20.10.2025 This 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull, pictured by Romano in Petit Port Bay, was ringed on Rauna Island, Southern Norway, in July. RDC
A fierce day of heavy showers and a south-southwest veering west-southwest wind F6, but mild at 15c.
It was a difficult day for birding, given the conditions, so the first Bittern of the Autumn, seen on the Scrape at St Ouen's Pond was a real bonus. On St Ouen's Pond were 35 Shovelers, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 40 Black-headed Gulls and a Stonechat.
Another first for the Autumn was a Great Northern Diver seen from a gusty Corbiere as it headed into the relative shelter of St Ouen's Bay. Also seen from Corbiere were a Balearic Shearwater, 14 Razorbills, 2 Guillemots, 12 Gannets, 4 Cormorants, 14 Shags, 66 Mediterranean Gulls, a Kittiwake, 83 Black-headed Gulls, 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Common Gull, 62 Great Black-backed Gulls, 70 Herring Gulls and 37 Curlews. A few hardy passerines flying over there, included 14 Chaffinches, 4 Linnets, a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, 4 Starlings, the usual Rock Pipits and a Raven.
A short watch from Noirmont saw a Gannet, 2 Razorbills, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Shags and on the ground, a Firecrest and a Blackbird.
Up to 40 Brent Geese were at Le Hurel slip in Grouville Bay. 3 Swallows were seen at Mont a L'Abbe and in a Vallee des Vaux garden were 2 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Song Thrushes.
This evening, at the Wetland Centre, were 32 Shovelers, a Snipe, and 45 Black-headed Gulls, while at L'Etacq were 120 Black-headed Gulls. At Petit Port were a Curlew, 8 Great Black-backed Gulls and 37 Herring Gulls.
Below: Thanks as ever, go to Jo Bramley for her cute video of the Jack Snipe at the Scrape yesterday, in usual feeding mode.
04.12.2025 The Snow Bunting was still residing in St Ouen's Bay yesterday RdC Seen at Beaumont Marsh today were 350 Brent Geese , 3 Snipe , a Curlew , a Little Egret and a White Wagtail . Yesterday, a Yellow-legged Gull was seen at Petit Port and in the Marina were 290 Pied Wagtail and 30 White Wagtail.
03.12.2025 This Siberian Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed at Beaumont Marsh this morning, thanks to Dave Buxton for the photo. Seen at Crabbe from dawn were 150 Chaffinch , 3 Brambling , 18 Reed Bunting , 25 Goldfinch , a Fieldfare , 6 Song Thrush , 7 Skylark , 2 Peregrine , a Marsh Harrier and 2 Raven and offshore, 2 Kittiwake and 8 Gannet . At Beaumont Marsh were 323 Brent Geese , the Siberian Chiffchaff , 25 Chiffchaff , 6 Firecrest , 3 Goldcrest , 2 Blackcap , a Little Egret and 2 Siskin . At Les Landes were 2 Peregrine , a Marsh harrier , 3 Skylark , 4 Stonechat , a Dartford Warbler and 20 Linnet while at Grosnez were 2 Stonechat and offshore 42 Fulmar , 25 Gannet and 10 Kittiwake . Another Stonechat was at Beauport. On St Ouen's Pond were 33 Shoveler and 2 Little Grebe while roosting in St Ouen's Bay were 11 Great Black-backed Gull , 13 Herring Gull and 27 Black-headed Gull . At Petit Port were 19 Curlew , 14 Brent Geese , 50 Black-headed Gull and 3 Great Black-backed Gull . On Grouville Common were 4 Cirl Bunting and 8 Redwing while around La Sente were 10 Cattle Egret and 2 Pied Wagtail and a Brambling was at Fauvic. The Kingfisher was again at Queen's Valley along with a Grey Wagtail .
