October 2021 pt i
/October, despite being “rarity month” does not seem especially better than any other month for rarities in Guernsey. I think that part of the reason is that there does not seem any notable increase in intensive bird-finding in October compared to many sites in the UK which can get saturated with birders at this time of year. Birding in Guernsey seems to be quite spread out over the whole year. You don’t tend to see lots more people out and looking any more in October than there is in November or April or even non-migration months. The only time when there does seem to be more people out is when there is “a lot about” already. I suppose that this is because most people, like myself, do not have much spare time.
However, despite no really rare birds this year, October can always be relied upon for some great visible migration. I was first up on Pleinmont on 3rd where there was plenty of Chiffchaffs but nothing very uncommon. A Common Sandpiper was at Pulias on 4th but the first sign of “winter” migrants for me was on 13th when a flock of at least 50 Redwing flew over me when I was getting into my car at first light.
On 17th, I wasn’t able to get out at first light but I stopped briefly for a chat at Pleinmont during a morning drive and had a Brambling and about 40 Siskin go over in just a few minutes. When I got home, I stood out in the garden and saw that there were plenty of things going over and quickly had a calling Brambling which was a new species for the garden list. I also had about 20 Siskin in a couple of flocks, 4 Skylarks and a few Swallows racing south. It was nice and sunny in the afternoon and I had a free hour so I popped out to Grand Pre where the highlight was excellent views of c.25 Siskins in the Alders. They seemed everywhere over the next week - an unusually large influx. Siskins can often feed deep in cover and flick around like warblers in the low vegetation which is always a surprise since they are usually in the tree tops.
Siskin - Grand Pre, 17 Oct 21
Siskin - Grand Pre, 17 Oct 21
Siskin, over garden, 17 Oct 21
The next weekend saw me back up at Pleinmont on 23rd October, again avoiding anything rare, even Yellow-browed Warblers are non-existent this year. Visible migration was pretty good though with at least 3 Bramblings in amongst a few hundred Chaffinches and small groups of Siskins flying in from the north in small groups totalling three-figures. I saw about 15 Skylarks, a Wheatear and at least 5 Firecrests but the best bird was finally seeing the ringtail Hen Harrier which has been knocking around the headland for a while. Looking at my records, this is the first Hen Harrier I have seen in Guernsey for 9 years which is incredible.
Hen Harrier - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
Hen Harrier - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
Firecrest - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
Firecrest - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
CHIFFCHAFF - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
SISKIN - Pleinmont, 23 Oct 21
On the way home I called in at Rue des Hougues, St. Andrews as I thought something might have dropped in. There was a nice and vocal Golden Plover there as well as another flock of Siskin, but what I didn’t expect was to turn a corner and come face to face with a Great White Egret right in front of me! We both startled each other and the bird flew to the back of the field. Here it was happy to stalk the field edge, no doubt looking for voles and mice feeding in amongst the vegetated hedge banks. There had been one around the island for the previous few days but it was nice to bump into it myself.
Great White Egret - Rue des Hougues, SA, 23 Oct 21
Great White Egret - Rue des Hougues, SA, 23 Oct 21
Great White Egret - Rue des Hougues, SA, 23 Oct 21
GOLDEN PLOVER - Rue des Hougues, SA, 23 Oct 21
Half-term began on the 24th and the first Black Redstart was seen right on cue at Pulias. I had another sojourn up Pleinmont on 25th but it was again quiet, with the Hen Harrier seen again, another Brambling and more Siskins. A quiet end to the month in Guernsey.