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28.10.2024  A very welcome guest which becomes scarcer year on year, this lovely image of a Snow Bunting was taken by Alan Gicquel near to

Fort Henry in Grouville Bay.



A cloudy day in a fresh southwest wind


It was generally a much quieter day for passage migrants today, probably due to weather on the south coast of England. A mass departure of Woodpigeons amounted to 33,680 birds, nearly all in the first half hour of daylight, over Noirmont! Otherwise, it was slow there, with counts of 7 Stock Doves ( plus, no doubt, others buried among the vast flocks of Woodpigeons), 12 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails, 70 Starlings, 37 Redwings, a Song Thrush, 120 Chaffinches, 11 Linnets, 3 Goldfinches, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, 5 Buzzards, 4 Stonechats, 2 Ravens, 2 Choughs and 7 Jackdaws.

Seen at the same time, passing Victoria Tower were a Woodlark, 2 Fieldfares, 274 Redwings, 9 Song Thrushes, 7 Swallows, 2,133 Woodpigeons, 57 Stock Doves, 44 Starlings, 444 Chaffinches, 2 Bramblings, 23 Siskins, 19 Goldfinches, 2 Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipits, 3 Cormorants and 2 Goldcrests. A Stonechat was at Kempt Tower.


Passing Corbiere were 515 Starlings, 25 Chaffinches, 40 Woodpigeons, 2 Stonechats, a male Black Redstart and 2 Peregrines and at Petit Port were 32 Curlews, a Whimbrel, a Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 14 Mediterranean Gulls, 19 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.


A Snow Bunting was near to Fort Henry in Grouville Bay and 33 Cattle Egrets were at Grouville Arsenal with a further 5 at Grouville Marsh.


Evening update: Around the north side of St Ouen's Pond this evening were 3 Reed Buntings, 10 Robins, a Chiffchaff, 300 Starlings, 2 Swallows, 4 Water Rails, 12 Marsh Harriers, a Kingfisher and a Wigeon calling in the dark.


Below: Woodpigeons heading out of St Aubin's Bay at sunrise this morning  MD



by Michael Dryden 30 Oct, 2024
30.10.2024 The Snow Bunting was present near Fort Henry in Grouville Bay again today, this fine image was taken by Romano
by Michael Dryden 29 Oct, 2024
29.10.2024 This beautiful pale-phase Buzzard was pictured have a time out at Noirmont in this morning's mizzle MD
by Michael Dryden 28 Oct, 2024
28.10.2024 A very welcome guest which becomes scarcer year on year, this lovely image of a Snow Bunting was taken by Alan Gicquel near to Fort Henry in Grouville Bay. 
by Michael Dryden 27 Oct, 2024
27.10.2024 A very smart looking Blackbird at Noirmont MD
by Michael Dryden 26 Oct, 2024
26.102024 A few of today's many Woodpigeons passing over Noirmont. MD
by Michael Dryden 25 Oct, 2024
25.10.2024 Thanks to Romano for this nearly in your face image of yesterday's Spoonbill passing over Victoria Tower A showery morning, becoming dry but cloudy in a south-southwest wind. It was another busy start to the day at Victoria Tower, albeit less manic than yesterday. Seen in the first two hours of daylight were 11 Hawfinches , 1,046 Redwings , 83 Song Thrushes, 39 Blackbirds , 15 Skylarks , 979 Woodpigeons , 12 Swallows , 493 Chaffinches , a Brambling , 28 Goldfinches and 4 Siskins . Noirmont's totals over four hours included 5,780 Woodpigeons , 14 Stock Doves , 3 Swallows , 271 Redwings , 53 Song Thrushes , 24 Blackbirds , a Brambling , 82 Chaffinches , 9 Goldfinches , 5 Linnets , 148 Starlings , 4 Pied Wagtails, 2 Skylarks , 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls , a Grey Heron , 9 Choughs , 2 Ravens , a migrant Peregrine , a Sparrowhawk and 5 Stonechats . At St Aubin this afternoon were 400-500 Brent Geese and 70 Black-headed Gulls and in St Helier Harbour was a Kingfisher . At Petit Port was another Kingfisher , as well as a Grey Heron , 2 Cormorants , 25 Curlews , 6 Ringed Plovers , 5 Turnstones and 12 Great Black-backed Gulls . In Grouville Bay were 340 Brent Geese , 6 Great Crested Grebes , 2 Wheatears and 250 Starlings . Another Wheatear was at Kempt Tower in St Ouen's Bay. At Queen's Valley this morning were 11 Redwings , a Swallow , a Grey Heron, 21 Tufted Ducks , a Grey Wagtail , another Kingfisher , 6 Long-tailed Tits , a Firecrest , a Short-toed Treecreeper, 2 Ravens and 150 Herring Gulls . At the Scrape this evening were 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Marsh Harriers , 4 Lapwings , 3 Teal and a Water Rail and at Grouville Marsh were 21 Cattle Egrets, 5 Song Thrushes , 4 Redwings , a Reed Bunting, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest
by Michael Dryden 24 Oct, 2024
24.10.2024 Among all the thousands of birds on the move today, were Lesser Black-backed Gulls . This first winter bird is seen passing Noirmont MD
by Michael Dryden 23 Oct, 2024
23.10.2024 A different view of a Skylark , taken at Noirmont this morning MD
by Michael Dryden 22 Oct, 2024
22.10.2024 Woodpigeons and Stock Doves passing over Noirmont this morning MD
by Michael Dryden 21 Oct, 2024
21.10.2024 Some of yesterday's Little Grebes in the Sandpits MD
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