02.12.2025 This colourfully ringed Sanderling is back for it's second winter in Grouville Bay. First ringed in the Netherlands in September 2024 RdC Passing La Coupe this morning were 7 Great Northern Diver , a Black-throated Diver , a Common Scoter , 82 Kittiwake , 2 Common Gull , 540 Razorbill , 7 Guillemot and 4 Gannet . A few Cattle Egrets in Grouville this morning with 28 at Grouville Marsh and 14 around La Sente. There was no sign of the Whooper Swan family so they may have now moved on. Another 7 Cattle Egret were at Mont L'Abbe. Out west the Bittern was seen again at the Scrape, a Stonechat was at Beauport, 6 Raven and 2 Dartford Warbler at Gorselands and 2 Pied Wagtail in St Brelades Bay. Below, a Dutch ringed and flagged Dunlin , also back for its second winter here.
01.12.2025 The wintering Kingfisher at Queen's Valley, thanks to Susan Renouf for the photo. Seen at St Ouen's Pond this morning were the Bittern , 30 Shoveler and a Little Grebe with a Stonechat near Kempt Tower and the Snow Bunting still feeding along the sea wall. At Beaumont Marsh were 370 Brent Geese , a Grey Heron and 2 Little Egret while 2 Cattle Egret were along Rue des Hetres in St Peter. Around Wheatlands golf course were 16 Redwing , 8 Siskin , a Firecrest , 5 Goldcrest and 10 Long-tailed Tit !
30.11.2025 Who can resist another photo of the Snow Bunting which was still feeding along the sea wall in St Ouen's Bay today, thanks to Keith Pyman for the photo. Seen passing Corbiere in an hour this morning were 374 Kittiwake , 43 Mediterranean Gull , 33 Black-headed Gull , 9 Common Gull , a Fulmar , 16 Gannet , 2,617 Razorbill and 61 Guillemot while nearby at Petit Port were 28 Curlew , 17 Little Egret and 14 Brent Geese . The Bittern was seen again at the Scrape, on the Pond were 38 Shoveler and 2 Little Grebe while at Le Pulec were 13 Little Egret and 3 Stonechat . The family of Whooper Swan are still at Grouville Marsh and down at La Collette were a Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail .
29.11.2025 One of our more common migrants, this Meadow Pipit was photographed feeding along the sea wall in St Ouen's Bay by Keith Pyman recently. Seen at Beaumont Marsh this morning were 310 Brent Geese while roosting at Petit Port were 31 Curlew , a Turnstone , 46 Brent Geese , 22 Great Black-backed Gull , 5 Little Egret and 2 Cormorant . At Handois were 28 Tufted Duck , 8 Cormorant , a Grey Heron , a Woodcock , 6 Goldcrest , 140 Redwing , a Fieldfare , 4 Song Thrush , 5 Siskin , 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 6 Raven . Elsewhere, the Snow Bunting was still in St Ouen's Bay and 22 Raven were in Vallee des Vaux.
28.11.2025 A good looking male Stonechat in St Ouen's Bay taken by Keith Pyman recently. Seen on Queen's Valley today were 2 Great Crested Grebe , 21 Tufted Duck , a Grey Heron , 2 Firecrest , 12 Redwing and a Kingfisher while the family of Whooper Swan were still at Grouville Marsh, 16 Cattle Egret were along Rue du Moulin de Bas and yesterday evening a Short-eared Owl was seen in Grouville Bay. At La Rocque were 79 Brent Geese , 10 Redshank , 32 Turnstone and a Grey Plover . A ringtail Hen Harrier was seen at Crabbe this afternoon. Out west at the Scrape were a Wigeon and 16 Lapwing , while off L'Etacq were 500 mixed Gulls, 200 auks and 25 Gannets passing by, 41 Ringed Plover were on St Ouens beach and the Snow Bunting was still feeding in the bay. At Beaumont Marsh were 200 Brent Geese and 2 Little Egret while on Mont es Neaux were 12 Fieldfare , 6 Redwing , 7 Skylark , 2 Snipe , 5 Pied Wagtail , a Siskin and 2 Kestrel . At Rue des Pres were 6 Water Rail , 5 Redwing , a Siskin , 8 Chiffchaff , 3 Firecrest , 2 Goldcrest and 5 Cetti's Warbler . Elsewhere, 5 Razorbill were off St Catherine's, a Stonechat and a Dartford Warbler were at Les Platons, 900 Chaffinch were along Talavera lane, 150 Chaffinch along Rue du Tapon and at Grands Vaux were 3 Tufted Duck , a Grey Heron and 2 Chiffchaff . Below, the female Stonechat , taken by Keith.
