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24.09.2025  A Spotted Flycatcher at Noirmont this week, with thanks to Tony Paintin for this nice image.  TP


A mainly dry day in a fresh east-northeast wind


Many of the recent grounded migrants had gone by this morning, but still a nice range of birds to report. Swallows and House Martins were to the fore again, being reported from all around the Island in good numbers as they pass quickly through. Counted at Noirmont this morning were 3,044 Swallows and 1,246 House Martins moving South as well as 13 Sand Martins, 2 Hobbies, a Merlin, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 227 Meadow Pipits, 2 Grey Wagtails, 4 alba Wagtails, 10 Starlings, 3 Song Thrushes and 65 Linnets. On the ground were 2 Wheatears, 3 Stonechats, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff while hunting there were 2 Peregrines, a Marsh Harrier and 2 Sparrowhawks. Passing offshore were a Balearic Shearwater, 6 Gannets, 23 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Sandwich Terns and 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.


On Beauport Common, a Wryneck was still present along with a Redstart, a Peregrine and 5 passing Cormorants. 5 Sandwich Terns were at Bel Royal and at Petit Port were a Common Sandpiper, 24 Mediterranean Gulls and c100 Oystercatchers.


At Grouville Marsh this morning were a Redstart, a Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler, 8 Blackcaps, 60 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 8 Water Rails  and a Grey Heron, while flying over there, apart from 350 Swallows and 60 House Martins, were 3 Sand Martins, a Siskin, 2 Song Thrushes, 4 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets, 25 Meadow Pipits, a Sparrowhawk and 2 Marsh Harriers. In Grouville Bay were 18 dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Common Gulls, 100+ Black-headed Gulls, 4 Sandwich Terns and a Bar-tailed Godwit. On Grouville Common were 7 Cirl Buntings, 4 Stonechats, 25 Linnets, 22 Meadow Pipits, and a few overflying hirundines  and at La Sente were 20 Grey Herons.


In Queen's Valley were a female Wigeon, 7 Greenshanks, 22 Tufted Ducks, a Common Sandpiper, 11 Moorhens and 14 Coot and at Archirondel were a Peregrine, 5 Sandwich Terns and up to 40 Swallows.


Elsewhere on the Island, a Wheatear was at Sorel, a Grey Wagtail and more Swallows were at St Saviour's Cemetary and 2 Firecrests were in Vallee des Vaux.


Evening update: At Haie Fleurie in St Martin were 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears and a Spotted Flycatcher. Swallows were still abundant with a roost of 2000+ in a Maize field in Trinity , also a Hobby was hunting there, and around 1000 Swallows were roosting at St Ouen's Pond. A female Pintail was on the Scrape along with a Grey Heron.

