23.08.2024 A Wheatear at Corbiere MD
A weak cold front brought some overcast conditions, becoming fair in a strong westerly wind by mid-morning
Despite the conditions, early on, some seabirds were passing Corbiere and morning-long, counts there included 70 Balearic Shearwaters, 23 Manx Shearwaters, an Arctic Skua, a Fulmar, 94 Gannets, 131 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Sandwich Terns, and 6 Curlews with 2 Wheatears on the headland and a Peregrine overhead. At Petit Port were 85 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Black-headed Gulls, a Sandwich Tern, 30 Curlews and a Whimbrel with a flock of 10 Choughs passing overhead.
Volunteers were at the Scrape this morning, helping National Trust Rangers to remove vegetation and allow a decent view of the Scrape for the first time in some weeks. After the work had finished, a juvenile Shelduck ( seen there since last Monday), a Snipe, a Grey Heron, a Wheatear and 2 Willow Warblers were the first birds to take advantage of the newly visible facilities, with 4 Swifts also seen overhead. 2 Sand Martins and a Water Rail were seen from the Wetland centre.
In St Ouen's Bay, at Le Port were 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 12 Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Sandwich Terns and a Yellow-legged Gull.
Elsewhere, 30 Swallows and 4 House Martins were at Pontac, 2 Peregrines were at Les Platons and another 2 Swifts were at Plemont. At Victoria Tower were a Peregrine, 25 Swallows, 15 Long-tailed Tits and a Buzzard.
Below: Thanks to Neil Singleton for this nice view of work in progress at the Scrape this morning.
31.05.2025 Marsh harriers are very active at St Ouen's Pond, this male was photographed by Mick Dryden. Cloudy with fog patches especially in the west of the Island, some sunny periods this afternoon. Wheatears are only an occasional breeding species, so a male and female seen at Plemont today was of interest, however late migrants can still be seen into June. Also at Plemont today, 4 Razorbills and a Guillemot on the sea, with 4 Swifts , a Marsh Harrrier and a Peregrine overhead. It was a case of as you were at the Scrape, the Shelduck family are still intact, Oystercatchers were chasing everything in sight so must still have young and a Sedge Warbler was displaying to the south of the Pond. Three adult Shelducks were roosting at Petit Port and 2 Stonechats were near the Gap hide entrance, at Le Braye Sandpit. Yesterday in the Sandpit a drake Pochard and a Common Sandpiper .
30.05.2025 A fantastic picture from Romano of a singing Dunnock . 30,05.2025 mainly sunny with a light westerly wind. A trip to Les Ecrehous this morning found good numbers of Common Tern , 2 Sandwich Terns , 3 T urnstones , 75+ Oystercatchers , 500+ non breeding Herring Gulls , 50 non breeding Great Black-backed Gulls , 2 Crows and 4 Rock Pipits , 2 Manx Shearwaters were seen en-route. At St Ouen's Pond, Scrape the Shelduck family are still present with 3 young and the pair Oystercatcher also have 3 small young out of the nest. Sedge Warblers were singing south of the main Pond and at the North Canal. A Peregrine Falcon was seen over St Helier mobbing a Common Buzzard . Yesterday evening a Storm Petrel was at Corbiere Lighthouse.
29.05.2025 Black-winged Stilts on the Scrape this morning. TP Cloudy with sunny periods in a light to moderate westerly wind. Starting in St Ouen's Bay: a pleasant surprise at the Scrape this morning in the form of a pair of Black-winged Stilts , which were still present late afternoon. Other birds seen there were the Shelduck family with 3 young, 3 Lapwings , a pair of Oystercatcher with one chick in the nest, and a White Wagtail. In Le Braye Sandpit a Hobby chasing 50+ Sand Martins, 24 Tufted Ducks, a Grey Heron , a male Marsh Harrier and singing Cetti's Warbler. At Kempt Tower ponds Reed Warblers were nest building and at La Pulente a pair of Shelduck . On Beauport Common a pair of Stonechats and at La Rosiere a flock of 21 Choughs . At Millbrook, in St Aubin's Bay a flock of 91 Carrion Crows were roosting on the beach this morning. Finally At Le Hocq a Peregrine , a single Ringed Plover and a Little Egret .
28.05.2025 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 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 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 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 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 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.
22.05.2025 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.
