|
There was some more decent diver movement off La Coupe again today, in fine bright conditions. Counts were 2 Great Northern Divers, 71 Red-throated Divers and 36 Black-throated Divers, the latter believed to be a day count record for the Island and including a single flock of 22 birds. Others there included a Fulmar, a Common Scoter, 22 Razorbills, a Mediterranean Gull, 24 Common Gulls and 8 Kittiwakes. A Sparrowhawk headed out to sea, a Marsh Harrier flew through early and the resident pair of Buzzards saw off an intruding third bird.
A male Hen Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawks and 250 Chaffinches were on the ridge behind St Ouen's Pond and 2 Golden Plovers were with Lapwings on the St Clement's trail.
2 Knot were in Grouville Bay at Le Hurel while offshore there were up to 20 Great Northern Divers, 10 Red-throated Divers, 30 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Black-necked Grebes, 24 Common Scoters and 30 Red-breasted Mergansers, plus 10 Sandwich Terns. A further Knot was at Greve d'Azette this afternoon.
Yesterday, the 2 Cattle Egrets were in a cow field near to Grouville Church and 10 Wigeon and a drake Teal were at Queen's Valley. A Peregrine was seen perching on the spire of St Thomas's Church
Picture: There are lots of Robins on the Island at the moment, including this one at La Coupe. 
|  |
|
There was a little more in the way of diver movement at La Coupe today, another mainly fine and clear, but very cold day. 54 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Northern Divers were the totals, as well as 16 Gannets, 46 Razorbills, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 19 Common Gulls, 6 Kittiwakes and a strong easterly movement of 970 Herring Gulls and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 2 Common Buzzards were flying together as well as a female Peregrine and 3 Ravens. One Firecrest was in situ.
2 male Goosanders, presumably the Queen's Valley birds were on Dannemarche reservoir. Another Mediterranean Gull flew off to roost in St Aubin's Bay with 120 Black-headed Gulls.
Out west, 6 Lapwings were at Les Landes and scattered around St Ouen's Bay were 44 Shovelers, 10 Gadwall, 26 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 18 Pochards, 101 Brent Geese, a Little Grebe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 84 Coot, a Stonechat and 2 Bearded Tits.
Picture: Ahead of the weekend Garden Birdwatch, a female Chaffinch - always a likely identification pitfall !
|  |
|
It was mainly fine, but very cold again today with a keen north-easterly wind. The current conditions are not quite severe enough to force any large scale movements, but Song Thrushes and Redwings have become more common in the last few days.
At Queen's Valley there are now 2 male Goosanders as well as 7 Wigeon, with just 6 Greenshanks this morning. 2 Black Redstarts, one a fine male. were at Gorey Slip.
Off La Coupe this morning were 5 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver, 10 Gannets, a Common Scoter, 7 Razorbills, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Common Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and 480 Herring Gulls flying east towards the Normandy coast. A single Linnet flew by, a Firecrest was still in bushes there, and the juvenile Peregrine was again in the area along with 3 Ravens.
90 Sanderlings were at West Park and a further 70 in St Ouen's Bay, where 100 Dunlin and 12 Ringed Plover were also feeding. Another Black Redstart was at Le Pulec, 44 Shovelers at St Ouen's Pond and 8 Gadwall in the Sandpits.
The results of last weekend's wader count is now in the Download Section at:
Picture: With the Jersey Garden Bird Count coming up, an appropriate image from Andrew Koester of a Blackcap in his garden.
|  |
|
It was a very cold day today with a strong north-easterly wind. There are a few hints that weather related movement is beginning. 29 Lapwings flew past La Coupe heading south this morning and another 9 flew over First Tower later. Duck numbers are starting to creep up with joint counts at St Ouen's Pond and the Sandpits of 101 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 40 Shovelers, 3 Wigeon and16 Pochards. Also there were a Little Grebe, a Peregrine, 4 Marsh Harriers and a Bearded Tit.
Passing La Coupe this morning, as well as those Lapwings, were 15 Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver, 15 Gannets, 21 Razorbills, a Guillemot, 10 Kittiwakes, 8 Common Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. A Peregrine, 2 Redwings, 4 Ravens and a Firecrest were also at La Coupe.
At a very cold Queen's Valley were 2 Wigeon, the male Goosander and 10 Greenshanks. Later this afternoon, a second male Goosander, 16 Teal and two more Wigeon had appeared.
Picture: A Raven at La Coupe
|  |
|
Fair but very cold today, especially when seawatching ! 41 Red-throated Divers passed La Coupe in three flocks around noon, also a Black-throated Diver. Otherwise, not much was moving with 2 Common Scoters, 17 Razorbills and 10 Gannets notable. Lots of gulls were passing though which included 967 Herring Gulls, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 26 Great Black-backed Gulls, 23 Common Gulls, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Kittiwake and 131 Black-headed Gulls. 2 Peregrines were vying there and 6 Ravens were in the area.
