A day of unusual species
A day of infrequently encountered species started with a Nightjar, ringed at first light by the visiting ringers on the training course. We have then seen Red Kite and Black Kite and a total of 4 Spoonbills, a flock of 3 and an additional single, migrating over before heading east to France.
Nightjar © J Stuart Smith
A busy week for the Ringing Course
A busy week with visiting ringers attending a training assessment course. Easterly wind has dominated the weather forecast but there have been plenty of training opportunities with the birds throughout the week.
Sightings from this week include Swift, Whinchat, Subalpine Warbler and Nightingale within the census area and, a now rare sighting of a Turtle Dove, reported by Alex Purdie, near the signalling tower behind the airport this afternoon.
Some of the ringing group engaged in discussions © Eleanor Evetts
Busier bird migration and increased insect diversity
There has been an easterly influence in the wind over the last couple of days giving clear blue skies. The first week of April has been a little busier with migrating birds and insect diversity has also started to increase.
A few firsts for the spring on Alderney this week are Tree Pipit, first seen at Houmet Herbe, Ring Ouzel, on Kiln Farm today and a Black Kite, which was seen going west from Kiln Farm but not relocated.
Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava) with the ponies at Whitegates © Charlotte Foote
