by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 29, 2021
In very cold spells or during harsh storms during the winter months Alderney gets occasional waterfowl records beyond Mallard and Teal but these are far and few between. Yesterday afternoon 11 wary Greylag Geese were sheltering at Kiln Farm fields and a male Pochard on Longis pond was present again today. This species is not recorded annually here and we’ve had two records since 2016, but this is the 2nd Pochard this year following a female seen on Crabby quarry last month.
Photo (JH) a record shot of the male Pochard taken late this afternoon.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Dec 9, 2021
A surprise to see 2 Sandwich Terns fishing in Longis Bay for the best part of this morning, though historically there are a handful of December records of this species in Alderney. Still small flocks of Bramblings about, Purple Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Firecrest and Black Redstart also recorded today.
Photo (JH) of one of this mornings Sandwich Terns.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Nov 29, 2021
A fabulous fresh morning, there could be little better place to be than monitoring migration from our new ringing station at Essex Farm. Thousands of Bramblings have passed through Alderney this month and today again saw hundreds of these eye catching finches stopping off to rest and feed. At one point a single flock of 221 grounded Bramblings were counted in our census area, a spectacular sight. 34 Bramblings accounted for almost 50% of birds ringed this morning that also included locally scarce species Lesser Redpoll, Coal Tit and Siberian Chiffchaff. Other field observations this morning included Woodcock, Firecrest and Grey Wagtail. Love migration.
Photo (JH) Bramblings at Essex Farm taken this morning.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Nov 21, 2021
Nice to see an old friend this morning, a reminder of our progress was this Herring Gull photographed on Crabby beach today, it was one of the first seabirds the ABO team colour ringed during 2016 on Burhou Island soon after the observatory launched. Ringed ‘6KV6’ whilst a pre-fledged chick, more than 5 years ago the ABO have been annually continuing the superb Gull ringing program started and maintained by the Channel Islands Bird ringing Scheme in 2009, now a comprehensive and impressive database thanks to thousands of field observations of the colour rings revealing the seasonal movements and longevity of hundreds of Lesser black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls from Alderney.
by Alderney Bird Warden | Nov 16, 2021
Our run of foreign ringed passerines this autumn is becoming exceptional, this morning a Belgium control Fieldfare was an exciting edition to 225 birds ringed. Also seen today 2 Woodcocks, 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, Firecrest, and Black Redstart. Amongst visual migration 260 Bramblings.
Photo (JH) this mornings Belgian ringed Fieldfare, an adult female.
