Dusky Warbler this morning, the 6th record for Alderney (all since the ABO was launched in 2016).
Another busy morning for thrushes saw us ring our 1000th Redwing of this autumn, other species ringed included Siberian Chiffchaff, Fieldfare and Firecrest.
Photo today’s Dusky Warbler.
Groundhog day with another influx of thrushes this morning, at least 5 Woodcocks at Longis Common. 103 birds were ringed, this total included 6 Fieldfare, 10 Blackcap and a very late moving male Ring Ouzel.
Photo, this morning’s Ring Ouzel.
Another exciting day recording migration for The British Isles most southerly bird observatory.
A slight change in wind direction overnight brought us a fresh influx of Thrushes that were predominantly Redwings and Song Thrushes with fewer Fieldfares and Blackbirds today.
A Pochard found by our Migration assistant Arcadie was the latest in a string of locally scarce waterfowl records this week.
Exactly 200 birds were ringed, this method of monitoring is evidencing that fair numbers of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps are still moving through the island, Redwing featured heavily again (141) including a foreign ‘Control from Denmark, also ringed today a Woodcock, Yellow-browed Warbler, Cettis Warbler, 3 Bramblings, 4 Linnets and a Hawfinch, the latter the first ringed here since 2018.
Photo from today; Woodcock
In the 1980’s Bullfinch was listed locally as a ‘fairly common breeding resident”, though their decline locally is entirely undocumented, since we launched the ABO in 2016 the Bullfinch has been a rare spring and scarce autumn migrant only, and not even recorded annually. However, we are delighted to report that through our ringing research efforts earlier this summer, Bullfinch was confirmed as successfully breeding this year. Further, we have seen more migrant Bullfinches this autumn than in any of our previous years of survey work. Both locally and abroad these birds appear to have had a good year.
Photo: male Bullfinch ringed this morning.