Manx Shearwater Volunteer. Daily callback work to determine the island population! Also involves checking nest boxes, and catching adults at night.
The position runs from 26th May - 23rd Jun (dates flexible). Deadline: 17th Mar 2026, for full details contact calfbirdwarden@mwt.im
📸Kate Fox
4/4
Eider Volunteer. Are you good at spotting Eiders in bracken? Help us map nests and dazzle adults. This role will also involve seabird ringing.
The position runs from 28th Apr - 22nd Jun (dates flexible). Deadline: 3rd Mar 2026, for full details contact calfbirdwarden@mwt.im
Eider 📸Kate Fox
3/4
Breeding Birds Volunteer wanted! Do you love mapping territories and finding nests? The focus is Linnet also seabirds and others.
The position runs from 21st Apr - 26th May (dates flexible). Deadline: 24th Feb 2026, for full details contact calfbirdwarden@mwt.im
Chick 📸Ed Betteridge
2/4
Fancy experiencing life on a remote island bird observatory? We're looking for spring/summer volunteers (see following thread)! 1/4
*Appointment of these voluntary positions is conditional upon the outcome of a tender that has not yet been awarded (as of 30/01/26).
Shag and birding 📸s: Kate Fox
The Calf of Man won Environmental Initiative of the Year 🏆🎉 This award recognises the vital conservation work undertaken by past and present wardens and volunteers and the important partnership between @manxheritage.bsky.social and @manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social. Thank you to all involved!
Last weekend we closed down the observatory and said goodbye to the Calf for the winter. It's been a great season - thanks to all who have helped to make this year a success!
📸 @birdingfox.bsky.social
@manxheritage.bsky.social @manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
A windy day took an exciting turn this morning with this beaut of a Buzzard caught! A young female, she is only the second Buzzard to be ringed on the Calf.
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#ukbirding #birdringing
A real gem waiting for us on the outside of the moth trap this morning. What a moth!!!
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
🐦 RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER ringed at the Obs this morning!
The 2nd record of RB Flycatcher this season an exciting addition to a busy day’s ringing (206 processed incl 193 new). A notable increase in Chaffinches, Goldcrests, tits and Robins among other species too
📸 Matt Livsey
#ukbirding
A young Pink-footed Goose was ringed on the Calf last night, only the second ever caught after the first in 1990!
We’ve seen the first push of ‘Pinkies’ the past couple of days as they head south for the winter. A classic autumn sight! 🪿🍂
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#ukbirding #birdringing
A young COMMON ROSEFINCH ringed at the Observatory today!
A nice addition to the arrival of migrants, with a notable increase in Robins and Swallow passage, a family of 4 Pink-Footed Geese, 13 Golden Plover and 13 Redshank also.
www.trektellen.org/count/view/2...
📸 Matt Livsey
#ukbirding
Pied Flycatcher
Second autumn vagrant in a week: RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER above Gibdale this morning, the first August record and 1st since 2020!
Also a more showy Pied Flycatcher present (pictured) for a handy comparison.
📸 Matthew Livsey
#ukbirding
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
A young Barred Warbler in the hand
Birders check yer bramble bushes… immature BARRED WARBLER ringed at the Observatory this morning!
Autumn migration is well underway with birds continuing to trickle through the Calf, and this beauty was an exciting addition to the net round.
📸 @birdingfox.bsky.social
#ukbirding
🗺️🐦 Our Wheatears are on the move!
One of this year’s Wheatear chicks colour-ringed on the Calf was seen at the Lower Otter Restoration Project in Budleigh Salterton, Devon!
One of over 100 pulli we ringed this year, with over 30 nests monitored.
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#ukbirding
3/3 The majority of chicks were colour ringed, allowing them to be identified in the field. We also had success catching adults in the breeding colonies, so we’re excited to see where they spend their winters.
Keep an eye out for the Calf Class of 2025!
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#seabirds
The Bird Team ringing Herring Gull chicks at Cow Harbour
The Wardens ringing gull chicks
A Warden ringing Great Black-backed Gull chicks
2/ Herring Gulls did well with 277 chicks ringed (2x the highest total from the last 3 years and highest since 2019). LBB Gulls did poorly, with only 3 chicks ringed and stronghold colonies devoid of chicks. GBB Gull chick numbers were on par with the last 5/6 years, with 39 ringed.
#seabirds
A volunteer being trained in taking measurements on a Shag
The Calf Team counting seabirds from the boat
Shag ringing training on the coastal slopes of the Calf
A gull nest among wildflowers
🐣 With the breeding season coming to an end, let’s look back at how our seabird colonies have done this year!
The Bird Team have been busy counting nests, monitoring productivity and ringing chicks and adults to help us understand how they’re doing. 1/
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#seabirds
There’s still time to apply for our Assistant Bird Warden position!
🗓️ Deadline THIS FRIDAY 🐦 see below for more details 👇
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social
#ukbirding
🗓️ DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY!
There’s still a few days left to get your applications in for our September Ornithological Volunteer position. A great opportunity to join the Calf team for some quality birding and island antics during peak migration!
Follow the link below for full details 👇
#ukbirding
Didn’t expect to have a very vocal LAUGHING GULL fly around above me whilst I went to ring gull chicks on the Calf of Man this afternoon!! The bird stayed around just long enough for others to get there and bring a camera before it headed high north! #ukbirding
Breeding plumage Laughing Gull viewed from underneath
Breeding Plumage Laughing Gull
Ed and Eleanor watching the Laughing Gull flying over the sea
LAUGHING GULL found by @edjbetteridge.bsky.social this afternoon!
Smart summer-plumage adult, very vocal circling with other gulls for 15mins before heading towards the Isle of Man.
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
@britishbirds.bsky.social
@rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
4/4 After the females have left the nest, we return to check if they were successful. If so, we can estimate the number of chicks from the fragments of hatched shells around left the nest 🐣 This feeds into the @btobirds.bsky.social Nest Record Scheme, informing about Eider productivity!
3/4 Once their chicks hatch, they walk them down to the sea and work their way round to the north of the island. There they wait for the tide to be just right so that they can paddle their family across the Sound to the Isle of Man to raise them!
2/4 Catching the females informs us about our breeding population and their habits. One female retrapped this year was ringed on the Calf in 2009, a new Calf longevity record!
We also find some females consistently nesting earlier or later, and many returning to the same areas year on year
🦆 Eider Update! 🐣
The Bird Team have been busy over the past 2 months monitoring our breeding Eiders. They’ve been mapping nests, recording clutch size and catching the females as part of a long-term project.
So far this season they’ve found 76 nests, predominantly in bracken and heather… 1/4
Please continue to report all sightings of dead birds for possible testing for avian influenza:
📌In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/rep...
📌In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae...
📌In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report
🦆🔭 Join our Team!
We’re looking for a passionate ringer & birder to join our friendly team as Assistant Bird Warden! The role will involve monitoring autumn migration through daily census and bird ringing.
To find out more 👇
www.mwt.im/jobs/calf-ma...
🗓️ Applications close Friday 18th July
A bit of excitement this afternoon when Ed found TWO Quails!
The seventh Calf record and first since 1990. It’s also the first involving more than one individual!
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#calfbirdobs #ukbirding #ManxNature
3/3 …but why the plastic Puffins?
We have placed decoys and speakers playing Puffin call as part of a project to bring them back as a breeding species on the Calf, following the successful eradication of longtails (🐀).
To find out more 👇
www.mwt.im/puffin-project
@manxwildlifetrust.bsky.social