by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 31, 2017
No snow or minus temperatures here, windy and wet just about covers this week. We made the most of getting out when possible and this did bring its rewards, the year end coming to a very satisfying finale in more ways than one.
At Rose farm this week a Water Rail remains present and Mark Atkinson reports 4 Woodcock at dusk on the 29th. Singles of Curlew, Turnstone and Mediterranean Gull have been sighted at Longis and Braye Bay. On Braye common a regular high tide gathering all week of up to 16 Oystercatchers. Top Sightings (and photos) of the week come from Sandy Robertson who confirmed on the 28th another visit to Alderney by the magnificent Royal Tern that was present early afternoon in Longis Bay. A Sandwich Tern was also seen at the same location. Bottle nose Dolphins have also featured this week from various locations around our coastline but most often from Longis Bay just off Fort Razz where up to six were present, individuals seen leaping completely clear of the sea by Mel, our resident marine biologist.
Atlantic Grey Seal – Godfrey’s Bay – Photo Sandy Robertson
Royal Tern – Longis Bay – Photo Sandy Robertson
The water is steadily rising on Longis pond at last, though it still remains below the very bottom marker on the ‘in pond’ water level recorder. The new hide has stood up to another major battering of winds in excess of 70mph this week, from it this morning (new years eve) there were a pair of Teal and 3 Snipe.
Very minimal ringing this week was limited to the shelter of the orchard at Rose Farm. A couple of limited sessions was however enough to see us to 10,000 new ringed birds for 2017. In many ways ringing this year was poor in comparison to 2016, spring migration was poor, while plenty of migrants were present the weather was not often favourable for ringing. The summer saw some of our major seabird ringing trips abandoned entirely due to unseasonal treacherous seas, and from the outset of the autumn the Observatory has been effectively closed for major renovations, meaning limited personnel often leaving 2 or 3 of our 4 major sites unmanned throughout. Despite these setbacks, to return such high a high total reveals the potential ahead for Britain’s newest and most southerly Bird Observatory, and the exciting possibilities once we are fully operational.
Finally, a very happy New Year to you all from Cathy & I. We are very much looking forward to 2018, to seeing visitors returning to the new observatory again, and to meeting new people coming for the first time. A very big thank you to everyone who has, supported this project in any way, be it through ABO membership, donations, giving up time, contributing to records, and also to all the trainee ringers for their ongoing efforts, thank you all.
If our 3rd year is anything at all like the first two, it will be another amazing bonanza of birds and other wildlife, for us all to record and enjoy.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 27, 2017
A lot of rain this week as the winds turned and increased from the west, so no ringing has been undertaken. Fulmars were reported returning to the south cliffs, on the 19th at least 5 birds were present. Also on the 19th a Grey Wagtail and 16 Siskins at Kiln farm. I flushed up a Woodcock from Essex farm whilst checking the furled ringing nets had stood up to the poor weather conditions. A single Grey Heron and Turnstone have frequented Longis Bay all week and Essex farm sewage works remains a haven for half a dozen die hard Chiffchaffs.
The runaway highlight of this week, and truly marvellous way for the bird observatory to end 2017 was the fact that keen photographers in the UK managed to get shots a ringed Penduline Tit that was found in Gloucestershire 16th Dec. Photos of the ring on the bird were sufficient for us to be able to say beyond doubt that the bird was the very same individual we ringed at Mannez quarry 28th October this year. So this bird was relocated 49 days after visiting Alderney 239km from us here in the Channel Islands. Through The Channel Islands ringing scheme further data concerning movements of three other birds has been received this week. A sighting we recorded in Alderney from July this year of a Black-headed Gull, was first ringed in Germany in 2013. A Goldfinch ringed at Cape Clear bird observatory southern Ireland in July this year after travelling 551km was processed here in October, and also a Chiffchaff ringed on Skomer Island in April this year, processed here in October after travelling 315km.
Penduline Tit – female, at Plock Court, Longford Gloucester
One of several shots of the ring that enabled us to verify it as the Alderney ringed bird
by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 17, 2017
Catching up – The transition to the new website (and my getting to grips with operating it !) Has meant a delay in this blog and here we bring you up to date, sorry for the delay.
There is work to be done to further populate some of the pages of this new site but we now have our online bookings page fully operational for anyone wanting to come and stay here at the newly refurbished bird observatory from 1st April 2018.
Shorter days combining for the best part of the last two weeks with harsh weather has meant for very difficult birding conditions and impossible ringing conditions. Indeed it’s been the perfect period for embarking on the ABO 2017 Bird report, a new members newsletter, catching up with data inputting and making sure this new site is populated, up to date and user friendly.
There have of course still been birds ! The 4th December saw our last significant visible migration as a large mixed flock (around 500 birds in Total) of Thrushes, Starlings and Finches gathered in the large ploughed field adjacent to the airfield. A 100+ Chaffinch flock contained 2 Bramblings, 80 Fieldfares were scattered amongst about 200 Redwings. Also on the 4th, a few minutes ahead of 12 Siskins, a (calling) male Snow Bunting flew in from the direction of Mannez lighthouse over and around Mannez reserve completing 2 circuits before heading SW towards Houme Herbe. 2 Sandwich Terns continue to patrol Longis Baye daily, the unseasonal Common Sandpiper was on Longis jetty again 11th & 14th. The long staying Water Pipit was last seen at the same location on the 11th and as the tide filled the bay that afternoon it brought with it a Great Northern Diver. Single Grey plovers are moving between Longis and Braye Bay this week. A small band of up to 6 Chiffchaffs occupy Essex Sewage works, best seen on sunny days picking off insects still apparently plentiful at this location. At the foot of the Barrackmasters Lane valley a ringed female Bullfinch was seen 16th. A Grey Wagtail has been reported on three dates this week at the top end of Victoria Street. The recent rainfalls are beginning to rise the water level on Longis nature reserve pond, and here on the 8th there were 3 Teal and 4 Snipe.
