Things are hotting up with variety and volume of migrants passing through this tiny island producing an exciting start to autumn migration.
Sooty (1), Manx (10) and Balearic (4) Shearwaters were all recorded on the 24th during a sea watch off chateau l’etoc with Tim Earl, a further single Balearic on the 27th. Peak counts of Shag were 44 on the 23rd, Little Egrets 6 on Longis pond on the 25th and Grey Heron 4 on the 26th. Our first late summer/early autumn Teal was on Longis pond 23rd still present 31st. Honey Buzzards began passing through with around 20 birds reported 28th/29th. Paul Veron had a Goshawk in Barrackmasters Lane on the 30th. At least 2 Water Rails were present on Longis pond 23rd to month end. A Grey Plover was present around Houme Herbe 23rd & 24th, Single Dunlin were seen at the north and of Longis bay 23rd and 27th, a Snipe was on Longis pond on the 30th, and a Bar-tailed Godwit in Longis Bay 27th-31st. Up to 4 Whimbrels were recorded daily 23rd-31st. A brief flurry of Greenshanks (first records of the year) were of 1 over Barrackmasters Lane 30th, then 2 juveniles in Corbletts Bay 31st and another reported over St.Anne’s the same day. 2 Green Sandpipers dropped into Longis pond briefly on the 31st and the high count of Common Sandpipers was 3 on the 27th. Great Skua was added to the island annual list with 5 seen, (some very close to shore) off chateau l’etoc on the 24th. Mediterranean Gulls are still scattered around the coastline with 5 reported on the 31st. Sandwich Terns are now being regularly seen along the NE coast, the high count 8 on the 27th and single Swifts were still passing through up to the 31st. The first Kingfisher of the year was at Corbletts on the 31st. The first Wryneck ringed since 1979 was caught at Essex farm in the shape of two birds together, this shortly after one was reported by Sally Townsend-smith from the nearby Kennels garden on Longis Common. A further Wryneck was then ringed at Mannez on the 30th. An amazing Tree Pipit passage saw 20 birds ringed between the 22nd and 30th with passage counts of 18 on the 22nd and 12 on the 28th. We do very well here for migrant Yellow Wagtails and flocks are beginning to come through with 33 recorded on the 30th. A single Redstart was ringed at Longis on the 22nd, Whichats are also arriving with 4 on the 29th and a high count of 12 Wheatears on the 26th. 3 Grasshopper Warblers were ringed at Mannez on the 22nd and a further bird on the 30th. An Icterine Warbler was caught and ringed at Longis Pond on the 30th and another caught and ringed (same location) on the 31st. These two constituted the 3rd and 4th records of the species for the island and the 1st and 2nd ever ringed here. An adult Melodious Warbler was ringed at Mannez on the 22nd and a Lesser Whitethroat ringed in Barrackmasters Lane 30th. Willow Warbler passage slowed towards the end of the month and the first Firecrest of the autumn was ringed on the 30th. Single Spotted Flycatchers were seen on the 22nd, 28th and 30th whilst 9 Pied Flycatchers (5 ringed) were seen during the same period. Most mornings first thing a noisy ‘unknidness’ of Ravens can been seen passing over the observatory roman fort from the direction of Essex Hill.
Below from left to right: Icterine Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler
Two Wrynecks
