Vale Marais Study

An Ornithological Study of the Vale Marais, Guernsey, 1971-2006

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Maurice O’Rorke, in deep appreciation of his kindness and generosity in enabling and encouraging this study over three and a half decades.

Introduction

My study of the Vale Marais began in 1971, when as an 11 year old boy I used to sneak across the douit from my father’s adjacent greenhouses to wander in the phragmites reed beds, flushing Common Snipe and the occasional Jack Snipe from my feet, and to walk around the lake with its exciting and colourful ducks.

Too many times when I was helping my Dad a few years later to pick his tomato crop did I spot an interesting bird flying over, and I was lost in pursuit…tomatoes forgotten in a whirr of wings. From these first casual encounters with wildlife on the marsh, my interest grew and developed. Then in 1976 the main property, including the house (known as Marais Nord) changed hands when Ruth and Maurice O’Rorke arrived from Ireland.

From the outset the O’Rorke’s gave me free access to their land and encouraged me to develop my ornithological studies. Maurice helped me to build a number of traps that would prove instrumental in my bird ringing studies, and also permitted management of the marsh that was aimed at improving the habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Ruth still lives at Marais Nord, although Maurice sadly died early in 2006. It is in recognition of Maurice’s help and friendship over some three and a half decades that I dedicate this paper to his memory.

This paper analyses the records of scarce and rare birds observed at the Vale Marais over the 36-year period from 1971 to 2006 inclusive. The vast majority of the records have accumulated from my regular visits and my extensive ringing studies operated on the marsh. However, in addition to granting me full access to the site, the O’Rorke’s also encouraged La Societe Guernesiaise to erect a hide on the site to enable other observers to enjoy the birds of the area. I have therefore supplemented my records with those taken by other ornithologists who visited the site and entered their records in the logbooks I left in the hide.

As part of my work in recording the birds of the Vale Marais, I have undertaken bird ringing studies at the site since 1976. This has primarily involved the use of mist nets set in the reed beds or along the hedges of goat willow, although a variety of wire traps have also been used to catch waterbirds around the lake and garden birds at Ty Coed.

Ringing has taken place in every year of the study since 1976, except the period 1995 to 2003 inclusive, when my attentions were focused elsewhere. To date some 27,756 birds of 97 species have been ringed at the Vale Marais, and these birds have resulted in several hundred recoveries, thus adding much useful data not only to the Channel Islands Bird Ringing database, but also to the central repository of the European Ringing Schemes.

In addition to many local recoveries of birds within the Channel Islands there have been 90 recoveries of birds ringed at the Vale Marais in Africa and Europe. A summary of recoveries outside the Channel Islands, with full details of the most remarkable movements, is included within this report.

As part of the ringing activities 56 birds have been caught bearing the rings of foreign ringing schemes. Again a summary of these “controls” is included, with full details of the most interesting movements.

Site Description & History

The recording area known as “The Vale Marais” comprises the property of the Marais Nord, along with my own house and garden at Ty Coed which is contiguous with the south-western boundary of the marsh. It also encompasses an orchid-rich field to the west, which in 2005 was donated to La Societe Guernesiaise by the Ozanne family, and is now known as the Ozanne Nature Reserve. Finally, to the south of the main site lie two seasonally wet fields which are grazed by a small dairy herd run by Meadow Farm in Rue du Closel.

The marsh is but a vestige of a once extensive wetland that covered much of the low-lying northern part of Guernsey. Drainage and development for both housing and horticulture throughout the 20^th Century eventually resulted in the isolation of this remnant patch of wetland.

In 1968 a private developer dug out a two acres lake from the reed bed and built the property now known as Marais Nord. The lake is fringed with phragmites reeds and there are also other small pockets of reeds. Over the past 40 years the site has seen classic reedbed succession with areas drying out as bullrushes and willowherb, and then goat willow have invaded the phragmites beds. This natural succession has been accompanied by man-made alterations as Maurice O’Rorke and I planted several hundred native trees to provide cover and feeding for resident and migrant birds. We have also carried out extensive pruning and cutting of the goat willows to create dense hedgerows and enhance their value for wildlife.

