Events

Ringing Course – 20th to 27th April 2026

The Alderney Bird Observatory will be running a week-long intense ringing course open to all UK and Channel Island permit holders (T, C and A permit holders). The course will be supported by three or four UK S permit holders (trainers and assessors) and possibly up to three Channel Island full permit holders.
The purpose of the course is primarily to give experience to ringers seeking further training, assessment for permit upgrade and to improve the ringing and ornithological skills and communication of all participants.
The ringing will be primarily mist netting of spring migrant passerines. However, other activities such as spring trapping, cage trapping, whoosh netting, roost netting, wader netting and dazzling will also be attempted and potentially assessed if required. There is also a high-flier net in operation and this can be demonstrated. We may also attempt to catch Cuckoo and Nightjar using tape lure and will demonstrate and discuss options for this.
For an information pack and details on how to book please e-mail Paul Roper
ntgg_sightings@hotmail.co.uk (cc to ABO.news@outlook.com)

The ABO Autumn Walk: Sun Sept 21th 2025, 2pm from Nunnery Car Park

 

Led by ABO Warden we will walk across Longis Common & finish with cakes in the courtyard of Wells House.

Free for members
non members £10

Donations extremely welcome

Helen McGregor and Blaize walk the Hebridean Way in October

From Oct 18 – 25th Helen & her labrador will be walking 80 miles over the islands of Barra, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, Grimsay and North Uist.

To sponsor:

gofund.me/a9bb9ddb

ABO first (annual) Flag Day – Sat 30th August 2025

Can you spare an hour to help on the day?

Please contact our secretary on

ABO.news@outlook.com

to offer help

Moth Morning at Valongis House – Sunday 3rd August 2025 at 8.30 am

Get your Alderney Week off to an early start, come and see a range of Alderney’s rare and beautiful moths and then reward yourself with a home cooked bacon roll. All proceeds to the ABO.

Wells House Garden Open – Tuesday 10th June from 2pm 2025 until 4pm

As part of Bloomin’ Alderney Week the garden at Wells House will be open in aid of the ABO. Refreshments and hints on how to make your garden more bird friendly.

Fith Annual Bird Race – Saturday 26th April 2025

Get a team together and join us to see as many birds as possible in 24 hours. For more details contact Matt at warden@alderneybirdobservatory.org

ABO spring guided walk – Monday 21st April 2025, 2 pm

Warden Matt will lead a guided walk across Longis Common, starting at the Nunnery Car Park and ending at Wells House for refreshments.

Sunday 4th August 2024: Moth morning at Val Longis

An early morning start will be rewarded with bacon rolls – more info to follow

Bloomin’ Alderney: 3rd – 9th June 2024:

ABO are delighted to support this spectacular island initiative. We will be giving a talk on how you can make your garden more attractive to birds. Day & venue tbc

Bailiwick Wildlife Photography Exhibition: 04th – 12th May 2024

The ABO are proud to present – for the first time in Alderney –
The Bailiwick Wildlife Photography Exhibition 2024

May 4 – 12th @ 27 Victoria St, 10am – 4pm. Entry £5, under 16s free

 

Highlands of Scotland walk – 27th April – 02nd May 2024:

From April 27th – May 2nd 2024 Helen McGregor (ABO chairman) & Blaize her labrador will be walking over 50 miles in the highlands of Scotland.
From Drumnadrochit to Roy Bridge via Glen Affric, Glen Moriston, the Corryarrick Pass and Glen Roy. This wilderness walk is over 50 miles long and will take them through some of the most lonely but spectacular highland scenery. Definitely not a walk in the park – the going will be rough in places
.
Please sponsor them if you can:-) https://gofund.me/7bbfc0ca

ABO spring guided walk – 28th April 2024:

ABO guided walk across Longis Common, starting at Nunnery car park & ending at Wells House for refreshments

Annual Bird Race 27th April 2024:

Put together a team & have a chance at the trophy

Bailiwick Garden Birdwatch 22 – 26th April 2024:

more details to follow

ABO annual review – 24th Jan 2024:

Annual review of the tremendous achievements of the ABO over the previous 12 months.
Venue tbc

Jersey Coastal Path walk – 12 – 18th October 2023:

ABO chairman Helen McGregor will be circumnavigating the beautiful island of Jersey.  Accompanied by her labrador Blaize Helen will be walking the 48miles of the coast path. Please consider sponsoring her: https://gofund.me/31763052

ABO guided walk – leaving Nunnery car park 3pm Sunday Sept 10 2023

Spending approximately an hour and a half birdwatching, learning about bird migration and hoping to see some of the huge variety of species that pass through our islands each autumn.

The walk will conclude with tea & cakes in Wells House courtyard.

The walk is free for members. It will be possible to join the ABO on the day of course. Non-members will be asked to make a donation

ABO stall on Cavalcade day 7 August 2023

The Bird Observatory were selling a selection of items on our stall on Alderney Cavalcade Day. In addition we were distributing our new leaflets which emphasise our scientific research work.
We were also giving advanced notice of our Members’ Walk on September 10th ~ 3pm from Nunnery car park

Discovering Moths 6 August 2023
It’s not every day that 50+ people turn up to watch the Observatory moth trap species being recorded. It is very rewarding for all of our team to see so much interest in our research work. Thanks to everyone who attended, it was wonderful to see so many people discovering the world of moths, and hearing about them from Assistant Warden Matt Scragg and ABO trainee Suzy Jarrett. Special thanks to the ABO engine room and catering department who went into bacon sandwich overdrive! Our next public event is the autumn bird watching walk on Sunday 10th September.

To discover and take part in more of our activities click the “Join the ABO” link above

Helen’s Sponsored Walk


Our Chairman, Helen McGregor and her Labrador Blaize have walked from Fort William to Inverness. A big well done to Helen who completed the 78 miles having just broken her wrist a few days beforehand.
She raised nearly £500 for the ABO and you can still donate at: