A non-birding weekend break to Jersey after a dreary & work-dominated late Winter was quite surprising in that the long unspoilt beaches near my hotel were quite bereft of birds; maybe I have been spoilt by the beaches of Norfolk!
However I did visit
Jersey Zoo (or Durrell as it's known) & amongst the more exotic captive species I heard my first
Chiffchaff of the year in the grounds.
Generally though the beach of St. Brelade's Bay was quiet although on the first night I did spot a small skein of
Brent Goose apparently coming into roost on the far side of the bay. On a morning walk (20th) I also chanced upon a lone, juvenile
Dunlin on the shore that allowed close approach as I walked past it; presumably it had been left behind by its companions as they headed north.
The only other species around the beach were the usual
Herring Gull,
Carrion Crow, occasional
Cormorant & just a single
Black-Headed Gull.
The last day is why this trip warrants a post, because as I was again walking along the St Brelade's shore, I spotted a raptor soaring above
Point Le Grouin. It was not hard to identify as a
Peregrine, in traditional coastal habitat - there are lots of seacliffs around Jersey. However a smaller bird was enthusiastically mobbing the falcon & this bird was different. At first its flight profile lead me to think it was an early martin, but it was too large & bold in its attacks. I briefly considered hobby, again for the profile but it was too small, likewise when considering kestrel which was also the wrong shape. This left me to consider
Merlin, which ticked all the boxes for flight profile, size, & aerial agility, & long, slender wings & prominent head. As I watched, after it saw off the peregrine it stooped down to a tree on the headland; stooping behaviour that I've also never seen in a kestrel, giving me more evidence. As it remained perched I managed to get to within a few hundred yards of it but it was still too distant, & the angle not quite right (it was looking away from me) to get a good look, before it dove out of sight into lower vegetation. However I did pick out a tawny streaked colour of a female & no mustaches.
On retuning to mainland UK I contacted Mick Dryden of
Jersey Birds & reported what I'd seen. He confirmed a nearby peregrine pair as well as the over-wintering presence of merlin on the island so I was pleased to end up with an unexpected life tick at the end of a lovely break.
I also picked up a
Canon 40D for a great price (there is no VAT in Jersey) & I hope to start posting more pictures here soon, including any record shots I can manage.
