10.03.2025  A nice selection of the 88 Cattle Egrets which appeared at La Sente today, with thanks to Alan Gicquel for the image   AG


A mainly overcast day with some light rain, feeling mild in a moderate southeast wind.


La Sente featured well today, with the 88 Cattle Egrets present, almost certainly a day record for any site in Jersey. This afternoon, the first Little Ringed Plover of the year visited there, with others seen today including 2 Shelduck, 30 Redshanks, 2 Curlews and 4 White Wagtails.  At La Rocque this afternoon were a Great Northern Diver, a Slavonian Grebe, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 81 Grey Plovers, 90 Sanderlings, 60 Dunlin, 55 Curlews, 22 Turnstones, 2 Redshanks and 3 Greenshanks, with 8 Common Scoters in Grouville Bay.


It was a little busier at Corbiere than in recent days and seen passing were 263 Razorbills, 12 Guillemots, a flock of 24 Teal moving North, 61 Brent Geese, 2 Fulmars, 15 Gannets, 9 Cormorants, 31 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Peregrines with food, 3 White Wagtails and a Chiffchaff which arrived from the southwest and landed on the first convenient rock.  At Petit Port after this afternoon's high tide were 17 Curlews, 7 Brent Geese, a Cormorant, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls and a Grey Seal.


On St Ouen's Pond were 22 Shovelers, 9 Teal, a Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 10 Brent Geese, 2 Snipe and 4 Marsh Harriers. On a busy Scrape were 120 Brent Geese, the Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose, 2 Shelduck, 38 Teal, 10 Wigeon with another 4 flying over towards the Pond, and 6 Lapwings.


In St Brelade's Bay were 8 Brent Geese and at Beaumont Marsh were 2 Teal, 60 Starlings, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 2 White Wagtails and a Marsh Harrier. A Kingfisher was in St Helier Marina. This evening in the Marina was a roost of 90 White Wagtails and 30 Pied Wagtails.


In Bouley Bay were a Grey Wagtail and a Grey Heron and in Rozel Harbour were 4 dark-bellied Brent Geese. A Redwing was at Mont a l'Abbe this evening





Below: This morning's Chiffchaff at Corbiere, resting after it's very late arrival for a nocturnal migrant.



 

28.05.2025

by Michael Dryden • 28 May 2025
20.05.2025 The drake Shelduck bathing on the Scrape today. TP Overcast and drizzle this morning clearing by lunchtime. Afternoon update: An hours sea watch at Corbiere was disappointing with just 2 Manx Shearwaters and 3 Choughs seen. Round at Petit Port a Grey Heron and a pair of Stonechats , the Shelduck family were not seen this morning. On the Scrape the Shelducks were still present but only with 3 young, also seen a pair of Oystercatchers , a Lapwing and a White Wagtail. 10 Swifts were over St Ouen's Pond. A Little Grebe was heard near Kempt Tower.  A White wagtail was carrying food at Parade Gardens, St Helier.

27.05.2025

27 May 2025
27.05.2025 The resident Bar-tailed Godwit at Petit Port yesterday. TP  Rain and drizzle this morning, the odd shower this afternoon, with a fresh westerly wind. The pair of Shelduck were still at Petit Port this morning but the chicks were not seen. Shelduck pairs were also seen at La Pulente and on the Scrape where they still had 4 young. Over St Ouen's Pond in the drizzle this morning were 40 Swallows, 40 House Martins and 20 Sand Martins . A walk around Val de La Mare Reservoir found 2 singing Songthrush , plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs plus a male Cetti's Warbler . In Grouville Bay this afternoon were 24 Ringed Plovers , 18 Sanderling , 7 Turnstones and a Whimbrel . The female Hawfinch is still visiting a garden feeder near Crabbe.

26.05.2025

26 May 2025
26.05.2025 a Reed Warbler MD  Mainly sunny with a fresh westerly wind In Le Braye Sandpit 18 Tufted Ducks , 6 Oystercatchers and a Little Grebe , on Les Blanches Banques a Whitethroat . Seen from the Wetland Centre this morning were 3 Tufted Ducks , 2 Grey Herons , 40 Swifts , 40 Swallows , 10 House Martins , a Cettis's Warbler , several Reed Warblers , a singing Whitethroat and a Stonechat . Near Kempt Tower, a Shoveler , 3 Tufted Ducks , 2 Grey Herons and a singing Whitethroat . At Petit Port on the high tide a pair of Shelducks with 2 small young, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and a male Stonechat. 6 Swifts were seen on St Catherine's Breakwater. Evening update a female Hawfinch photographed on a garden feeder near Crabbe.

25.05.2025

25 May 2025
25.05.2025 A great picture from Romano of a Long-tailed Tit RdC Showers dying out this morning, with a fresh westerly wind At Corbiere a Peregrine and a Shelduck flying east. Round the corner roosting at Petit Port were 70 Oystercatchers , a Bar-tailed Godwit , 120 Herring Gulls and 2 Lesser Black-backs . In St Ouen's Bay at the Scrape the Shelducks still with 4 young, a pair of Oystercatchers , 3 Lapwings , 2 Cetti's Warblers and 3 White Wagtails . At Le Pulec a roost of 300+ Herring Gulls . Over Montpellier Valley 15 Swifts and 15 House Martins being chased by a Hobby , also seen Long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker with young. In Vallee des Vaux, Firecrest and Great Tit with young and at Beauport Blue Tits with young.

