Given how hard Sandwich Tern flocks were hit by avian flu it was a heartening sight watching around 250 individuals fishing off Mannez lighthouse this lunch time. 19 Balearic Shearwaters and 1 Sooty Shearwater passed by whilst we enjoyed the spectacle of the feeding Terns.
Migrants recorded today included Yellow Wagtail, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler.
Photo (JH) some of today’s Sandwich Terns.
Little Bunting, a stunning adult male at Mannez quarry this morning was a new addition to the island ringing list and just the second Alderney record (first recorded by the ABO in 2018).
Also ringed this morning Dartford Warbler and Firecrest. A scrappy looking ring-tail Hen Harrier has also made a couple of appearances at the north east end of the island.
Photo (JH) this morning’s Little Bunting.
Two days, two firsts for Alderney bird records as assistant warden Matt Scragg recorded a Gull-billed Tern this morning along the NE coast.
The Tern was close to shore in company with 3 Sandwich Terns, a strong passage of Mediterranean Gulls, a Cory’s Shearwater and Pomarine Skua were also seen.
Matt’s purple patch continued this afternoon as he located a Barred Warbler.
Another busy morning mist netting migrating passerines. This was the third consecutive day ringing over 100 birds,
Blackcaps are accounting for over 80% of records but we are still seeing late moving species: Sedge Warblers, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats coming through.
Today’s highlights were field sightings during the daily census, 6 Glossy Ibis passing over Essex Farm at 7am headed south, surprisingly this sighting is an addition to the birds of Alderney list (subject to acceptance by the Bailiwick rare birds committee). At 9am a Honey Buzzard drifted along the NE coast, taking in the thermals, it climbed high and headed out over the sea to the south-east.
Photo (JH) one of four ‘passage’ Grey Herons in – off the sea,
No American vagrants for us today but a busy day in the field did produce Alderney’s 4th record of Common Rosefinch amongst over 100 birds ringed this morning and a Hooded Crow seen this afternoon.
Photo (JH) Today’s Common Rosefinch.