Canada Goose 57, Roseate Tern 1
02 Jun: Canada Goose 43N, Arctic Skua 1
01 Jun: Minke Whale, 5 Sandwich Tern, Arctic Skua 1, Manx Shearwater 1s
JUNE
31 May: Roseate Tern
23-29 May: Redwing on 23/05, DIPPER 1 juv. 24/05. 27/05: WESTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER – imm m. 28/05: Hummingbird Hawkmoth, 3 Spotted Fly, Arctic Skua, 2 Common Crossbill, Swift.
16-22 May: Basking Shark at Kirkhaven enrance on 16/05. Sandwich Tern 5 on 18/05, Cuckoo, Whinchat 19/05. 20/05: Osprey N. 22/05: 3 Jackdaw, Spotted Flycatcher, Ringed Plover, Orange Tip, SPOONBILL 1NW.
09-15 May: Turtle Dove still, Yellow wagtail, Tree Pipit 09/05. Garden W 13/05. Arctic Tern 14/05. Tree Sparrow, 2 Common Tern 15/05
02-08 May: Fieldfare on 02/05, Golden Plover and 75b Barnacle Goose 03/05, Greenshank 05/05. TURTLE DOVE on 08/05.
MAY
25 Apr-01May: Pied Flycatcher, Grasshopper W and Cuckoo on 25/04. Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Black Redstart. Whinchat & Lesser Whitethroat (30/04), Swift & Sedge W (01/05).
18-24 Apr: 19/04: Common Redstart, Grasshopper W, Collared Dove, Orange Tip butterfly. 21/04: Humpback Whale seen off Anstruther, Mistle Thrush, 2 Brambling, 2 Twite, Great Northern Diver. 22/04: Black Redstart (f) & 2 on 23-24/04 + 2 Common Redstart, 4 Common Whitethroat, Snipe, Fieldfare, 2 Tree Pipit, 3 Blackcap, 7 Redpoll.
11-17 Apr: Osprey N 11/04. Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel 12/04. 2 Velvet Scoter N 13/04. 16/04: Osprey N, 3 Linnet, Bonxie, Whimbrel. 17/04: House Martin, 5 Siskin, Bonxie, 2 Swallow.
06-10 Apr: Rook, 2 Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Swallow, Reed Bunting on 06/04. 6 Jackdaw, 2 Rooks, 3 Chiffchaff, Bonxie 1S, 3 Wheatear on 07/04. On 08/04: 9 Jackdaw, 7 Rook 14 Carrion Crow all S together. 09/04: 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Teal, 2 Shelduck, Willow Warbler. 3 Fieldfare, Blackcap, Redstart, 5 Willow W. 10/04: 9 Fieldfare, White Wagtail.
31-5 Apr: 30 Whooper Swan N on 04/04. 14 Common Scoter on 01/04. Thin passage of finches included Linnet, Sisken and Goldfinch. Reed Bunting on 04/04. Imm. f Merlin. Wheatear on 01/04. Manx 1N on 02/04, 2 on 05/04.
22-30 Mar: Puffins back, 2 Woodcock, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 54 Dunlin and 54 PF Goose N on 22/03. Iceland Gull (3rd CY) 27 & 28/03 and 8 Common Gulls, WHITE-TAILED EAGLE – 1 imm over island NW on 30/03.
23-28 Feb: Shoveler remained, 2 Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 5+ Woodcock
10th Feb: Shoveler (1f) on Loch, Little Grebe, c15 Woodcock, 60 Curlew
4th-9th Jan: sigtings included small numbers of passerines including Skylark, Redwing and Song Thrush. The overwintering Whimbrel was still present, a single LBB GUll and 2 SE Owl were good sightings and may have overwintered. Other good sightings in the period included a Red-necked Grebe , 4 Woodcock, Great Northern Diver, 2 Black Guillemot,, Long-tailed Duck, 70 Curlew and up to 70 Little Auk.
Isle of May Bird Observatory 
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