Todays sightings were of 2 Black Redstarts at the golf club car park and overhead 6 Swallows, 3 Lapwings, 1 Mistle Thrush, 50+ Chaffinches and 3 Skylarks. An influx of Pied Wagtails with over 20 reported from various locations. At Mannez Paul and Catherine Veron report 5 skylarks , 10 Siskin, 1 woodcock and that Redwings were much reduced today, to less than 100, and a Fieldfare flock of 60.
Ringing returned 75 new birds: 1 Yellow Browed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 3 Goldcrests, 4 Firecrests, 18 Redwings, 2 Song Thrushes, 8 Blackbirds, 1 Dunnock, 8 Wrens, 2 Great Tits, 13 Robins and 1 Chaffinch.
October has been an exciting month. Though it is always super to see more unusual birds and vagrants, the prevailing wind for over half of this month came from the east and brought us literally thousands of thrushes and Chaffinches. On several days visual migration was a magnificent spectacle matching the huge numbers of migrant birds passing through this little island during April. Plenty of visiting ringers enabled us to clock up an amazing 2980 new birds ringed during the last 31 days. Yellow browed Warbler was a new species for several guests staying at the Obs and todays bird made 15 ringed this month. The Penduline Tit ringed on the 24th was a new species for Alderney island but it was the sheer volume of birds that I found most impressive, to highlight a few examples, this month we ringed 235 Song Thrushes, 402 Redwings and 538 Robins!
We have now begun ringing at two new sites; The community woodland, and vau du Saou, both excellent and I have no doubt both venues will be especially productive next year.
On to November…