Over the winter of 1982/83 I built my house on my father’s former greenhouse site. Since that time I have planted several hundred trees and dug several ponds on this land to enhance the area for wildlife. The results, as this report explains have exceeded my wildest dreams.

Observations

This study covers the years 1971 to 2006. Coverage has not been even over these 36 years. Initial coverage was light, but then in 1976 I began my ringing work on the site. By the following year I was visiting the area on most days during the spring and autumn migrations, although my departure to university the following year meant that coverage was more limited over the next four years.

Returning to the Island on a full time basis during the summer of 1981, coverage became more widespread and then from the spring of 1983 when I was living on the site it became possible to enhance the study even further. The ten-year period 1983 to 1992 inclusive represents the zenith of the study (to date). A change of job in 1993 required me to travel widely, and as a consequence I discovered the delights of birding the world beyond Britain’s shores. In the ensuing 12 years my principal birding focus lay beyond Guernsey, and I visited some 50 countries and saw more than 44% of the entire bird species of the planet. The results of these trips have been written up in three separate private publications entitled “Birding the Blue Planet Volumes 1 - 3”.

When my personal circumstances changed again at the end of 2004, I suspended my interest in world birding and returned to my ornithological roots by resuming my study of the Vale Marais.

Rare and Scarce Birds At The Vale Marais 1971 – 2006

The following is an annotated species list for which ten or fewer Vale Marais records can be traced to the end of 2006. A full list of all species recorded at the Vale Marais over this period is included as Appendix A.

The common names and order of this list follow the recommendations of the British Ornithologists’ Union.

Bean Goose       Anser fabalis
One record. 2^nd record for Guernsey.
1985                  4^th February to 24^th March

Pink-footed Goose       Anser brachyrhynchus
One record. 2^nd record for Guernsey.
2006/07    29^th October to 13^th March

Greater White-fronted Goose            Anser albifrons
      One record.
      1985         Four from 20^th – 29^th January 1985; one remained until 24^th March

American Wigeon         Anas americana
Four over-wintering records presumably relate to the same female bird. 1^st to 4^th       records for the Channel Islands.
1985/86    9^th October 1985 to 14^th March 1986
1987                  18^th January to 31^st March
1987/88    10^th October 1987 to 19^th March 1988
1988/89    2^nd October 1988 to 21^st March 1989

Northern Pintail            Anas acuta
Five records, involving six birds.
1979                  One male on 3^rd April
1981        One male on 11^th, 12^th and 29^th March
1985                  Two males on 23^rd/24^th February
1986                  One female from 26^th February to 1^st March
2005                  One female on 7^th January

Garganey Anas querquedula
Six records, involving nine birds – all in spring
1973                  One male on 18^th March
1982                  One pair on 13^th April
1983                  One pair from 18^th March – 12^th April; single male on 15^th May
1987                  One pair on 30^th March
1992                  One male on 15^th April

Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Five records, involving seven birds (all in immature/female plumage) 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th and 9^th records for Guernsey.
1977                  Two on 26^th September (with one found dead on 2^nd October)
1979                  Two on 21^st January
1981        One on 19^th/20^th December
1985                  Singles on 23^rd January and 3^rd March

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Four records, involving eight birds (all in immature/female plumage).
1973/74    One from 4^th December -12^th March
1975/76    One from 24^th December to 7^th February
1976                   Two on 14th March
1985                   Four on 20^th January

Smew Mergellus albellus
      Four records, involving eight birds. 3^rd – 6^th records for Guernsey.
      1985         Five (one adult male and four immatures/females) on 20^th January; (three of these birds were seen on 21^st January, with four on 26^th January and two on 27^th January)
1986                  One adult male on 27^th February
1991                  One immature/female on 22^nd December
1997                  One immature/female on 12^th January

Goosander Mergus merganser
      Three records, involving eight birds.
1976                  One immature/female on 1^st February
1979                  Six flew over on 6^th January
1991                  One immature/female on 25^th September

Common Quail Corturnix corturnix
      Two records.
1986                  One flushed from rough grass at Ty Coed on 11^th May
1992         One flushed on 23^rd September

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
One record.
1990/91    One from 22^nd December to 1^st January.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
      One record.
      2005         One on 2^nd October.

