A late record from last week of 6 White Storks in off the sea over Mannez lighthouse, the lucky observer was Nigel Clarke AWT board member who watched the impressive spectacle with a group of visiting french birders.

A single Grey Heron has been around all week reported from several locations including Clonque bay and Longis Nature reserve. On longis pond the two Little Grebe chicks are going strong, and the parents are nesting building again for round 2.  It has been a very windy week offering no opportunity for bird ringing;  gales from the west reaching in excess of 60mph overnight on the 6th. Swifts have been observed heading south but the best bird news of the week is from Paul and Catherine Veron reporting finally seeing a female Serin accompanying the long staying singing male ! High hopes that they are indeed nesting.

6th  – There were 4 Whimbrels in Longis Bay.

7th – The bad weather continued into today winds not dropping below 40mph. The westerly wind assisted huge waves smashing against the Les Etacs Gannet colony, surely destroying a good number of nests on the lower ledges. A Grey Plover, probably the same bird from the 5th was a Platte Saline beach along with 3 Sanderling.

 

Les Etacs June Storm

Les Etacs Gannet colony – Photo – Justin Hart

8th – Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers are sitting at several locations that Justin and I found this week. This one pictured below an Oystercather hatching today. A good variety of moths in the obs trap again included Cream spot Tiger, Small Elephant and Poplar Hawk Moths enyjoyed by ‘Prestige Tours’ group visiting the observatory. At the end of the day a Whimbrel in Longis bay and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth rescued from the ringing room.

 

Oystercatcher chick

Oystercatcher chick – Alderney – photo – ABO

9th – Mark Atkinson reported a Cuckoo singing in the Bonne Terre Valley.

10th -Another brimming moth trap with over 20 species including a new species for our trap pictured below. A Turtle Dove was reported from Fontaine David.

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Grey Arches Moth – polia nebulosa-  photo ABO

11th, First thing there were 7 Swift flying hard SW no sign of stopping, returning south already ! Paul Veron also reports small groups of Swifts headed south this week with four on 9th, two on 10th and 3 11th along with a Cuckoo 10th and 11th at Barrackmasters Lane. Meadow Brown butterflies are now out in force on Longis Common. In the evening a small wader flock on Braye beach was made up of 14 fine summer plumage Sanderling and a single Ringed Plover.