Jersey Birds

It was the day of the winter Brent Geese and Wader counts today but full numbers will follow in due course.

Seen around La Rocque were a female Eider, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Sandwich Tern, 21 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 160 Dunlin, 120 Sanderling, 55 Grey Plover, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Oystercatcher, 7 Turnstone and 2 Black Redstart  while between Le Bourg and Le Hocq were 496 Oystercatcher, 30 Dunlin, 46 Grey Plover, 43 Turnstone, 22 Redshank, 15 Curlew, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Egret  and 4 Grey Heron.

It was very quite over Victoria Tower due to the change in wind direction, but a few birds did head off which included 1,000 Starling, 41 Redwing, a Fieldfare, 12 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbird, 87 Chaffinch, a Brambling  and a Pied Wagtail.

A short sea watch from Grosnez produced 2 Balearic Shearwater, a Great Northern Diver, 24 Kittiwake, 20 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Gull, 7 Fulmar, 136 Razorbill, 12 Gannet  and 3 Harbour Porpoise.

At Corbiere were 16 Purple Sandpiper and a Black Redstart  and nearby at Petit Port were 167 Oystercatcher, 27 Curlew, 17 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull and 2 Diver sp. passing offshore.

Around St Ouens Pond were a male Hen Harrier, a Bittern, 38 Snipe, 23 Lapwing, 20 Shoveler, 2 Teal, a Little Grebe, 9 Reed Bunting, a Water Pipit  and 2 Stonechat on the beach were 38 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 150 Black-headed Gull and 11 Little Egret.

Seen at St Aubins were 4 Great Crested Grebe, a Kingfisher, 32 Redshank, 22 Turnstone, 24 Curlew, 42 Oystercatcher, 3 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret and 5 Cormorant.

Yesterday evening, 3,500 Starling came into roost near Samares Manor.