March 2024

I found it a real struggle to find time to get out in the field during March and it was probably my month with fewest recorded sightings for many years. The only one which made it into the database was an early Wheatear at Pulias on 8th, one of the earliest I have ever seen. Of course, if everyone else had been reporting lots of birds then I would have had the enthusiasm to drag myself out a bit more but it was quiet all round. Only small numbers of migrants were reported and I didn’t even record a Sand Martin all month.

Wheatear - Pulias, 8 Mar 24

A few interesting insects were recorded. The moth trap was out once on 24th when a spring-brood Spiny Hook-tip being the most notable of the paltry ensemble. A good sighting was an adult Bankesia conspurcatella which I disturbed from the front door on 25th when I brought in the milk. The larval cases are not uncommon around the garden but I have only seen a flying adult once before I think. It was quite distinctive with its mottled brown and grey forewings. On a sunny day at La Garenne I picked up my first Guernsey Dark-edged Bee Fly supping the nectar from the willow catkins. This species seems to be colonising the island after previously being very rare here.

Bankesia conspurcatella - garden, 26 Mar 24 (it’s not dead just resting on its side for some reason!)

Dark-edged Bee-fly - La Garenne, 24 Mar 24

Rock Goby - Grandes ROcques, 11 Mar 24 - caught by hand by a pupil during our school rockpool ramble over spring tide

Ormer - Grandes ROcques, 11 Mar 24

Common Brittlestar - Grandes ROcques, 11 Mar 24

Wall Screw Moss - garden, 3 Mar 24

January/February 2024

I didn’t manage to get out for some New Year birding until 3rd January when I trawled the patch. A few Kittiwakes and a Razorbill were off shore in the rough seas and a brief Purple Sandpiper was probably the first I have seen on Pulias Headland as far as I can remember. January and February turned out to be wet and mild, very much so during certain periods, conditions which don’t help the arrival of new birds. Ideally were want it cold, as cold as possible. So most of the decent birds I saw were already here wintering, such as the ringtail Hen Harrier at Tielles, Water Pipit at Vazon and the Canada Geese. Two Great Crested Grebes were seen at Vazon on 11th January, an unusual non-singular sighting for recent years. On 28th January I found a Black-throated Diver close in off the Imperial which was too dive-y for the camera. During February I more or less laid low and few other birds of interest were seen. Two Common Scoter spent the month at Vazon and I had a Red-breasted Merganser.

The middle part of February was so mild that I actually dusted off the moth trap on 15th and caught a few things. The best was a Chestnut which was a new species for the garden, probably because I do not trap at this time of year usually (I do get Dark Chestnut occasionally). The southerly winds brought in two Dark Sword-grass as migrants amongst the ten species I caught.

Chestnut - garden, 15 Feb 24

Dark Sword-grass - garden, 15 FeB 24

Clouded Drab - garden, 15 FeB 24

Velvet Mite, Trombidiidae sp. - garden, 16Feb24

The winter period is often a time that I catch up with identification of specimens and their display. Below are a few that I identified these months, all of which were new to me, the first and last I think were also new to Guernsey.

Sibinia pyrrhodactyla - Pleinmont

Chelonus inanitus - St Sampsons H Sch

Parapiesma quadratum - Pulias

Rhinoncus inconspectus - Grande Mare

Aphodius fimetarius - Mont Herault

Stenopsocus immaculatus - Sous L'Eglise

Castle breakwater Lighthouse

Rocquaine