29.05.2024 A nice drake Shoveler at the Wetland centre in the rain this morning MD.......
A miserable day with rain and poor visibility through most of it and with a fresh southwest wind
In the first hour of daylight, ahead of the rain, passing Corbiere were a Balearic Shearwater, 3 Guillemots, a Shelduck, 18 Gannets, 2 Fulmars, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Raven, with a female Wheatear on the headland.
Seen from the Wetland Centre at St Ouen's Pond were two families of Shoveler, one with four well grown young and another with 9 chicks. Also there, were a male Gadwall in company with a female Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 30 House Martins, 20 Swallows, 5 Sand Martins, 5 Swifts and 5 overflying Little Egrets. In the Sandpits this morning were 7 Tufted Duck, 8 Oystercatchers, 50+ Sand Martins, 3 Swifts, a male Stonechat and a very cold looking Green Lizard. A Pair of Stonechats were near L'Etacq and another pair was on Les Blanches Banques. At Le Pulec were 5 Curlews, 3 Little Egrets and a Peregrine.
A Black Redstart was in song on the farm by La Sente and in Grouville Bay, near Seymour Slip were 5 Ringed Plovers, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Wheatear.
A check in the Sandpits late this afternoon saw 75
Sand Martins, 25
Swallows, 2
Swifts, 23
Tufted Duck, 3 singing
Cetti's Warblers, 8
Reed Warblers, 4 pairs of
Oystercatchers, 3
Ravens, 4
White Wagtails
including a juvenile and 2 pairs of
Marsh Harriers, also a
Wigeon was calling from a private pond in Rue du Val de la Mare.
........and most of his family MD
Mick Dryden
Romano da Costa
Tony Paintin