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
      One record.
      1989         One flying over heading north-east on 20^th April

European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
      Four records. All single birds.
1983                  17^th December
1985         30^th March
1987                  25^th September and 18^th October

Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris
      Six records.
1981        One on 25^th December
1985         One on 21^st January, and one on 5^th April and 25^th April 1985 (which was presumably the same bird). The bird seen on 5^th April 1985 was mist-netted. It had been ringed in Jersey on 2^nd March 1985, after having received veterinary treatment for significant damage to one of its wings. The bird was subsequently found dead on 3^rd March 1986 at Heemstede, Noord Holland, Netherlands; a distance of 600 km NE.
1993         One on 28^th March and one on 28^th November

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
One record. 8^th record for Guernsey.
1988         One male on 16^th May

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
One record. 6^th record for Guernsey; 9^th for the Channel Islands..
1992         One on 19^th May.

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
      One record.
      1999         One on 2^nd April

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
      One record
      1975         One adult feeding on 6^th June

Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
One record – presumably of a bird from the feral breeding colony in northern France. 1^st record for Guernsey – although presumably this bird had previously been seen in Alderney on 10^th December 2004, and then in Guernsey at several sites from 27^th December 2004.
      2005         One flying south-west soon after dawn on 23^rd and 25^th March

      Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
      One record. 1^st for the Channel Islands
      2006         One flying west, then back out north, being mobbed by Herring Gulls and Carrion Crows on 10^th June.

Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Nine records.
1979          Immature/female over on 10^th June
1982         One on 12^th May
1983         One on 26^th April
1985         One on 28^th September
1987                  One male on 12^th April
1988                  Singles on 8^th and 15^th April
1995         One immature/female on 5^th May
2002         One male on 16^th March

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
      One record.
1983         One over heading south on 29^th December

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
      One record.
      1985         One heading west over Ty Coed on 3^rd October

Osprey Pandion haliaetus
      One record. 4^th record for Guernsey.
      1986         One over, being mobbed by Herring Gull, on 17^th May

Merlin Falco columbarius
      Three records.
1983         One male across garden at Ty Coed on 4^th April
1992                  One male on 17^th April
1995                  One female from 14^th – 23^rd April

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
      Six records
      1985         Singles on 24^th November and 21^st December
1987          One on 26^th December
2003          One on 23^rd May
2004          One on 6^th April
2006                   One on 28^th February

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
     Three records.
1988        One on 15^th August, and one found freshly killed (probably by cat) on 14^th October
1995        One from 15^th to 27^th April

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Two records. 2^nd and 4^th records for Guernsey, 2^nd and 6^th records for Channel Islands.
1988        A fine male resting and feeding in the southern fields and in front of Marais Nord from 3^rd to 9^th April
1995                One female from 28^th April to 3^rd May

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
One record. 4^th record for Guernsey.
1978        One feeding in front of Marais Nord house for half an hour on 5^th May

Little Plover Charadrius dubius
Four records.
1978         One in flooded southern fields on 9^th April
1990                  One on 23^rd August
1997        One from 16^th – 19^th April and one on 2^nd May

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
      Seven records involving 15 birds.
      1976         One on 12^th September
      1979         Six over on 9^th September
      1980         Two on 20^th April
      1989         One from 15^th – 19^th September
      1990         Three over on 21^st April
      1992         One over on 8^th August
      2006         One calling at night over Ty Coed on 14^th August

Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus
      One record.
      1981         One flying over low, calling on 5^th October

European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
    Two records involving 15 birds.
      1981         Nine low over the lake on 26^th September
      1985         Six over on 3^rd February

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
      Four records involving 12 birds.
      1983         Two over on 15^th and 29^th January
      1986         Six over on 16^th February
      1990         Two over on 9^th May

Red Knot Calidris canutus
      One record involving two birds.
      1983         One from 8^th- 11^th September 1983, with a second bird on the 10^thSeptember

Little Stint Calidris minuta
      One record.
       1979        One in front of Marais Nord on 4^th September

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
     One record.
     1980          One feeding in front of Marais Nord on 15^th September

Dunlin Calidris alpina
      Four records involving 22 birds.
     1980          Three on 20^th April
     1985          Nine over on 19^th January and one on 16^th February
     1990          Nine on 25^th September

