June 30th
Todays blog illustrates one of the reports put together by the Chanel Islands ringing scheme. In bird ringing terminology we call it a ‘recovery’. This is effectively covers a number of scenarios; either a bird originally ringed in Alderney later seen by birdwatchers able to provide and report the ring number. A bird caught by other bird ringers at a location outside the original place of ringing. Or as is the case here, a deceased bird from which the ring on its leg has been examined and reported. As you can see from the information below this is quite a special record. Though sadly the bird has passed on, it has been found in Holland 556km from where it was originally ringed on Les Etacs Alderney by the ABO’s own Paul Veron (a member of this past weekends seabird ringing team and Founder of Alderney Bird Observatory). The remarkable part of this particular recovery report is that Paul ringed this Gannet as a baby in its nest on Les Etacs on 10th June 1989 ! 27yrs and 16 days prior to the day it was found in Holland. The oldest Gannet recovery ever recorded is 37 years 5 months, but still this record for an Alderney bird is still exceptionally good and one of the oldest Gannets ever recorded.
A male Sparrowhawk was seen over Mannez Nature Reserve this afternoon and there was a single ringed Plover on Saye Beach.
The Bee orchids in the harbour are now coming to and end.