On the evening of the 15h a good sized blonde Hedgehog pottered around on the grass outside the Obs.
Thank you again Becky Sumpster of ‘Design Somerset’ for giving her time and expertise to the ABO for free ! Making this shiny new web-site a reality.
Sunrise from the Observatory ringing room at first light this morning, Longis bay incorporating Fort Razz with France visible beyond – 17th Dec. Photo JH/ABO
by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 5, 2017
Migration was still with us in fits and starts this week making for a couple of unexpectedly busy ringing sessions. Field observations included several species not regularly recorded in Alderney, particularly Wigeon, Mistle Thrush and Short eared Owl. The now long staying Water Pipit still present.
27th – 1 Grey Plover in Saye Bay and 18 Mallards on Corbletts quarry.
28th – 3 Teal on Rose farm pond.
29th – Just when it looked to be all over, another great day of migration. Winds had turned from north-west to north yesterday afternoon and continued overnight bringing in yet more Thrushes and finches. Interestingly this movement did not include any influx of Blackbirds. A blowy start ruled out ringing at Mannez but switching to Rose Farm was a good move as it offered some sheltered spots where 50 new birds were ringed including 22 Redwings, 10 Long tailed Tits and 6 Siskins. Birds moving over rose farm included 5 Bramblings, 200 Chaffinches, around 500 Redwings, 80 Fieldfares and 25 Siskins.
30th – 4 Woodcocks at Rose Farm reported by Mark Atkinson. Plenty of thrushes still about in mixed flocks of Redwings Fieldfares and Song Thrushes at Essex Hill, Whitegates Fields and on the football pitch. A single male Teal on Corbletts quarry and a female on Longis pond along with a Snipe. 6 Wigeon, 2 males and 4 females settled in Longis bay during the afternoon high tide. There were 5 Ringed Plovers and a Grey Plover on Longis beach. A White Wagtail on the sewage works.
1st – The Water Pipit seems at home on the grass of Observatory front driveway. Whilst completing a circuit of the observatory recording area Cathy and I had a single Snipe over Corbletts quarry, 9 Ringed Plovers on Platte Saline beach, 60 Fieldfares, 200 Redwings and a Mistle Thrush between the football pitch and Whitegates fields and a Mediterranean Gull in Crabby Bay. On Longis pond Justin had 5 Teal and a Wigeon.
2nd – NE winds overnight into today and this is certainly the magic wind direction for us at the back-end of the season. Once again goofd finch migration saw movements of Chaffinches (200+), Siskins 25 and Bramblings 5 along with 1000+ Thrushes mostly Redwings and 500+ Starlings. 102 birds were ringed, 88 of these Thrushes (73 Redwings) the total also included 3 Firecrests.
Redwing – Mannez Quarry – photo – JH/ABO
3rd – NW/N winds overnight, still Redwings moving, another 25 of them ringed at Mannez quarry taking us to over 800 of this species ringed this year but still down on last years total. The Thrushes at Mannez were regularly disturbed by 2 hunting Sparrowhawks and a passing large female Peregrine. At first light Justin and I had a Short-eared Owl which looked to have roosted in the quarry. On the afternoon high tide 21 fine-looking Meditteranean Gulls and a single Sandwich Tern were situated at the north end of Braye Bay. Grant Le Marchant reported a Teal on Longis pond.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Nov 29, 2017
A windy week saw the phenomenal numbers of migrant birds this autumn finally fade to trickle. Even so late movements continue with small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Firecrests passing through. Winter wildfowl records are always at a premium here bar a few sporadic Teal but a Wigeon dropped in as the weather got colder at the end of the week.
21st – SW winds, still a few migrants moving over Mannez, 2 Bramblings, around 50 Redwings and 5 Fieldfares over. Ringing was low numbers but included Fieldfare and Reed Bunting. On the falling mid-day tide 2 Sanderlings in Longis Bay. In the afternoon another addition to our annual ringing list at Essex farm by way of 2 Coal Tits, surprisingly not resident here, the island appears to see just a handful of this species during migration only.
Coal Tit – Essex Farm – photo – JH/ABO
23rd – An unseasonal Common Sandpiper on Braye beach was joined by the still present Water Pipit.
24th – 4 Meditteranean Gulls and 2 Grey Plovers in Braye Bay where a bull Grey Seal put in a brief appearance. Ringing at Rose farm included 3 Firecrests and 6 Chiffchaffs one of which was UK ringed bird. Some movement over rose farm with 12 Skylarks and 200+ Chaffinches. A Grey Wagtail and White Wagtail shared the sewage works at Essex. Paul & Catherine Veron had a Bullfinch and Siberian Chiffchaff in their garden and in Longis bay 5 Turnstones, 2 Sanderlings and a Great White Egret.
25th – A Black Redstart in Braye Harbour, 4 Long tailed Tits by the Watermill. The Water Pipit was in Longis beach car park and 6 Kittiwake were seen off Mannez.
26th – A single Snipe and a Wigeon on Longis pond where the long staying Little Grebe is still present.
The Nunnery building (our HQ) continues to be coming along well, the new roof tiles about to go on.
The Nunnery – ABO HQ – Photo – JH/ABO
