17.04.2024   Lesser Black-backed Gulls displaying at La Rosiere, image courtesy of Romano. 


Another cold day, cloudy and with a fresh north-northwest wind.


Migrants were thin on the ground, and in the air, again today. Seen passing Corbiere early morning were 16 Guillemots, 7 Razorbills, 6 Fulmars, 29 Gannets, 9 Cormorants, 13 Kittiwakes, a Sandwich Tern, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Curlews, 5 Swallows, 3 White Wagtails, 2 Goldfinches and 21 Linnets. Raptors in the area included a pair of Kestrel a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and 2 Peregrines.


On St Ouen's Pond were 6 Shovelers, 40 Swallows, 12 House Martins and 13 Sand Martins and at the Scrape were a White-fronted Goose, a male Wigeon, a male Shoveler, 8 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, a Wheatear and a Reed Warbler.  At Le Pulec was a White Wagtail and at the small pond by L'Etacq were a Wheatear and a Reed Warbler.At Kempt Tower were 2 Reed Warblers, a Willow Warbler and Coot with 4 young.


Sadly, a Golden Oriole was found dead on the beach in St Ouen's Bay, so close to making it to the Island.


Numbers are reducing at La Sente, with todays birds including 14 Little Egrets, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 14 White Wagtails, 3 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins, 20 Swallows, a singing Cetti's Warbler, a Marsh Harrier and 4 Brent Geese.  At Seymour were 112 Brent Geese and a Great Crested Grebe and a Sparrowhawk was seen in a garden at Green Island. At Rue du Parcq were 40 Swallows and in Grouville Marsh were 50 Swallows, 20 House Martins and a Sparrowhawk.  Grands Vaux reservoir held 4 Tufted Duck, 20 House Martins and 5 Swallows.


Yesterday evening, a Short-eared Owl was seen at Grouville Common and  4 Yellow Wagtails plus a Blue-headed Wagtail were at La Sente.   


Goldfinch at Kempt Tower    MD

17.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 17 February 2026
17.02.2026 Goldcrest at Pont Marquet today. Image: MD

16.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 16 February 2026
16.02.2026 A cute Fulmar passing Grosnez this morning. Image: MD

15.02.2026

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

14.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 14 February 2026
14.02.2026 A great image of a Kingfisher at Queen's Valley, image courtesy of Dave Warncken.

13.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 13 February 2026
13.02.2026 A beautiful comparison montage of Great Northern Diver and Black-throated Diver at La Rocque. Thanks Romano! RDC

12.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 12 February 2026
12.02.2026 Lesser Black-backed Gulls are already returning to our latitude, with 25 seen passing Grosnez this morning, including this pristine bird MD

11.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 11 February 2026
11.02.2026 Slavonian Grebe , at La Rocque, image courtesy of Romano RDC

10.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 10 February 2026
10.02.2026 Snipe have been in short supply so far this Winter. These were at the Wetland Centre this week. MD

09.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 9 February 2026
09.02.2026 By way of a change, a Common Dolphin passing Grosnez this morning, one of 16 seen. MD An overcast day with heavy rain this afternoon in a fresh to strong south-southeast wind (10c) Little is changing at the moment on the bird front. Today's counts from La Sente include c350 Brent Geese , 2 Shoveler , a Wigeon , 11 Curlews , 72 Redshanks , 6 Greenshanks , 2 Snipe , 13 Grey Herons , 26 Little Egrets , 2 Cattle Egrets , 120 Black-headed Gulls , 26 Common Gulls and 3 Mediterranean Gulls . 64 Cattle Egrets were at Rue Parcq. In Grouville Marsh were 55 Cattle Egrets and 40 Linnet and at La Rocque were a Black - throated Diver , a Great Northern Diver , 2 Red-breasted Mergansers , a Black-necked Grebe and 2 Black Redstarts . Most interest at Grosnez surrounded a loose pod of 16 Common Dolphins which were being followed by 105 Gannets as they moved East. Otherwise, seen there were 2 grey goose sp , 30 + Fulmars , a Lesser Black-backed Gull , 2 Curlews and 11 Linnets . On St Ouen's Pond were 10 Pochard, 3 Tufted Duck , 5 Wigeon , 54 Shoveler , 120 Brent Geese , 2 Little Grebes , a Grey Heron , 28 Lapwings , a passing Grey Plover , 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Black-headed Gulls , 4 Great Black-backed Gulls and a Water Pipit . By Sands Slip were 24 Dunlin , 22 Ringed Plovers , 3 Sanderling and 2 Oystercatchers . Waders at Petit Port included 28 Turnstones , 5 Purple Sandpipers and 17 Grey Plovers . In Beaumont Marsh were 520 Brent Geese and 73 Black-headed Gulls . At The Elms in St Peter were 38 Redwings and a Goldcrest , and by St John's Village were 100+ Stock Doves .

08.02.2026

by Michael Dryden • 8 February 2026
08.02.2026 A young Lapwing at the Wetland Centre today. MD Some early rain and hill fog, then cloudy with the odd shower in a fresh south-southeast wind (10c) At La Sente this morning were 24 Little Egrets , a Lapwing , a Snipe , 11 Grey Herons , 2 Shoveler , 350 Brent Geese , 76 Redshanks , 7 Greenshanks , a Common Gull , 40 Black-headed Gulls , and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls at at Rue Parcq were 82 Cattle Egrets and 32 Curlews . On Grouville Common were a Stonechat , 4 Blackcaps , a Cirl Bunting , 2 Greenfinches and a singing Song Thrush . At La Rocque were a Black-throated Diver , 5 Great Northern Divers , 2 Slavonian Grebes , 3 Black-necked Grebes , 4 Red-breasted Mergansers , 26 Ringed Plovers , 2 Bar-tailed Godwits , 370 Turnstones , 200 Grey Plovers, 650 Dunlin and 480 Sanderlings . Seen from Le Pulec were a Great Northern Diver , 35 Gannets , 41 Shags , 7 Cormorants , 14 Curlews , 200 Oystercatchers , 15 Little Egrets , 200 Oystercatchers and 24 Rock Pipits, and seen from the Wetland centre were 172 Brent Geese , 5 Wigeon , 47 Shoveler , 4 Pochard , 2 Tufted Duck , 26 Lapwings , 8 Snipe , 2 Little Grebes and a Water Pipit . 36 Brent Geese were at Petit Port as well as 52 Mediterranean Gulls . At Kempt Tower were the Snow Bunting , 4 Tufted Ducks , 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Stonechats . In Beaumont Marsh were 2 Cattle Egrets, 3 Little Egrets , 50 Black-headed Gulls , 30 Redwings and 9 Pied Wagtails , and at St Aubin were 6 Great Crested Grebes , 33 Redshanks and 3 Turnstones . A Grey Wagtail was in it's regular garden on Old St John's Road in St Helier. Yesterday evening, 60 Sanderlings were in St Brelade's Bay on the high tide.
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