March 2023

Grey Plover - Rousse, 20 Mar 23

I had a few hours spare on 4th March so I went for a look at a few bays, not really expecting to see anything at this quiet time of year. I called in at Perelle to look at the flock of Med Gulls that had built up, which is unusual in winter, and I saw about 30 of them on the beach. Whilst there, the bird alert went off that two large birds, probably Cranes, were circling over the centre of the island, drifting west. I thought about my options - whether I would see them from Perelle, or whether I should go to where they were last seen. I generally pick the wrong option with mobile birds (eg, the White-tailed Eagle debacle) so I chose option 3 - they would definitely be seen at L’Eree.

So I drove down to the Shingle Bank and scanned eastwards to try and intercept the birds. I was beginning to think I had missed them when suddenly they appeared over my head flying back eastwards - two superb, gangly Cranes. I suspect the stiff breeze had quickly sent them out over the sea and they didn’t fancy an afternoon crossing of the Channel, so they headed back to the island.

Cranes - heading eastwards over L’Eree, 4 Mar 23

They were then seen at various spots in the centre of the island and then along the west coast again, so I thought of a cunning plan. They are so mobile and so large, I bet I could get them on my patch list by just waiting and scanning, so long as I was patient enough. So, after I heard they’d been seen at Cobo, I got myself to Rousse and started scanning the far south-west. However, I was looking too far away, as Kevin suddenly appeared behind me, and pointed higher up where he’d spotted the pair of Cranes were gliding towards us. We watched them for a while circle over Grandes Havres before they drifted off again back westwards.

Cranes - over Rousse, 4 Mar 23

Cranes - over Rousse, 4 Mar 23

Med Gulls - Perelle, 4 Mar 23 - 30 birds in this picture - much more than usual wintered this year

The rest of March was pretty quiet and probably the worst year I can remember for March summer migrants. I saw my first 2 Wheatears at Pulias on 17th, and then just a handful afterwards. There were only a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps to see on the patch and a couple of Black Redstarts were probably moving through. I saw NO hirundines in March at all - probably the first time ever. So, apart from the Cranes is was a very poor month for birding.

Wheatear - Pulias, 17 Mar 23 - the obligatory first wHEATEAR photograph

Scandinavian Rock Pipit - beach near Claire Mare, 12 Mar 23

Linnets - Rousse, 2 Mar 23 - Linnets are one of the first “summer” migrants to arrive back on patch and this was my first flock of the year. One of them had a partially-white face.

Grey Plover - Rousse, 20 Mar 23

Cliff Mining-bee - Pleinmont, 18 Mar 23 - this day was one of the few sunny days and at pleinmont, in the sunny spots, lots of species of bee were feeding on celandines.

Probably male Yellow-legged Mining-bee - Pleinmont, 18 Mar 23

Aphanus rolandri - LBHS, 28 Mar 23

Dilta Littoralis - LBHS, 21 Mar 23