Ending our 4th autumn monitoring migration in Alderney we have consistently seen a notable increase in new Dunnocks ringed during the month of October. This species is certainly not famous for its migrational movement records, Dunnocks wearing any kind of European scheme ring caught in the British Isles, are rare records indeed. Our initial thoughts were that we were witnessing local dispersal during the autumn months but our local retrap data has evidenced that movements across Alderney between our ringing sites are far and few between despite us ringing over 600 Dunnocks since April 2016. So some excitement 19th Oct 18′ when we caught a Dunnock sporting a French ring! It’s taken some time to obtain the original ringing data but worth the wait as we discover the bird was processed at Dunes du Fort Vert near Calais, the bird travelling just over 200 miles SW to Alderney in 7 days! This record goes some way to confirming our suspicions that in Alderney we are indeed seeing annual seasonal movements of Dunnocks heading south ahead of the colder months.
RECENT POSTS
_____________________
-
Walking for the ABO
From April 27th-May 2nd ABO Chairman Helen McGregor and Labrador Blaize will be walking from… Read more…
-
Bird Race
Yesterday's Alderney Bird Race was largely a morning affair as rain set in from early… Read more…
-
Yellow Wagtail (blue…
Catching up, yesterday was good-bye and thanks to the team of visiting bird ringers from… Read more…
-
Cool NE winds didn't provide us with floods of migrants this morning but still two… Read more…
-
Golden Oriole
A fine adult male Golden Oriole ringed this morning. This is the 3rd ringing record… Read more…
-
Wildlife Photography…
-
Northern Willow Warb…
Today's highlights, a pair of Marsh Harriers in off the sea at Mannez headed north,… Read more…
-
Blair’s Mocha…
A busier day for migrant passerines with 163 ringed, these were mostly Blackcaps, Willow Warblers… Read more…
-
Yellow Wagtail
One of two Yellow Wagtails at our Swallow roost this evening. A good fall of… Read more…
-
Hoopoe
A member of the public reported a Hoopoe this morning feeding in a back garden… Read more…
-
White Stork
Today's highlight a White Stork first seen this morning by Paul Veron over the airport… Read more…
-
Spring Migration
Spring migration update: the last few days have seen expected but no less eagerly anticipated… Read more…
-
Chiffchaff
Nothing fancy but delighted to be able to report the first light flurries of Chiffchaffs… Read more…
-
Black-throated Diver
Recently returned to Alderney for the new season, assistant warden Matt Scragg found this fabulous… Read more…
-
Bird Nesting boxes
Now is the time to put up bird nest boxes. The ABO have been making… Read more…