Jersey Birds

04.10.2024 Another Swallow passes Noirmont this morning MD

03.10.2024 A different view of Linnets , this time in formation over Noirmont today MD

02.10.2024 Male Linnet at Noirmont MD

01.10.2024 A fine Wheatear in this morning's sun at Noirmont MD

30.09.24 A juvenile Great-Black-backed Gull in St Ouen's Bay, image courtesy of Romano RDC

29.09.2024 Cormorant passing Corbiere MD High cloud through the morning with patchy rain this afternoon and a significant south-east wind up to force 7 in gusts A varied range of species passed Corbiere this morning, which included 7 dark-bellied Brent Geese , 4 Common Scoters , 7 Balearic Shearwaters , 10 Gannets , 13 Guillemots , 6 auk sp , an adult Arctic Skua , 11 Cormorants , 25 Shags , 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 14 Common Gulls , 14 Mediterranean Gulls , 6 Black-headed Gulls , 32 Great Black-backed Gulls , 27 Sandwich Terns , one tern sp , 2 Curlews , 20 small waders far offshore, and 2 Bottle - nosed Dolphins . Heading West off the headland were 42 Swallows , 12 House Martins , 3 alba Wagtails and 5 Meadow Pipits and hunting there were 2 Peregrines . At Petit Port this afternoon were a Caspian Gull, 60 Great Black-backed Gulls, 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 2 Mediterranean Gulls , a Kingfisher , 11 Turnstones and a Common Sandpiper . In the Sandpits were 280 Swallows , 10 House Martins , 34 Cormorants , 30 Little Grebes , a Great Crested Grebe , 61 Coot , 3 Little Egrets , 4 Grey Herons , 4 Mediterranean Gulls , 26 Black-headed Gull s, 11 Great Black-backed Gulls , 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 2 Peregrines , a Stonechat , 8 Linnets and 2 Ravens . At Le Port in St Ouen's Bay were 28 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin , a Sanderling and 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls . A Hobby flew over Mont les Vaux in St Aubin this afternoon as well as 30+ Swallows . In St Catherine's Woods this morning were a Grey Heron , a Grey Wagtail and 2 Firecrests . At Devil's Hole were a Grey Heron , a Peregrine and 7 Swallows and in Mourier Valley were 5 Tufted Ducks . Evening update: 4 Cattle Egrets were at Cowley Farm, at the Gunsite were 25 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 5 Black-headed Gulls with 149 Black - headed Gulls and 7 Sandwich Terns were at La Haule and 19 Redshanks plus 46 dark-bellied Brent Geese at St Aubin.

28.09.2024 Buzzards at La Rocque recently, image courtesy of Robin Richards Showers this morning and a fair afternoon, winds from the north-northwest but lighter. A good amount of visible migration on offer at Noirmont, included a Red-throated Pipit , calling but not landing. Counts there included 600 Swallows , 63 House Martins , 460+ Meadow Pipits, 5 Yellow Wagtails , 19 alba Wagtails , a Wheatear , 60 Linnets , 8 Goldfinches , 5 Stonechats , 2 Sparrowhawks and 3+ Buzzards including one pale bird. 2 Balearic Shearwaters and 3 Sandwich Terns passed Grosnez early on and Seen passing Corbiere were the first Black-throated Diver of the Autumn, 2 Balearic Shearwaters , a Razorbill , 19 Mediterranean Gulls , 3 Black-headed Gulls , 3 Kittiwakes , a Sandwich Tern , 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , a Turnstone , 2 Skylarks , 21 Swallows , 2 Grey Wagtails , 15 Linnets , 38 Meadow Pipits , a Chiffchaff , a Marsh Harrier and 2 Ravens . 14 Cattle Egrets were in fields opposite Holme Grown in Grouville, 28 Tufted Duck were on Queen's Valley reservoir and a Whitethroat , a pair of Stonechat and a Chiffchaff were on Grouville Common. A Wheatear was at Beaumont Marsh and 48 Brent Geese were at First Tower along with 100 Black-headed Gulls . A further 23 Brent Geese were in Grouville Bay and another Wheatear was by El Tico in St Ouen's Bay.

27.09.2024 Great Black-backed Gulls are on the Island in excellent numbers at the moment. Many of them originate on Chausey, just a few kilometres to the south-east of us. This is confirmed by a good number of them wearing green rings put on there, including the centre bird in flight, J43. MD A fierce day for weather with strong and gusty southwest winds gave way to even stronger and more gusty northerly winds after the passage of a squall with heavy rain on it, mid-morning. A few migrants were still heading off from Noirmont despite everything with 578 Meadow Pipits and 30 Linnets seen. Birds caught up in the squall line included a Golden Plover , 14 Swallows , 6 House Martins , and 3 Yellow Wagtails ( also 2 Red Admiral butterflies). Offshore were 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull , a Black-headed Gull and 4 Sandwich Terns . Among the birds in the Sandpits were 31 Cormorants , 11 Little Grebes , a Little Egret , 29 Swallows , 3 Great Blacked Gulls and numbers of Tufted Duck and Coot . At Petit Port were 64 Great Black-backed Gulls and 17 Curlews , while 6 Sandwich Terns were at St Aubin.

26.09.2024 This Marsh Harrier, feeding in the wind at Les Landes today, was wearing a blue colour-ring J58, put on it in Jersey MD A stormy day, wind-wise with some showers thrown in, winds coming from the southwest up to F7 at times. A difficult day for the birds ( and birders too.) Seen passing Grosnez were 2 Balearic Shearwaters, a Fulmar , 19 Gannets , 2 auk sp , 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , a Mediterranean Gull , 2 Little Egrets, 3 House Martins out at sea and a Raven . On the lee side of Les Landes were 4 Marsh Harriers , 3 Buzzards including a pale-phase bird, a Peregrine , 13 Swallows , 3 House Martins , 20+ Meadow Pipits and 2 Ravens. In the Sandpits were a Greenshank , 40 Little Grebes , 2 Great Crested Grebes , 3 Pochard , 65 Great Black-backed Gulls , 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 26 Cormorants . On the Scrape were 3 Teal , 20 Meadow Pipits , 8 Stock Doves and a Chiffchaff . 3 Swallows were seen at Rue de la Fontaine in St Peter. In a slightly sheltered Petit Port Bay this afternoon were 135 Great Black-backed Gulls , 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , 12 Mediterranean Gulls and 22 Curlews . A male and a juvenile Cirl Bunting were on Grouville Common and 4 Grey Herons plus 100 Crows were at La Sente. Elsewhere, 2 Ravens were over Vallee des Vaux with a Firecrest in a garden there and a Buzzard was at Rozel.