24.05.2025

24 May 2025
24.05.2025 A Firecrest at Pont Marquet MD Cloudy with a moderate westerly wind. In Grouville Bay a Grey Plover , 16 Ringed Plovers and 3 Dunlin . In Vallee des Vaux, Firecrest with 4 recently fledged young, Short-toed Tree Creeper with 2 young and a Bullfinch . In the west of the Island, the Shelduck pair have 4 young on the Scrape, the Oystercatcher is still on eggs and 2 L apwings. At the Wetland Centre 3 Grey Herons and Wrens feeding young. At the National Trust Reserve near Kempt Tower were 9 Tufted Docks , a Little Grebe, 3 Reed Warblers and a Cocker Spaniel swimming on the ponds. The owner when approached was extremely rude! A Shelduck was on the beach at La Pulente and at Le Pulec a Shelduck , 4 Little Egrets , a juvenile Peregrine and a Puffin offshore. 44 Oystercatchers were on the beach near L'Etacq.

23.05.2025

23 May 2025
23.05.2025 A flock of Jackdaws over Kempt Tower MD Hazy sunshine with a light westerly wind There are still a few waders passing through the Island, in Grouville Bay today were 23 Ringed Plovers , 6 Dunlin , 2 Whimbrel and a Curlew . Up on the north coast 2 Marsh Harriers were over Sorel, 14 Razorbills, 2 Swifts and 17 Goldfinches were at Plemont. At St Ouen's Pond 2 pairs of Shoveler , 2 Lapwings , sadly no chicks have been seen for a while and a sitting Oystercatcher . At Le Pulec a roost of 77 non-breeding Herring Gulls and 2 Little Egrets . A selection of corvids over La Rosiere comprising of 2 Ravens , 2 Choughs and 4 Jackdaws . A ringing expedition to Les Ecrehous found good numbers of Common Terns at the colony and it appears to be a good breeding season for Shags with over 50 young ringed.

22.05.00

22 May 2025
22.05.2025 A male Greenfinch taken at Portelet by Mick. Two recently fledged birds were seen at a garden feeder today A Sunny day with a moderate north-west wind A pair of Shelduck with 6 chicks were seen on Le Braye Sandpit this morning, also a pair in the sea at La Rocque. At St Ouen's Pond a male Reed Bunting and on the Scrape a Black-tailed Godwit , and a pair of Shovelers with 7 ducklings. Near Kempt Tower a Turtle Dove possibly two! Up on the north coast a Marsh Harrier was over the aviary at Sorel and 13 Ravens over Les Platons. Swallowtails were seen at St Ouen's Pond and near Kempt Tower.

21/05/2025

21 May 2025
21.05.2025 A Lapwing over St Ouen's Pond MD At last some rain this morning, slowly clearing by late afternoon. Along the south-east coast this morning on the high tide were 3 Shelducks at Pontac, a single Grey Plover at La Rocque, 8 Dunlin, 15 Sanderling , 28 Ringed Plovers and 2 Little Egrets at Seymour Slip. One White Wagtail was seen at La Sente. In Les Ormes Valley 2 Garden Warblers , a Whitethroat and a Dartford Warbler . At St Ouen's Pond on the Scrape a pair of Shovelers, 2 Lapwings , an Oystercatcher and 2 Grey Herons at the Wetland Centre. On Les Ecrehous Common Terns are back in good numbers, 3 Sandwich Terns , a Whimbrel, 2 Crows (bad news), and a late Willow Warbler . Yesterday evening a Short-eared Owl was seen near Queen's Valley, but no Long-eared Owls were heard.

20.05.2025

20 May 2025
2 0.05.2025 A nice image from Mick of a couple of Swifts A light northerly wind and a mainly sunny day A one hour sea watch at Corbiere this morning found 3 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Guillemots , 5 Cormorants, a Fulmar , 14 Gannets , 14 Kittiwakes , 10 L esser Black-backs , a single immature Mediterranean Gull and a Bottle-nosed Dolphin . At La Rocque, a Grey Heron , 1 Little Egret and a Whimbrel . At Greve de Lecq, 5 Great Black-backs , one Lesser Black-back and a Peregrine . A late Wheatear was on the Scrape at St Ouen's Pond and a Granville Fritillary was reported in Trinity. Seven Swifts were over Gorey Harbour and 5 Swifts at Beaumont Marsh. Finally an interesting sighting of a Great Black-backed Gull nest in the middle of a horse field inland from Grouville Bay!

19.05.2025

by Michael Dryden • 19 May 2025
19.05.2025 A pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in fine fettle at Grosnez MD A fine day in a cool northeast wind. A busier day for birds passing Corbiere included a Great White Egret heading North and what was, presumably, the same bird was seen feeding at L'Etacq a little while later. Also passing Corbiere were 112 Manx Shearwaters , 14 Balearic Shearwaters , 10 Guillemots , 94 Gannets , 5 Fulmars , a Great Northern Diver in summer plumage, 2 Shelducks , 6 Cormorants , 25 Shags , 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls , 23 Kittiwakes , 29 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 49 Great Black-backed Gulls , 2 Swifts , 5 Swallows , a House Martin, a Grey Plover , 2 Whimbrels and 2 Peregrines , with 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins passing west offshore too. A male Shelduck was at Petit Port. At Le Pulec were 9 Little Egrets. Elsewhere, fledged Short-toed Treecreepers were in evidence in Vallee des Vaux and Firecrests were nesting in a garden on Route d'Ebenezer. At Elizabeth Castle were a Whimbrel , a Dunlin and 4 Sanderlings . Yesterday, White Wagtails were feeding young at the Grainville cricket pitch.
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