09.01.2025 Stonechats at the Wetland Centre today MD
Early rain cleared before Dawn today leaving an improving scene with good sunny periods between isolated showers. Winds were fresh from the North
It is not often that Le Roncier in St Clement gets a mention, but a report of a Yellowhammer attracted attention there today. It was not seen again but present were 22 Cattle Egrets, 6 Little Egrets, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 120 Black-headed Gulls, 44 Redwings, 6 Song Thrushes and a Stonechat.
In Grouville Bay were 2 Great Northern Divers and at Grouville Marsh were 14 Common Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and a Snipe. At La Rocque were a Golden Plover, 70 Grey Plovers, 3 Greenshanks, 41 Redshanks, 375 Oystercatchers, 16 Ringed Plovers, 130 Sanderlings and 230 Dunlin. At La Sente were 24 Grey Herons and a lot of water!
On the West side of the Island, at St Ouen's Pond, were a Merlin, 12 Wigeon, 22 Teal, 18 Shovelers, 2 male Pochard, 2 Brent Geese, 45 Lapwings, 2 Snipe, a Grey Heron, a Little Grebe and a pair of Stonechats. At Sands were 40 Ringed Plovers, 20 Sanderlings and 3 Dunlin while in the Sandpits were 8 Grey Herons, a Shelduck, 14 Tufted Duck, 13 Pochard, 3 Little Grebes and there was an overflight by the Barnacle Goose / Pink-footed Goose combo too. At Le Pulec were 9 Little Egrets, 26 Curlews, 200 Oystercatchers and 2 Rock Pipits. A further 38 Curlews were at Petit Port.
A ring-tail Hen Harrier was seen at Crabbe while at Plemont were 3 Ravens, a Buzzard and a Kestrel. At Beaumont Marsh were 280 Brent Geese ( with only 4 juveniles amongst them), 6 Shovelers, 90 Mallards, a Little Egret and a Stonechat and a Dartford Warbler was at Gorselands.
Gentle passage past Corbiere this morning included 68 Razorbills, 28 Guillemots, 5 Fulmars, 34 Gannets, 26 Shags, 11 Cormorants, 122 Kittiwakes, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Common Gull and a Curlew, plus a Porpoise feeding close in.