by Michael Dryden 24 February 2026
24.02.2026 A male Marsh Harrier enjoying today's sun at St Ouen's Pond MD At last, a dry and even sunny day, feeling very mild (13c) in the clear skies. Winds were moderate from the south-southeast. Seen in two hours passing Corbiere, were a Common Scoter , 174 Razorbills , 36 Guillemots , 4 Fulmars , 16 Gannets , 8 Cormorants , 31 Shags , 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , a Mediterranean Gull , 30 Great Black-backed Gulls , 3 Kittiwakes and 9 Curlews , while in Petit Port Bay were 4 Brent Geese , 2 Purple Sandpipers , 57 Turnstones , 14 Grey Plovers , 140 Oystercatchers and 9 Mediterranean Gulls . At St Ouen's Pond were 35 Shoveler , 8 Pochard , 4 Tufted Duck , a Little Grebe , 3 Grey Herons , a single Lapwing , 6 Marsh Harriers and 2 Buzzards . In the backfields there, were 150 Brent Geese and 120 Stock Dove s. Around Kempt Tower and pools were the Snow Bunting, a singing Skylark , a Little Grebe , 4 Tufted Duck , a pair of Marsh Harrier , a flock of 22 Goldfinches and a Peacock butterfly . In Beaumont Marsh were 380 Brent Geese, a Curlew , 3 Little Egrets and 9 Pied Wagtails , while at St Aubin were 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese , one dark-bellied Brent, and 20 Redshanks . Another 8 pale-bellied Brent Geese were on the beach in St Brelade's Bay. At La sente were 2 Shelduck , 2 Shoveler , 10 Grey Herons , 12 Little Egrets , 41 Cattle Egrets , 19 Common Gulls , 55 Black-headed Gulls , 64 Redshanks and 6 Greenshanks . At La Ferme farm were 21 Redwings , 5 Song Thrushes , 56 Chaffinches , 2 Grey Wagtails , a Pied Wagtai l, a singing Firecrest , a singing Chiffchaff , a Jackdaw and a Raven . also another Peacock butterfly. In the cider orchard near Trinity Church were 7 Fieldfares , 2 Redwings , 5 Chiffchaffs , 2 Goldcrests and a Firecrest and on Rue du Moulin de Bas were 4 Redwings , a Fieldfare , 3 Chiffchaffs , a Goldcrest , a singing Firecrest and another Peacock butterfly. At Les Augerez in St Peter was a flock of 150 Starlings and in St Peter's Technical Park was a Grey Wagtail. Another singing Firecrest and 3 Blackcaps were in Vallee des Vaux. Extras for yesterday : a Dartford Warbler was at Archirondel and a Kingfisher was in Queen's Valley.
by Michael Dryden 23 February 2026
23.02.2026 A pair of pale-bellied Brent Geese at St Aubin this morning. MD A dry but cloudy to overcast day, mild at 13c in a southwest wind. Firstly, a significant record from a garden in Gorey, which a Common Rosefinch has been visiting for the last few days, this only the fifth record of the species for Jersey. St Aubin's Bay was popular today, with birds reported from there including 20 Great Crested Grebes, 77 Black-headed Gulls and 11 Great Black-backed Gulls, and around the St Aubin end of the bay, 19 pale-bellied Brent Geese, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 30 Black-headed Gulls, 29 Redshanks and 6 Turnstones . In Beaumont Marsh were 370 Brent Geese , 190 Black-headed Gulls , 17 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 5 Little Egrets , 25 Pied Wagtails, a Grey Heron , a Curlew , 17 Jackdaws and 2 Buzzards . Near the ferry ramps at the Elizabeth Harbour was a female Black Redstart . In La Rocque Harbour first thing were 2 Great Northern Divers , 2 Black-necked Grebes , a Great Crested Grebe , 6 Red-breasted Mergansers , 55 Curlews and several hundreds of Sanderlings and Grey Plovers . Another 3 Red-breasted Mergansers were near Le Hurel Slip. At La Sente were 210 Brent Geese , 7 Greenshanks , 55 Redshanks , 41 Cattle Egrets, 6 Little Egrets, 21 Common Gulls , 255 Black-headed Gulls , a Mediterranean Gull , a Wigeon and 2 Shovelers . The Snow Bunting was still present near Kempt Tower today and on St Ouen's Pond were 189 Brent Geese , 21 Lapwings , 2 Little Grebes , 3 Grey Heron s, 3 Tufted Duck , 26 Shovelers and the usual Marsh Harriers . 31 Great Black-backed Gulls were in St Ouen's Bay. Buzzards were seen cleaning out a former nest near St John's Village and in Vallee des Vaux were 3 Siskins , 3 Blackcaps and a singing Firecrest .
by Michael Dryden 22 February 2026
22.02.2026 A great image of a Black-throated Diver at La Rocque courtesy of Romano RDC
by Michael Dryden 21 February 2026
21.02.2026 Lesser Black-backed Gulls are returning in numbers now, with 52 passing Grosnez this morning. Image: One in company with a Herring Gull today. MD
by Michael Dryden 20 February 2026
20.02.2026 Common Gulls are often anything but common in Jersey, but good numbers are around, mainly off the East coast, at the moment. This winter plumaged adult is seen here flying over Grouville Bay today. Image: MD
by Michael Dryden 19 February 2026
19.02.2026 One of many adult Gannets which are around the Island at the moment, this one seen here passing Grosnez MD
by Michael Dryden 18 February 2026
18.02.2026 One of the Great Northern Diver s currently scattered around the south-east corner, image courtesy of Romano RDC
by Michael Dryden 17 February 2026
17.02.2026 Goldcrest at Pont Marquet today. Image: MD
by Michael Dryden 16 February 2026
16.02.2026 A cute Fulmar passing Grosnez this morning. Image: MD
by Michael Dryden 15 February 2026
15.02.2026 Female Red-breasted Merganser at close quarters, La Rocque Harbour, with thanks to Romano for the image RDC
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