31.12.2024 A beautiful image of a Woodcock, taken by Pauline Credland at Tabor Park in St Brelade.
A mainly grey and overcast day in a fresh Easterly wind.
Brent Geese have increased greatly in numbers in the last few days, with counts today of 964 in Grouville Bay and 650 in St Aubin's Bay.
A good selection of birds passing Victoria Tower this morning included 13,568 Woodpigeons, 19 Hawfinches, 1,614 Redwings, 14 Fieldfares, 94 Song Thrushes, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Lapwings, 9 Skylarks, 182 Starlings, a Corn Bunting, a Redpoll, 84 Siskins, a Bullfinch, 42 Goldfinches, 8 Greenfinches, 3 Linnets, 34 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Firecrests, 9 Goldcrests and 77 Black-headed Gulls.
Passing, or dropping in to a very murky Noirmont were 2 Ring Ouzels, 3 Fieldfares, 106 Redwings, 15 Song Thrushes, 9 Blackbirds, 6 Skylarks, 480 Woodpigeons, 347 Chaffinches, 2 Bramblings, 6 Linnets, 10 Goldfinches, 103 Meadow Pipits, 3 Stock Doves, 216 Starlings, 5 Stonechats, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, 3 Ravens, 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and c120 Crows.
In Grouville Bay as well as the Brent Geese were 2 Great Crested Grebes, a Sandwich Tern, 85 Dunlin, 95 Sanderlings, 73 Grey Plovers, 53 Turnstones, 32 Curlews, 8 Redshanks and 3 Greenshanks, while on Grouville Common were the Snow Bunting again, a Common Gull, a Stonechat and 4 Pied Wagtails.
Around St Aubin's Bay were 6 Curlews and a Pied Wagtail at St Aubin, a Stonechat at Beaumont Marsh and a Kingfisher in the Elizabeth Marina. In St Brelade's Bay were 2 Grey Herons and 2 Grey Wagtails.
At Petit Port were 24 Curlews, 6 Little Egrets, 20 Turnstones, 5 Grey Herons, 12 Black-headed Gulls and a Kingfisher, with another Kingfisher and 8 Chiffchaffs at the North Canal in St Ouen's Bay. A selection of species to the North side of the Cutty Sark included 20 Meadow Pipits, a Skylark, an alba Wagtail and a few Linnets and Starlings.
Mick Dryden
Romano da Costa
Tony Paintin