by Michael Dryden
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5 September 2025
05.09.2025 Raven over Noirmont this morning. Image MD A fair day in a westerly wind. An Osprey was seen in flight over Grosnez Castle this afternoon, which is likely to roost somewhere on the Island overnight. Also seen at Les Landes were 6 Wheatears , 10 Stonechats , 6 Marsh Harriers , 7 Buzzards , 2 Kestrels , 25 Linnets and a Clouded Yellow butterfly . At Plemont were 4 Wheatears , 40+ Linnets and a Swallowtail butterfly. An overnight fall of warblers at St Ouen's Pond included 40 Sedge Warblers , 25 Reed Warblers , 6 Willow Warblers , 10 Chiffchaffs, 15 Cetti's Warblers , as well as a Glossy Ibis, 30 House Martins , 25 Swallows , a Grey Wagtail, 3 White Wagtails , a Whinchat , 2 Wheatears , 2 Stonechats , a Water Rail , 6 Tufted Ducks , 5 Shovelers , 4 Grey Herons , 3 Ravens , 4 Marsh Harriers , and a male Sparrowhawk. On the Scrape were a Greenshank , a Common Sandpiper , 3 Wheatears and 2 Willow Warblers and this afternoon, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls , 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 8 Great Black-backed Gulls , 150 Herring Gulls and 2 Willow Warblers. In the Sandpits were 300 Coot , 10 Little Grebes , 10 Tufted Ducks and a Kingfisher . Passage past Corbiere first thing included 42 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Balearic Shearwaters , 2 Fulmars , 16 Gannets , 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Black-headed Gulls , 8 Sandwich Terns , 5 Wheatears , 3 Tree Pipits , 5 Yellow Wagtails and a Common Sandpiper , with 20 Curlews at Petit Port. At Noirmont this morning were 86 Swallows , 11 Sand Martins , a House Martin , a Whinchat , 15 Wheatears , a Whitethroat , a Blackcap , 2 Stonechats , 3 Willow Warblers , 2 Chiffchaffs , 2 Yellow Wagtails , 2 White Wagtails and another Swallowtail butterfly. 5 Ravens and 8 Buzzards were in flight there too. This afternoon, seen at sea to the south of Noirmont Point were hundreds of shearwater sp rafting on the sea, 2 Arctic Skuas , a single Storm Petrel , 100 Sandwich Terns , and a few Common Terns . At Beaumont were 7 Yellow Wagtails and at the Gunsite were 2 Wheatears and 2 Swallows and at Beauport this morning were a Whinchat , 4 Wheatears , 2 Redstarts , a Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Tree Pipits . In Grouville Marsh were 16 Cattle Egrets , a Whitethroat , 5 Blackcaps , 10 Chiffchaffs , 2 Ravens , a Sparrowhawk and a Water Rail and at Sorel were 2 Dartford Warblers , a Whitethroat , 3 Ravens and a Kestrel . Large numbers of Swallows were over La Rocque at lunchtime today. A late report for yesterday, at La Rocque involved 4 Wheatears , 2 White Wagtails , 8 Grey Plovers , 6 Turnstones , 45 Ringed Plovers , 350 Sandwich Terns , 11 Common Terns , 83 Black-headed Gulls , 9 Mediterranean Gulls , a Great Crested Grebe and a Grey Seal.