by Alderney Bird Warden | Aug 31, 2024
Plenty of migrants around today after last night’s north-easterlies, though they were not so easily pinned down in the 35mph winds this morning.
Nothing fancy but great just to see loads of newly arrived birds!
A Golden Plover was a scarce August record here, 3 Whinchats and 3 Yellow Wagtails stood out amongst 20+ Wheatears and White Wagtails around Kiln Farm where a flock of 180 Goldfinches had gathered. A movement of Kestrels saw 12 within the census area.
Photo from this morning Golden Plover
by Alderney Bird Warden | Aug 28, 2024
A fascinating Alderney pelagic this morning added several species to the ABO annual list and a local tick for everyone on board, a Great Shearwater.
On our way out this morning about half a mile from shore we saw a bat! Soon we were immersed in birds, several hundred Balearic and Manx Shearwaters, regular feeding frenzies of Blue fin Tuna attracted a wide variety of seabirds, Common Dolphins lept clear of the sea just feet from our vessel as literally hundreds of seabirds circled about, it was very exciting with so much going on we hardly knew which direction to look. The Great Shearwater was the first local record in almost 30 years, other highlights included 12 Sooty Shearwaters, 8 Black Terns, Arctic and Great Skuas, Storm Petrels, Common Scoters and a Sun Fish. Fabulous day.
Photo ( back of camera shot) today’s Great Shearwater.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Aug 24, 2024
Not the rarest or most colourful moth in the ABO trap this week but perhaps this Burnished Brass moth is the winner of ‘ most striking ‘ photo (JH).
Also today an early sea-watch produced 21 Balearic Shearwaters.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Aug 13, 2024
Some passage this morning featured 5 Pied Flycatchers amongst the ringing. Marsh Harrier through the census area and half a dozen Wheatears. Also a species of moth – Dog’s tooth, was a new addition to the ABO’s moth records.
Photo from this morning, Pied Flycatcher
by Alderney Bird Warden | Aug 8, 2024
Couldn’t help noticing the fabulous diversity of insects whilst doing some maintenance at one of our ringing sites this afternoon, I was reminded of an excellent presentation I saw a few years back ‘ Bird observatories, not just about birds ‘.
In no particular order Brassica Shieldbug, Ectophasia crassipennis, Speckled Bush Cricket, Painted Lady, Batman Hoverfly, Minstrel Bug, Common Globetail, Compost Fly and Hornet Hoverfly were amongst 42 species of insects recorded in less than an hour all photographed this afternoon within a few meters of our ringing station cabin.