Ruff Philomachus pugnax
      Five records involving 11 birds.
      1976         One on 12^th September
      1978         Two pairs from 4^th – 9^th April
      1981         One on 2^nd September
      1985         One white collared male on 3^rd February
      1996         Two pairs from 31^st March to 2^nd April, with three birds remaining to 6^thApril

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
      Four records involving five birds.
      1977         One on 16^th/17^th May
      1978         One on 4^th March
      1981         Two on 27^th June
      1988         One on 25^th September

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
      One record involving three birds.
      1995         Three in western field (with 19 Whimbrel) from 26^th – 29^th April

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
      Three records.
      1976         One on 30^th/31^st August
      1981         One on 9^th May
      1982         One on 26^th April

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
      Three records involving four birds.
      1976         Two on 6^th August
      1979         One on 21^st August
      1982         One on 7^th August

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
      Four records involving five birds.
      1976         Two birds during August 1976
      1979         One on 3^rd January
      1981         One on 11^th October
      1986         One on 16^th February

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
      Two records.
      1986         One adult at Ty Coed on 23^rd February and 2^nd March

Black Tern Childonias niger
Three records.
      1979         One on 26^th August and one on 14^th October
1982         One adult feeding over lake from 25^th – 31^st July 1982 (on this latter date I found the bird suffering from avian botulism – having taken it into care I ringed and released it on the 7^th August)

Stock Dove Columba oenas
      Two records.
1986         One in garden at Ty Coed on 9^th February
1988                  One in garden at Ty Coed from 22^nd – 30^th August

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
      Four records.
      1982         One ringed at dusk on 27^th November
      1987         Singles on 30^th April and 6^th November
      1991         One over Ty Coed on 24^th October 1991

Hoopoe Upupa epops
      Three records.
      1979         One feeding by the side of Marais Nord on 12^th May
      1981         One flying over south-east on 5^th May
      1987         One feeding at Ty Coed on 15^th April

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla
      Two records.
      1987         One ringed on 23^rd August
      1997        One feeing on ants at Ty Coed from 19^th to 24^th April

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
      One record.
2005/06   One male seen on six occasions between 4^th November and  19^th April

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Nine records.
1978         One on 3^rd January
1979         One male on 14^th April
1982         One female on 28^th March
1983         One male on 13^th March and one female on 27^th March
1984         One female on 8^th April
1985         Singles on 7^th April and 20^th October
1987         One on 24^th October

Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Two records. 3^rd and 4^th records for Guernsey.
1976         Immature birds ringed on 11^th and 19^th August

Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Three records. 4^th, 6^th and 7^th records for Guernsey.
1981         Immatures ringed on 20^th and 23^rd August and 9^th September

Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta
Two records.
1978         One immature male ringed on 5^th September
1984         One feeding at Ty Coed on 10^th October

Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus
One record. 13^th record for Guernsey.
2005         Immature male ringed at Ty Coed on 13^th November

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
Ten records.
1983         One on 19^th October
1986         One first year female ringed on 28^th September
1988         One first year male trapped on 22^nd October, one first year ringed on 23^rd October and one first year male ringed on 29^th October
2005                  One first year female ringed at Ty Coed on 31^st October and one first year ringed at Ty Coed on 14^th November 2005 (remained in the   garden until last seen on 23^rd November 2005)
2006                  One first year female ringed on 21^st October, with two more
trapped and ringed on 23^rd October. All at Ty Coed.

Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
One record. 1^st record for Guernsey; 2nd record for Channel Islands.
1983         One immature male ringed on 5^th November

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Ten records.
1979         One male from 14^th – 16^th April
1983         One female on 15^th May
1986         One on 8^th May
1987         One on 2^nd May
1988         Singles on 18^th and 23^rd April and 1^st May
1989         One on 24^th September
1990         One from 11^th –14^th May
1992         One on 26^th April

Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
Two records.
1988         One first year ringed on 22^nd October
1992         One immature male ringed on 13^th October

Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus
Three records involving nine birds.
1972         Six from 29^th – 31^st October
1980         One male (originally ringed in Jersey) caught on 4^th April, seen again on 11^th April. This bird was retrapped again in Jersey in July 1980.
1981         One pair on 2^nd April (the female was trapped and had been ringed in Jersey in April 1979)