27.11.2025 The Snow Bunting was still happily feeding away along the sea wall in St Ouen's Bay this morning RdC Seen at Crabbe this morning were 220 Chaffinch , 2 Brambling , 30 Goldfinch , 8 Linnet , 14 Reed Bunting , a Redwing , 4 Song Thrush , a Stonechat , 2 Chiffchaff , a Sparrowhawk , a Marsh Harrier and 2 Chough . The Whooper Swan family were still at Grouville Marsh, 8 Cattle Egret were near Holme Grown and at La Rocque were 200 Sanderling , 50 Dunlin , 20 Curlew and a Grey Plover . In St Ouen's Bay alongside the Snow Bunting were 25 Goldfinch , 6 Skylark and 12 Pied Wagtail . In Vallee des Vaux this afternoon were 25 Redwing , a singing Song Thrush , 2 Siskin , 4 Goldcrest , 2 Firecrest , 2 Chiffchaff and 7 Greenfinch . Yesterday evening at St Ouen's Pond were 30 Reed Bunting , 15 Chiffchaff , 6 Cetti's Warbler , 2 Blackcap , 4 Water Rail and 12 Marsh Harrier .
26.11.2025 The Snow Bunting feeding well in St Ouen's Bay this morning, thanks to Tony Paintin for the photo In St Ouen's Bay this morning were 44 Ringed Plover , 17 Dunlin , 12 Sanderling , 46 Great Black-backed Gull , 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull , 6 Skylark , a Snow Bunting , 2 Stonechat , 25 Goldfinch and 10 Little Egret were at Le Pulec. Seen around St Ouen's Pond were a Bittern , 2 Snipe , 16 Teal , 27 Shoveler , 11 Tufted Duck , 3 Cormorant , a Little Grebe , a Water Rail and 3 Grey Heron . In Grouville Bay were 684 Brent Geese , a Black-throated Diver , 7 Great Crested Grebe and a Shelduck while at La Rocque were 21 Red-breasted Merganser and a Black-necked Grebe . Up at Noirmont were 50 Woodpigeon , 6 Chaffinch , 7 Meadow Pipit , 2 Song Thrush , 2 Black Redstart , a Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Common Gull . In St Aubin's Bay were a Kingfisher , 33 Redshank and 15 Turnstone and 159 Brent Geese at West Park. At Beaumont Marsh were 60 Brent Geese , 2 Grey Wagtail , a Snipe and 3 alba Wagtail while in St Brelades Bay were a Great Crested Grebe , 18 Raven , 2 Firecrest , a Grey Wagtail and a Black Redstart . A Kingfisher and a Common Gull were at Grands Vaux, another Kingfisher was at Queen's Valley and 2 Teal were at Fauvic. Below, another view of the Snow Bunting from yesterday, thanks to Jo Bramley
25.11.2025 A great shot of a Firecrest at Queen's Valley, taken by Tony Morin Seen in St Aubin's bay this morning were 32 Redshank , 17 Turnstone , 4 Great Crested Grebe and 200 Black-headed Gull with 66 Brent Geese at Beaumont Marsh. In St Ouen's Bay were 17 Sanderling , 12 Dunlin , 39 Ringed Plover , 2 Skylark , 4 Stonechat , 8 Pied Wagtail and a Snow Bunting while feeding offshore were at least 500 mixed Gulls and 200 Razorbill . A male Serin was seen along Chemin de L'Ouziere and at St Ouen's Pond were 16 Lapwing , 31 Shoveler and 27 Starling while in the Sandpits 9 Pochard and a Lapwing . The Whooper Swan family was still feeding at Grouville Marsh while on Queen's Valley were a Wigeon , 2 Teal and 7 Greenshank and 21 Cattle Egret were around La Sente and 2 more near Trinity manor. Yesterday afternoon at Grouville Marsh were 52 Coot , 2 Wigeon , 2 Grey Heron , a Firecrest , 5 Chiffchaff , 2 Water Rail , 25 Reed Bunting , 135 Redwing , 6 Song Thrush , 3 Marsh Harrier , 60 Starling and 94 Jackdaw .
