Jersey Birds

1 6.05.2024 . Thanks to Romano for this great picture of a Whitethroat in full song at Les Landes recently A fine day with a light to moderate south-east wind Reports from all over the Island and offshore today. Starting at Les Minquiers 12 Sandwich Terns , c 60 Common Terns , 50 Turnstones an d 2 Purple Sandpipers . At Corbiere 2 Wheatears , up on the north coast at Plemont 19 Razorbills , sadly disturbed by two kayakers, 15 Swallows , 3 Swifts and 5 Painted Ladies . In Grouville Bay 4 Ringed Plovers and 7 Little Egrets . At La Sente were 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 2 White Wagtails , a Yellow Wagtail and 10 Swallows , 2 Swifts were seen over Mont Cochon, 4 C ommon Buzzards and a Raven over Les Varines. A walk around Gorselands this morning found a Whitethroat and 4 Dartford Warblers . Finally 20 Swifts were over St Ouen's Pond this morning.

15.05.2024 Thanks to Romano for this picture of the Welsh colour-ringed Little Egret seen recently at La Sente A cloudy day with a few sunny intervals and some showers this afternoon, moderate winds from the south-east At La Sente a Shelduck, 2 White Wagtails , 20 House Martins , a Sand Martin and 15 Swallows including 2 juveniles. Eight Curlews were in Grouville Bay and 20 Swallows over Grouville Marsh, 5 more Curlews were seen at La Rocque.  At St Ouen's Pond the territorial Shelducks were on the Scrape as usual, one of which tried but failed to drown a Greylag gosling, a Yellow Wagtail seen briefly may have been the Grey-headed ssp seen a few days ago. Two drake Shovelers and 20 Swifts were at the Pond. At Petit Port a Shelduck , 61 Oystercatchers and 2 Little Egrets , a Wheatear was seen at Corbiere this morning. Up on the north coast 14 Razorbills were in the sea near Creux Gabourel.

14.05.2024 The long-staying Black-tailed Godwit at La Sente was not seen today, so one last picture from Romano Mainly sunny with a fresh south-east wind At the Scrape, now very flooded following yesterdays heavy rain, were the pair of Shelduck , 3 male Shovelers , a Greenshank , 2 large Lapwing chicks and 2 Common Buzzards . Over St Ouen's Pond, 50 Swifts , 20 House Martins , 50 Sand Martins and 50 Swallows including several juveniles, its probable that these birds were fledged in the Mediterranean, where they breed much earlier and have then followed the migrating adults north. A Common Sandpiper was still in Le Braye Sandpit, a Little Grebe was on the pond at Mont Matthieu and a flock of 12 Whimbrel were on the beach in St Brelade's Bay this morning, then flew north. Roosting at Petit Port on the high tide were 87 Oystercatchers , a pair of Shelduck and 2 Brent Geese . At La Sente 3 White Wagtails , on Queen's Valley Reservoir 6 Tufted Ducks , a stroll round Grouville Golf Course found 3 Cirl Buntings and at Havres des Pas another 2 Brent Geese . Painted Lady butterflies were noted at Mont les Vaux and in Queen's Valley today.  Some late news from Sunday when 16 Brent Geese were seen at Le Locq, a good number for mid-May.

13.05.2024 A superb drake Shoveler at St Ouen's Pond MD A cloudy morning with an increasing south-easterly wind and heavy rain from lunchtime Not surprisingly there was little to report today. At St Ouen's Pond and Scrape this morning 2 Shovelers , a pair of Shelduck , 3 Little Egrets, Lapwings and Oystercatchers still on eggs, one Greenshank , a Dunlin , a single White Wagtail and 9 Swifts . This evening in the rain, c100 Swallows , 50 Sand Martins and 30 House Martins . Just the long staying Black-tailed Godwit was at La Sente, a Common Sandpiper was in Le Braye Sandpit and a Swift was over Vallee des Vaux.

1 2.05.2024 A White Wagtail at La Sente taken by Romano Mainly sunny but increasing wind this afternoon At St Ouen's Pond Scrape today 4 Shelducks , 2 drake Shovelers , 2 Greenshanks , a Redshank , 1 Common Sandpiper , a Dunlin , 4 Oystercatchers , 2 large Lapwing chicks , a Grey Heron , 2 Little Egrets , 2 Yellow Wagtails , one of which was a grey-headed thunbergi and a male Reed Bunting . In Le Braye Sandpit a male Pochard (also seen yesterday), a Shelduck , 2 Grey Herons , 5 Ravens and a White Wagtail . Seven Swifts were seen in St Aubin. Over at La Sente, which is rapidly drying out now, the Black-tailed Godwit , 9 Ringed Plovers , 11 Dunlin and 6 White Wagtails . A Barn Owl was seen in Route de Francheville in the early hours this morning. On Les Ecrehous c50 Sanderling , 8 Turnstones and c100 Common Terns . Yesterday evening at La Sente 5 Whimbrels and 5 Little Egrets including a Welsh colour-ringed bird.