Coal Tit Parus ater
Three records.
1985         Singles on 20^th and 25^th October
2005         One on 20^th November

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus
Two records.
1984         Adult male ringed on 21^st April
2005         Male singing at Ty Coed on 13^th June

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
One record.
1988         One immature ringed on 2^nd October

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
One record.
1984         One ringed on 28^th April

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret
Eight records involving 13 birds.
1978         Immature ringed on 28^th October and adult male ringed on 29^th October
1981         Two on 15^th November
1982         One on 14^th February and one on 18^th March
1984         Four on 1^st November
1987         One female ringed on 5^th April and two on 24^th October

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
One record.
1997         One bird flying over Ty Coed calling on 12^th July

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
One record.
1982/83 One from 28^th December to 2^nd January

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana
One record.
1986         One drinking from pond at Ty Coed on 10^th September

Summary of Bird Ringing

My ringing studies at the Vale Marais have spanned the periods 1976 – 1994 and 2004 – 2006 inclusive. Over this time a total of 27,756 birds of 97 species, has been caught, ringed and released. There is no doubt that the ringing activities have resulted in bird sightings which would have otherwise gone undetected. In fact eight species have only been seen as a result of such activities, these being: - Aquatic Warbler (2), Marsh Warbler (3), Pallas’ Leaf Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher (2), Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike and Eurasian Tree Sparrow.

The totals of birds ringed at the Vale Marais from 1976 – 1994 and 2004 – 2006 are included within Appendix A.

To date these birds have yielded several hundred subsequent recoveries or controls (i.e. recaptures by other bird ringers). The majority of such records fall within Guernsey or the Channel Islands. However, there have been 90 recoveries of Vale Marais ringed birds outside the Channel Islands.

In addition 56 birds ringed outside the Channel Islands have been subsequently caught at the Vale Marais.

Foreign Recoveries of Birds Ringed at the Vale Marais

A summary of the 90 foreign recoveries, involving 22 species, is included at Table 1. Some 18 different countries have been involved spread across Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Europe, along with Western Russia and countries in both North and West Africa.

Every recovery is valuable to the Channel Islands Ringing Scheme, and the centralised European Ringing Schemes databases. There is a high degree of subjectivity to those that are of most value. However, details are included below of my personal “Top 25” Vale Marais recoveries to date.

Eurasian Bittern                             ringed on 5^th April 1985, and found dead on 3^rd March 1986 at Heemstede, Noord Holland, NETHERLANDS – a                                                             distance of 600 km. What makes this recovery even more remarkable is the fact that the bird had originally been ringed in                                                         Jersey on 2^nd March 1985, after having received veterinary treatment for significant damage to one of its wings.

Common Moorhen                         ringed (adult male) on 4^th October 1981, and found long dead on 18^th April 1983 at Bjerlevhede, Jylland, DENMARK                                                         – a distance of 1,100 km.

Common Moorhen                         ringed (first winter) on 17^th January 1988, and found dead on 9^th May 1989 at Bogo, Sjaelland, DENMARK - a                                                                 distance of 1,140 km.

Common Moorhen                         ringed (adult male) on 2^nd March 1985, and found dead on 16^th April 1985 at Emdem Ot Borssum, Wesser-Ems,                                                                 GERMANY – a distance of 800 km.

Eurasian Coot                                 ringed (adult male) on 5^th December 1981, and found dead on 10^th January 1984 at Ommel, Aero, Fyn, DENMARK                                                         – a distance of 1,125 km.

Eurasian Coot                                 ringed (adult male) on 3^rd January 1982, and found dead with botulism on 15^th August 1983 at Baarn,                                                                                     NETHERLANDS – a distance of 640 km.

Sand Martin                                   ringed (adult) on 30^th April 1989, and caught by ringers on 1^st April 1991 at Parc National du Djoudj,                                                                                     SENEGAL – a distance of 3,900 km.

Sand Martin                                   ringed (adult) on 20^th April 1989, and caught by ringers on 1^st July 1989 at Drymen, Central Region, SCOTLAND – a                                                         distance of 730 km.

