December 2022

Lapwing - Rue des Hougues, Castel, 17 Dec 22

Midwinter birding on the island is totally dependent on the weather. I’m not especially talking about birds arriving here escaping from the cold, although that is the number one factor which makes a good winter. In migration periods it is worth sacrificing some dryness if it means getting out in the field to find something rare, but in winter it is not likely to pay dividends. Also, the darker evenings and mornings makes any pre- or post-work birding only viable if the skies are totally clear. Mid-winter birding needs a flexible schedule to make the most of fine weather windows. I do not have a flexible schedule.

3rd December was manky but I had a quick look over the wall at Richmond, Vazon where I was pleased to see the island’s first Water Pipit of the year flying around, in the company of a Black Redstart and a Bar-tailed Godwit. There was also a Black Redstart just up the road at Oatlands Lane.

Water Pipit - Vazon, 3 Dec 22

There seems to be plenty of Cattle Egrets this winter and it was not unusual to come across a few whilst on my island-wide drives with the girl. The field below the Reservoir dam has 4 birds seemingly constantly there as I drive past and there is often a few in the fields alongside Route des Houget where the photos below were taken through the passenger door window.

Cattle Egret - Route de Houget, 11 Dec 22

Cattle Egret - Route de Houget, 11 Dec 22

At the end of the second week of December, snow and ice came down in the UK and pushed lots of Lapwings and Golden Plovers to Guernsey. During the next week or so, Lapwings were everywhere, even in very small fields and large gardens. Sometimes we get decent flocks to the island, more or less every winter there’ll be a few, but unusually they seem to have dispersed more this year, not staying in their groups as much. So it was difficult to estimate numbers but no doubt a few thousand Lapwings and a few hundred Golden Plovers. The photos below were of a particularly showy bird in the same spot as the Cattle Egret photos were taken. I went out on 17th to search for weather-pushed birds, but apart from the plovers there didn’t seem to be a lot else arrived. Two Tufted Ducks were at the Reservoir along with 7 Teal.

Lapwing - Route Des Houget, St. Saviours, 17 Dec 22

Lapwing - Route Des Houget, St. Saviours, 17 Dec 22

Lapwing - Route Des Houget, St. Saviours, 17 Dec 22

Tufted Ducks - Reservoir, 17 Dec 22

The same day, since it was actually sunny for a change, I continued down to Rocquaine because there had been a Red-throated Diver there recently. I soon found it from the fish factory, with also a Great Northern Diver just to the south. Walking up the beach towards the Red-throat, I was surprised to see that it was coming much closer each time it dived and taking up a position on the rocks by the waters edge, I watched it as it came really close for some great photos. Being able to go out when the tide is high makes a massive difference to successful birding. After 23 years of not seeing a Red-throated Diver in Guernsey, I had now seen two in three months.

Red-throated Diver - Rocquaine, 17 Dec 22

Red-throated Diver - Rocquaine, 17 Dec 22

Red-throated Diver - Rocquaine, 17 Dec 22

The year finished with the Xmas holiday weather being completely dreadful. Some sightings from the final week being a Great Northern Diver finally returning to Grandes Havres, a Little Grebe in St. Sampsons harbour on 23rd and, later that afternoon, the absolute breathless excitement of a first-winter Common Gull flying NW over the house with some BHGs - only a full-fat garden tick! Get in ya’ beauty!!!!!