11.05.2024 Another picture from Alan Gicquel, a singing Garden Warbler in Les Ormes Valley yesterday Sunny and warm with light to moderate easterly winds A Purple Heron flew over the Scrape at St Ouen's Pond early this morning but did not land, other birds there included 2 Greenshanks , a Redshank , 2 Dunlin , a Common Sandpiper and a displaying Sedge Warbler . Up at Les Landes 3 Stonechats , 4 Swifts and 3 Wheatears , another Wheatear was seen at Beaumont Marsh along with a White Wagtail . Up on the north coast at Les Platons 2 Spotted Flycatchers , at Sorel Point a Wheatear , 1 Whitethroat , 2 Swallows flying north, a Peregrine Falcon and 2 Swallowtail Butterflies . The usual Brent Goose and Black-tailed Godwit were still at La Sente, but joined by 19 Ringed Plovers , 5 Dunlin and 2 White Wagtails . At Grouville Marsh 15 Sedge , 20 Reed and 8 Cetti's Warblers . 5 Swifts were over Mount Bingham, St Helier. A visit to Les Minquiers found 6 Common Terns , 5 Sandwich Terns and 3 Swallows . Some late news, up to 14 Brent Geese have been regularly seen off Le Hocq every day this month up until yesterday.

10.05.2024 Thanks to Alan Gicquel for this picture of the Wood Sandpiper yesterday at La Sente, sadly not seen today Sunny and warm with a light to moderate east wind Starting at The Scrape, St Ouen's Pond this morning, 2 male Garganey in company with a female Teal , 2 Shovelers , the drake Shelduck seeing off all comers, including another pair of Shelduck . Also present were a Redshank , a Greenshank , 2 Swifts and a White Wagtail . A pair of Shelduck were in the sea at La Pulente (possibly the pair that flew into the Scrape) and a Sedge Warbler was singing in the Tamarisks at Petit Port. Two Garden Warblers were in Les Ormes Valley. At La Sente this morning were the usual Brent Goose and Black-tailed Godwit, but 5 Greenshanks made a brief appearance then flew off, however this evening 19 Ringed Plovers , 6 Sanderling , 2 Dunlin and 10 White Wagtails were seen. Swift sightings are increasing with 3 over Grouville Marsh and 3 at Archirondel. Up at Les Landes 3 more Swifts , a male Stonechat , 2 Wheatears and a Peregrine . Up on the north coast between Plemont and Grand Becquet were 12 Razorbills , 2 Ravens , 5 Swifts and a Peregrine Falcon . At Sorel 5 House Martins over, 2 S wifts and Dartford Warblers feeding young. Finally for today 6 Tufted Ducks were on Grands Vaux Reservoir. Yesterday on Les Ecrehous a Knot , 2 Purple Sandpipers and 25 Turnstones .

09.05.2024 Thanks to Keith Pyman for the picture of the long staying Black-tailed Godwit at La Sente Another fine and sunny day with light easterly winds Starting at the St Ouen's Pond, there were three Garganey this morning, 2 drakes on the Scrape and a female at the North Canal. Also noted were 3 Shovelers , 2 Lapwing chicks , a Redshank , 2 Wheatears , a male Stonechat , a Spotted Flycatcher in the willows north of the Pond, 2 Sedge and c20 Reed Warblers , Meadow Pipits were feeding young, and overhead a Black-headed Gull , a Mediterranean Gull and 6 Swifts . On the pond at Kempt Tower 2 pairs of Tufted Duck and a Little Grebe with young. One lucky observer saw 2 Avocets flying down St Ouen's Bay this morning. Roosting at Petit Port were 100 O ystercatchers and a Whimbrel . A Yellow Wagtail was seen by Lewis Tower and a Little Grebe and a Cetti's Warbler were seen on Mont Mathieu. Moving east, at La Sente the single Brent Goose and the Black-tailed Godwit were still present this morning, along with 4 Little Egrets, but a new arrival this afternoon was a Wood Sandpiper . Up on the north coast a Garden Warbler was in Egypt Woods and a Peregrine at Belle Hougue, also 2 pairs of Dartford Warblers here. Finally 3 Sabine's Gulls were seen from the Condor Ferry near the Banc des Ormes Buoy, to the north west of Grosnez.

08.05.2024 a Cirl Bunting in full song. MD Sunny and warm with light winds Things remain quiet at moment but there were a couple of interesting reports. A Reed Bunting was singing at the Scrape early this morning along with the usual birds including the drake Garganey , a pair of Shelduck , 2 Shovelers , 8 Lapwings with 2 young, 4 Oystercatchers , a Redshank and a Greenshank . Four Shelducks were in the sea at La Pulente. In Les Ormes Valley, 4 Garden Warblers and a possible singing Cirl Bunting , they have been heard here before, so something to listen out for. A Wheatear was seen at Beaumont Marsh, a Common Sandpiper at Petit Plemont, 5 Buzzards were circling over La Moye at lunchtime and up on the north Coast 16 Razorbills at Creux Gabourel.  At La Sente the Brent Goose is still present along with the Black-tailed Godwit , 8 Little Egrets and 3 White Wagtails .