Pied Wagtail                                  ringed (first year) on 13^th October 1981, and killed by cat on 9^th June 1983 at Low Wray, Ambleside, Cumbria,                                                                     ENGLAND – a distance of 550 km.

Common Blackbird                     ringed (adult female) on 18^th October 1986, and killed by a car on 14^th July 1988 at Hainmuehlen, Lueneburg,                                                                         GERMANY – a distance of 930 km.

Sedge Warbler                             ringed (first year) on 26^th August 1987, and caught by ringers on 8^th November 1987 at Fishponds, Navrongo, GHANA                                                     - a distance of 4,300 km.

Sedge Warbler                                ringed (adult male) on 21^st April 1988, and caught by ringers on 6^th January 1992 at Parc National du Djoudj,                                                                         SENEGAL – a distance of 3,900 km.

Sedge Warbler                                ringed (adult male) on 8^th May 1991, and caught by ringers on 18^th December 1991 at Parc National du Djoudj,                                                                     SENEGAL – a distance of 3,900 km.

Eurasian Reed Warbler                ringed (first year) on 5^th September 1982, and found dead in a trap on 21^st September 1986 at Alcantarilha, Algarve,                                                             PORTUGAL – a distance of 1,500 km.

Eurasian Reed Warbler            ringed 5^th August 1982 (adult female), and caught by ringers on 2^nd March 1993 at Ilha Areias, GUINEA-BISSAO – a                                                         distance of 4,400 km; making this the most distant recovery to date from Vale Marais ringing.

Common Whitethroat                    ringed (adult) on 15^th May 1982, and killed by car on 4^th May 1983 at Foissac, Aveyron, FRANCE – a distance of 640                                                         km.

Common Chiffchaff                     ringed (adult female) on 4^th May 1990, and caught on 20^th May 1990 at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Shetland Islands,                                                         SCOTLAND – a distance of 1,120 km in 16 days, before moving on to Outer Skerries, Shetland Islands, SCOTLAND                                                         where it was also caught by bird ringers on 5^th June 1990.

Common Chiffchaff                     ringed (first year female) on 7^th November 1992, and caught by bird ringers at Egebaksande, Jylland, DENMARK on                                                             25^th April 1993 – a distance of 1,150 km.

Willow Warbler                                ringed (first year male) on 8^th August 1986, and found dying on 28^th March 1987 at El Kelaa, Des Sraghna,                                                                         MOROCCO – a distance of 2,000 km.

Willow Warbler                                ringed (adult male) on 29^th April 1989, and found dead on 1^st June 1989 at Lundin Links, Fife, SCOTLAND – a                                                                 distance of 740 km.

Goldcrest                                         ringed (adult male) on 8^th April 1984, and controlled on 21^st April 1984 at Bardsey Bird Observatory, Gwynedd,                                                                 WALES – a distance of 380 km.

Eurasian Golden Oriole                    ringed (adult male) on 21^st April 1984, and found dead on 15^th June 1986 at Romagne, Vienne, FRANCE - a                                                                         distance of 425 km.

Common Starling                           ringed (adult male) in the garden at Ty Coed on 2^nd March 1986, and killed by a fox on 5^th April 1988 at Elblag,                                                                     POLAND – a distance of 1,650 km.

Common Starling                           ringed (second year female) in the garden at Ty Coed on 3^rd March 1988, and found dead on 18^th April 1989 at                                                                     Ostovertsina, Vitebsk Region, BYELORUSSIA – a distance of 2,330 km.

Chaffinch                                       ringed (first year male) in the garden at Ty Coed on 20^th November 1992, and found dead on 1^st October 1993                                                                   at Marieholm, Skane, SWEDEN – a distance of 1,300 km.

Controls at the Vale Marais of Birds Ringed Outside the Channel Islands

To the end of 2006 there had been 56 birds of 16 species caught at the Vale Marais which had originally been ringed outside the Channel Islands. These controls have involved 12 European territories using eight different ringing schemes. A summary of these controls is included at Table 2. Details of my personal “Top 15” controls are included below.

Water Rail                                     ringed as a nestling female on 29^th July 1987 at Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, GERMANY, and caught at the Vale Marais                                                         on 10^th September 1988 - a distance of 990 km.

