I went out on 1st January for a few hours in the middle of the day for a typical New Year’s runaround and managed to get a decent 60-odd species. The better birds recorded were Black Redstart at Rousse, Firecrest at Le Guet, Pink-footed Goose still at Barras Lane, 6 Cattle Egret at Les Grantez (albeit giving distant views), Great Northern Diver at Vazon and a Barn Owl peeking out of the nest box at Rue des Bergers. A pretty good haul for just a few hours out in the field.

I was back to work really quickly and so just had scraps to feed on. On 6th January there were two adult Common Gulls resting on the beach at Vazon early morning and on 9th the 3 Canada Geese had returned to the Barras Lane fields to re-join the Pink-foot. On 17th I drove past a single Cattle Egret feeding with cows by the roadside near St. Saviours church and it was there again eight days later.

And that was about it from a quiet month. The only other notable wildlife seen was a Winter Moth on the school window one morning. Of course, late in the month things got even more quieter since “Lockdown 2” was suddenly sprung on us and I barely left home for the last week or so. During the last lockdown the weather was much better and it was springtime, so walks from home were a regular thing. This time it has been cold, dark and wet and so hunkering down was much the favourable option. Something I did do whilst hunkering was some close-up photography of a few of my insect specimens (see below).

Escaped male Pintail - Marais Nord, 9 Jan 21

STATS

Well 2020 was a right laugh wasn’t it!? Due to obvious “circumstances” I didn’t leave the island at all during the year and so was somewhat restricted in my birding scope. However, my local birding seemed to go pretty well, even though I had a couple of notable, and frustrating dips in the spring. Four new species for my Guernsey list was a great score (although this does include Egyptian Goose). Red-necked Phalarope was always going to appear sooner or later but I never really expected to see a Nightjar in Guernsey after so many blank years. I couldn’t believe that I got a second bite of the cherry with Pallid Harrier after last year’s tragic dip. Finding three official rarities is about average taking into account the time I get out in the field but I successfully twitched much more than usual (although I continue to avoid passerines). The early spring lockdown meant that I was able to investigate my local area properly and was really pleased to find at least 5 singing Cetti’s Warblers in the local marsh and a pair of Firecrests successfully breeding along my street. It was a very poor year for the “Fort Hommet to Rousse” local patch. No new species seen and my lowest species total of 93. Even though I didn’t leave Guernsey, I effectively got two new world ticks due to splits. I have seen both forms of Black-eared Wheatear (Eastern in Israel, Western last year in Spain) and they have re-split Hudsonian Whimbrel which I have seen in America. Five new birds on the garden list was a surprise although two of these were literally gank. Moths went very well this year as, due to the lockdown, I was able to get the trap out early and often. I continue to find all sorts of other new insects being most successful with wasps and bees probably.

Picking out the top three birding moments for 2020 I’d have to choose;

A) watching the flock of three Black Kites circling over Pleinmont in the clear blue May sky;

B) the excitement of the Nightjar appearing and disappearing in front of the assembled crowd at Pleinmont on that warm June evening;

C) the heart-racing twitch for the Pallid Harrier in September, when my nerves and emotions oscillated wildly, before the beautiful relief when I finally saw it.

And the top non-birding moment was the early morning wander down the garden to see the Clifden Nonpareil flapping on the patio.

0 new birds for the World List - (although two splits - Black-eared Wheatears & Whimbrels - adds 2 to total) - now on 801.

1 new bird for Britain (inc. C.Is.) - Pallid Harrier - now on 403.

4 new birds for Guernsey - Nightjar, Egyptian Goose, Red-necked Phalarope, Pallid Harrier - now on 268.

1 new 'self-found' bird - Hoopoe - now on 276.

5 new garden birds (in or from) - Glossy Ibis, Woodcock, Pheasant, Firecrest, Greylag Goose - now on 94.

2020 Guernsey year list total - 159 - third best total.

Official local rarities found - 3 - Black Kite, Rose-coloured Starling, Long-tailed Skua (joint).

Official local rare species seen - 16 - Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Long-tailed Duck, Great White Egret, Glossy Ibis, Black Kite, Pallid Harrier, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, Long-tailed Skua, Royal Tern, Little Auk, Nightjar, Rose-coloured Starling.

End-of-year British Pan-species list - 2840, (new species during year - 82).

End-of-year Guernsey Pan-species list - 2368, (new species during year - 88).

Garden moth list - 664

New Lepidoptera in garden - 15 - Caloptilia semifascia, Agonopterix alstromeriana, Enarmonia formosana, Cydia medicaginis, Pyrausta purpuralis, Box Tree Moth, Jersey Mocha, Streamer, Water Carpet, Red-green Carpet, Freyer’s Pug, Lunar Thorn, Dotted Border, Radford’s Flame Shoulder, Clifden Nonpareil.

New Lepidoptera in Guernsey - 13 - Caloptilia semifascia, Lunar Thorn, Freyer’s Pug, Coleophora ibipennella, Phyllonorycter maestingella, Stigmella microtheriella, Jersey Mocha, Phyllonorycter mespilella, Cydia medicaginis, Pyrausta purpuralis, Clifden Nonpareil, Box Tree Moth, Radford’s Flame Shoulder.

0 new Hommet to Rousse 'patch' birds - still on 164.

2020 ‘patch’ total - 93 - worst total (out of last 7 yrs).

PHOTOS

Usually my top photos include many from overseas trips but of course everything below is local. Here’s my choice of, not necessarily the best, but my favourite 20 photos of 2020, in chronological order.

1) Black Redstart, Pulias, January.