by Michael Dryden
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4 April 2025
04.04.2025 A male Dartford Warbler at La Rosiere today. MD Overnight rain had cleared before Dawn this morning, leaving a fair day with high cloud, and feeling warmer at 18c in a moderate northeast wind. Pick of the day was an adult Purple Heron seen in the Grouville Marsh area, with 2 Green Sandpipers and 4 Water Rails also seen there. At a dry La Sente, which was being ploughed today, were 52 Cattle Egrets , 11 Little Egrets , 10 Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck , a Curlew and 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls . On Grouville Common were a Redwing , 5 Greenfinches and 8 Linnets and 3 House Martins had returned to their breeding area of Causie Lane in St Clement. In Grouville Bay and La Rocque were a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-headed Gulls and 380 Brent Geese. On Rue de Pont were 4 Skylarks , 15 Meadow Pipits, 90 Linnets , and 8 Brent Geese . In La Rue de Marais a la Cocque was a family of Coot including 4 newly hatched young. A mixed bag of birds seen at or passing Corbiere this morning included a steady passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls , totalling 342 in three hours, 24 Sandwich Terns , 5 Kittiwakes , a Black-headed Gull , a Red-throated Diver , 11 Common Scoters , a male Red-breasted Merganser , 2 Manx Shearwaters , 7 Razorbills , 5 Guillemots , 3 Fulmars , 42 Gannets , a flock of 8 Cormorants in breeding plumage, a migrant Kestrel , a Peregrine , a Black Redstart, 2 Wheatears , 7 Swallows , 5 Sand Martins , 26 Meadow Pipits , 9 alba Wagtails , a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warble r. On the headland, at La Rosiere were a Short-eared Owl , a Black Redstart , a singing Dartford Warbler , a Grey Heron , 8 Swallows , a House Martin , 4 Sand Martins , 2 Choughs , 2 Jackdaws , 2 Ravens and 6 Linnets . In Petit Port Bay on the high tide were 32 Turnstones , a Purple Sandpiper , 4 Curlews , 85 Oystercatchers , 4 Brent Geese and a pair of Shelduck . A further visit to La Rosiere this afternoon saw 32 Swallows , 10 Sand Martins and 3 Chiffchaffs . On St Ouen's Pond were a Shoveler , the Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose, while on the Scrape were 24 Teal , a Redshank , 3 Lapwings , and a singing Cetti's Warbler . At Beaumont were 2 Shovelers and a Grey Heron and in Samares Manor grounds were a Willow Warbler , a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap . In the Sandpits were 2 pairs of Stonechats and on Mont Pellier was a pair of Long-tailed Tits, nest building. At the Farmers Cricket ground in St Martin were 2 White Wagtails and a Swallow and at La Piece Mauger in Trinity were 4 Redwings and 23 Cattle Egrets . A Black Redstart was at Rue du Catel in Trinity while at Grands Vaux were 2 Teal , 6 Tufted Ducks , and at Mont Pellier, a Willow Warbler . Below: Lesser Black-backed Gulls arriving at Corbiere this morning. MD