Common Kingfisher                ringed as a juvenile on 4^th July 1981 at Rye Meads, Hertfordshire, ENGLAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on 18^th                                                             October 1981 – a distance of 310 km.

Sand Martin                              ringed as a first year female on 4^th August 1981 at Barnhill, Tayside, SCOTLAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on 2^nd                                                         May 1982 – a distance of 770 km.

Song Thrush                             ringed as a nestling on 7^th July 1984 at Berlaar, Antwerp, BELGIUM, and caught at the Vale Marais on 11^th November                                                         1984 – a distance of 550 km.

Sedge Warbler                         ringed as an adult female on 2^nd August 1983 at Lagoa de Sto Andre, Baixo Alentejo, PORTUGAL, and caught at the Vale                                                   Marais on 26^th April 1984 – a distance of 1,360 km.

Blackcap                                  ringed as first year male on 26^th September 1986 at Hamme St Anne, West Flanders, BELGIUM, and caught at the Vale                                                     Marais on 5^th October 1986 – a distance of 510 km.

Blackcap                                  ringed as adult male on 31^st May 1992 at Thorpe Marsh, South Yorkshire, ENGLAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on                                                     10^th April 1993 – a distance of 450 km.

Yellow-browed Warbler      ringed as first year on 21^st October 1988 at Portland Bill Bird Observatory, Dorset, ENGLAND, and caught the very next                                                     day at the Vale Marais – a distance of 120 km (overnight).

Common Chiffchaff               ringed as first year male on 4^th August 1991 at Ballagh, Tipperary, IRELAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on 21^st March                                                 1993 – a distance of 500 km.

Willow Warbler                     ringed as adult on 21^st March 1981 at Rio Guadalhorce, Malaga, SPAIN, and caught at the Vale Marais on 2^nd April 1981 –                                                 a distance of 1,410 km in 12 days.

Willow Warbler                     ringed as adult male on 14^th July 1986 at Leveroge, Down, NORTHERN IRELAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on 7^th                                                 April 1987 – a distance of 590 km.

Willow Warbler                    ringed as adult on 5^th May 1990 at Carrigullian Lough, Down, NORTHERN IRELAND, and caught at the Vale Marais on                                                     8^th May 1991 - a distance of 580 km.

Goldcrest                              ringed as first year male on 12^th October 1983 at Schiermonnikoog, NETHERLANDS, and caught at the Vale Marais on 23^rd                                             October 1983 – a distance of 780 km.

Pied Flycatcher                   ringed as nestling male on 14^th June 1985 near Llandrindod Wells, Powys, WALES, and caught at the Vale Marais on 18^th                                                 August 1985 – a distance of 310 km.

Brambling                            ringed as first year female on 19^th September 1986 at Fraena, More & Romsdale, NORWAY, and caught in the garden at Ty                                                 Coed on 31^st January 1987 – a distance of 1,640 km.

Conclusion

In an era (particularly in the UK) when local “patch” studies appear to have been largely eclipsed by “twitching” birds wherever they turn up, this paper highlights the value of recording the birds of a particular area over a significant period of time. When I began to visit the site in 1971 I did not envisage that I would still be watching and recording birds there some 35 years later, although I am very pleased to be still doing this.

The wetland habitat, combined with increasing scrub and tree cover over the years, has resulted in a very respectable bird list for the site, including a fair number of rare and scarce birds.

Combined with these observations have been the hundreds of days over this period that I have caught birds to identify, age and/or sex, measure, ring and release. Quite apart from the scientific value of this work, both within Guernsey and beyond, I have gleened so much enjoyment and contentment from the privilege not only of being given free access to the site, but also in being licensed to undertake my bird ringing activities.

My time spent on the marsh has been deeply influential in kindling and developing my deep love of, and connection with, the natural world. My debt to Maurice O’Rorke, who not only permitted me to undertake this study but also encouraged and helped me, is therefore deep. It is but a small gesture, but a satisfying one nonetheless, to acknowledge Maurice’s generosity by dedicating this paper to his memory.

Paul K Veron
Channel Islands Bird Ringing Permit Number 129

1^st March 2007