At a chilly Queen's Valley were 12 Greenshanks and 4 Wigeon
Picture: A weekend visit to Les Ecrehous reported Cormorants back on their rock. This nice image of a Cormorant in breeding plumage at Grosnez is by Robin Tewkesbury.
|  |
|
It was a pretty grim day with light rain, a fresh south-easterly and just 4c. Birds moving past La Coupe included 3 Great Northern Divers, 3 Black-throated Divers, 10 Red-throated Divers, a female Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Teal, 2 Shovelers, 2 Lapwings, 13 Razorbills, 3 Guillemots, a Kittiwake, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 5 Common Gulls, a Sandwich Tern and 525 Herring Gulls. One Firecrest was calling from bushes there.
One Cattle Egret and 4 Teal were at Grouville Marsh and among others, 11 Common Gulls, 66 Bar-tailed Godwits, 500 Dunlin and a Black Redstart were in Grouville Bay.
Picture: A Starling at Gorey Slip when the sun still shone!
|  |
|
A little movement past La Coupe / St Catherine's in this morning's calm conditions included 4 Great Northern Divers, 3 Black-throated Divers, 8 Red-throated Divers, 3 Common Scoters, 2 Razorbills, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Common Gulls and 13 Gannets. Great Northern Divers were scattered around the east coast, with 3 at St Catherine's, 2 at Anneport and 5+ around La Rocque. Also in Grouville Bay were up to 30 Great Crested Grebes, a Black-necked Grebe, a Slavonian Grebe, 100 Red-breasted Mergansers and 6 Common Scoters. At Gorey were 3 Water Pipits, including a bird ringed here in December 2010 and now returned for another winter, also 2 Black Redstarts. Roosting at Pontac were 9 Mediterranean Gulls and 9 Sandwich Terns.
Today saw a co-ordinated wader count with full figures to follow, but included 1142 Dunlin and 53 Bar-tailed Godwits in Grouville Bay, 249 Oystercatchers and 30 Ringed Plovers in St Ouen's Bay.
It was spring-like in St Catherine's Woods where Goldcrests were displaying, and several Firecrests and Short-toed Treecreepers, were calling loudly.
The 2 Cattle Egrets were at Grouville Marsh and a Purple Sandpiper was on Les Ecrehous.
Picture: The ringed Water Pipit at Gorey slip.
|  |
|
Things are cooling down now, with a chilly northerly wind today. Long-stayers still in situ were the 2 Cattle Egrets, today at Fauvic crossroads, the 2 Water Pipits and Black Redstart at Gorey.
The Goosander was at Queen's Valley along with 4 Wigeon, a Little Grebe, 19 Greenshanks and 3 Bullfinches.
Black-necked Grebes were at La Rocque and at West Park, a Slavonian Grebe was at La Rocque and 24 Great Crested Grebes were at First Tower in St Aubin's Bay.
Picture: Today's Black Redstart at Gorey.
|  |
|
Flying up, or floating up on this morning's high tide at La Rocque were 11 Great Northern Divers, 5 Black-necked Grebes, 8 Slavonian Grebes, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 85 Red-breasted Mergansers, 5 Razorbills, 10 Sandwich Terns, 24 Common Gulls and 8 Mediterranean Gulls. 33 Little Egrets roosted at Pontac and Le Hocq. At Queen's Valley were 20 Greenshanks, the male Goosander, 4 Wigeon, a Little Grebe and a Grey Heron.
Grouville Marsh at dusk held 30 Reed Buntings, a Water Pipit, a Jack Snipe, 5 Teal and 6 Marsh Harriers.
One report from yesterday with a flock of 130 Linnets in one of the fields used for a conservation crop, near to Les Landes.
Picture: Oystercatchers passing La Rocque this morning.
|  |
|
There was a brisk westerly today, but still mild. The 2 "resident" Cattle Egrets, here since November, were again at Grouville Marsh this morning.
Among the birds in Grouville Bay were 9 Great Crested Grebes, a Mediterranean Gull and 28 Bar-tailed Godwits.
In the west, 30 Redshanks and 22 pale-bellied Brent Geese were at La Haule.
Most of the movement of seabirds past Grosnez involved local birds on feeding movements. These included 76 Fulmars, 75 Gannets, 15 Cormorants, 95 Shags as well as 15 Razorbills, 24 Kittiwakes, 400 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 96 Great Black-backed Gulls. 3 different Peregrines flew by and offshore, 6 Harbour Porpoises were causing plenty of interest among the scavengers.
Picture: A Pied Wagtail at Le Pulec.
|  |
|
| To Display articles from the the current archive (Nov 2006+) please select a date range below. |
| To View older news (February 2004 to October 2006) please select the required month!
|
|
