17.01.2025 A beautiful image of one of the Purple Sandpipers near Corbiere yesterday, with thanks to Romano. RDC
A dry but mainly overcast day in a moderate southerly wind, feeling cold at 7c
This morning's sightings of birds passing Corbiere in the grey conditions, involved a Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver, a Black-necked Grebe feeding south of the lighthouse, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Common Scoters, 3 Brent Geese, 18 Gannets, a Fulmar, 406 Razorbills, 30 Guillemots, 12 Cormorants ( mostly now in breeding plumage), 56 Kittiwakes, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Black-headed Gulls and 23 Curlews, with 7 Purple Sandpipers roosting and 8 Rock Pipits also present. Offshore were a Porpoise and a Bottle-nosed Dolphin. 2 Peregrines were seen nearby, at Gorselands and the Brambling again visited a garden at Beauport.
On St Ouen's Pond were 7 Wigeon, 18 Shovelers, 5 Teal, a Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 75 Lapwings, 4 Snipe, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Stonechats and a Water Pipit. A Merlin was seen at the Scrape.
At Causie Lane in St Clement were a Cattle Egret, a Grey Heron, 105 Stock Doves, 6 Moorhens and 300 Brent Geese in a nearby field. 4 Cattle Egrets were seen at Fauvic. At La Sente were 53 Redshanks, 5 Lapwings, 7 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, a Song Thrush, 5 Bullfinches and 2 Ravens.
At Beaumont Marsh were 65 dark-bellied Brent Geese including 3 juveniles which are very scarce this winter, 7 Shovelers, a Snipe and a Chiffchaff.
In St Catherine's Woods were 23 Redwings, 19 Blackbirds, a Grey Wagtail, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Ravens, a Buzzard and an overflying Marsh Harrier. A pair of Tufted Duck were seen on the small reservoir by St Catherine's Tower yesterday.
