Alderney – Wildlife & History In Style! Naturetrek Tour Report 19 - 23 June 2017 Alderney Sea Lavender Northern Gannets Western Hedgehog Green Flower Beetle Report & images compiled by John Horton Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Alderney – Wildlife & History In Style! Tour participants: John Horton & Annabel Finding (leaders) with 14 Naturetrek clients Day 1 Monday 19th June A very keen and chirpy group arrived slightly ahead of schedule, several armed with some serious camera equipment. There was time to head up to Fort Albert to obtain an overview of the island. From here we saw a pair of Shelduck (the only pair on the island) and a migrant Whimbrel. Day 2 Tuesday 20th June It was a wonderful sunny start and 25 degrees. Having assessed the weather ahead of the tour and with a view to making the most out of our few days, low winds on our first morning meant we began the day with a bird ringing demonstration at The Nunnery, home of Alderney Bird Observatory. The new bird observatory is set inside the walls of a 1900-year-old roman fort that faces the nearby French coast, just eight miles away. The bird ringing offered the group a rare chance for some close-up encounters with both resident and migrant birds. The ringing included information on the methodology of this research and its ongoing benefits to conservation. We saw Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird and Chiffchaff being ringed. The opportunity was taken to discover what to look out for when trying to separate a Chiffchaff from a Willow Warbler. A tour of The Nunnery followed, with explanations of its amazing history as a fortification from Roman times, through the Napoleonic era to Nazi German occupation; ghosts and all! The Bird Observatory also operates a moth trap that had been set overnight. David Wedd, an Alderney resident and moth expert, was at hand to take us through over 50 species of moths, some either extremely rare or not found on mainland UK. We saw a Sparrowhawk overhead and in The Nunnery courtyard, a nesting Song Thrush. Tea and cake followed at the Old Barn where a Buzzard flew overhead, Large White and Speckled Wood butterflies were in the tea garden, and a Reed Warbler was singing from nearby thickets. Refreshed, we took the minibus up to ‘the Odeon’, A WW11 comprehensive German lookout (range-finding tower). From here we set off walking down across the Mennez-Garrene , a footpath through gorseland, meandering down to Longis Nature Reserve and hide. Around the Odeon we located Wild Thyme, Viper’s- bugloss, Pennywort and Common Century. Breeding Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Whitethroats treated us to territorial songs and flight displays. Meadow Brown butterflies were numerous, and we added Honeysuckle to our plants list. On reaching Longis common, the habitat and its occupants changed and now there were several Small Heath and Red Admiral butterflies. Near to the hide were some Thick-legged Beetles and on the footpath two wonderful Glanville Fritillaries. From the hide itself we all enjoyed the rare site of a breeding pair of Little Grebes with two chicks. Goldfinches and Greenfinches came down into this freshwater pond to bathe amongst flowering Amphibious Bistort with a backdrop of Common Reed and Yellow Flag Iris. Several Common Blue Damselflies hunted over the pond, joined by at least three Emperor Dragonflies. Continuing along the footway back to our vehicle we saw Eye-Bright, and Common Blue butterflies squabbled over Bird’s-foot Trefoil. © Naturetrek January 18 1 Alderney – Wildlife & History In Style! Tour Report We picked up lunch from the bakery and had a picnic near to the Napoleonic Target wall. Looking out during lunch across Longis Bay and the tidal causeway towards the Elizabethan Fort Razz, we spotted a Grey Heron in the bay and a single Swift overhead. At the beach edge was Sea Spurge and on the rising open ground behind us good numbers of Pyramidal Orchids. After lunch we set off on one of our most popular and productive walks - along the north-east coast; Houme Herbe to Mannez lighthouse. From our start point we could see several Curlews, and for good measure a Whimbrel dropped in. In close proximity the appreciative size difference between these often confused species was quite clear, along with the bold crown stripes identifying the Whimbrel. The coastal meadow slopes along this walk always support various butterflies which today included Green-veined White, our first Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Glanville Fritillary and Common Blue. An interesting find was a day-flying Forester moth. Along the exposed shore on our right were around 30 Oystercatchers. We stopped to watch Gannets rising and then folding their wings and diving for fish from around 50 feet. For the botanists among us, the prize along this stretch was the endemic Alderney Sea Lavender, which Anne was first to spot. Other plants of note included Sea Holly, Bell Heather, Sheep’s Bit, Sea Campion, Yellow Horned-poppy and Thrift. Just for good measure we saw no less than three Humming-bird Hawk-moths. Day 3 Wednesday 21st June First we gathered on the Braye Hotel balcony overlooking the bay, where we found a Mediterranean Gull. On the nearby 17th century Douglas Quay we watched two Rock Pipits and a White Wagtail. Then on to St. Anne’s Church, a magnificent and impressive structure locally known as the Channel Islands Cathedral. In the churchyard we found Lord’s-and-Ladies, Selfheal and Ox-eye Daisies. Heading through to the well-kept and much admired Alderney allotments, behind the church, we found our first Holly Blue butterfly of the trip, and while searching for butterflies and wildflowers were constantly serenaded by a singing male Blackcap. Amongst other species we added Figwort to our plants list. Lunch was a marvellous picnic at Cambridge battery, part of Fort Tourgis. This Victorian battlement has commanding views out towards Burhou Island. The site is managed by the Alderney Wildlife Trust and is a haven for wildlife, the pick of which today was the rare Hairy Bird’s-foot Trefoil, only known from around 100 locations in the British Isles. A fine Painted Lady butterfly showed well. Adjacent to the fort, we walked to The Watermill. Originally constructed in 1202, it retains many of its original features. The watermill is being lovingly restored by a team of island residents, one of whom, Bridgette, treated us to the story of this building. Our afternoon walk was to Fort Clonque. A raised path looked down over the shoreline to our right, whilst to our left were rising scrub and bracken-covered slopes with rocky outcrops high above. It is a reliable site for Stonechats and we were not disappointed as a splendid male showed very well. A pair of Kestrel patrolled the verges ahead and behind us. This is also a great site for the sort-after Glanville Fritillary and we saw several along the way, also adding Holly Blue on our return. On the rising tide, 14 Curlews gathered below us, and Trevor spotted an unseasonal Lapwing on the shoreline. 2 © Naturetrek January 18 Alderney – Wildlife & History In Style! Tour Report A stop at Crabby beach was specifically to sift through the Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls for a Yellow- legged Gull. These rare visitors do sometimes occur at this location. To our delight we found one and had good views of it through the telescope. A new species for most! Hedgehogs were the final call of the day. Heading out about 9pm and led by island resident expert Suzy Wier, we soon located the famous ‘blonde’ leucistic Hedgehogs, along with the regular brown form. It had been a cracking day with something for everyone. Day 4 Thursday 22nd June We started the day with our second bite at the vast variety of moths to be found on Alderney, at David Wedd’s private gardens/nature reserve. David had set his moth light trap overnight and entertained us with his endless knowledge. Our moth list was now well over 100 species! A Chaffinch and two Blue Tits dropped in to join us. We also located Mullin and Greater Broomrape. Mid-morning coffee was taken at Jacks Coffee House on the High Street, from where we saw a Collared Dove. Then it was off again for another walk, this time along the south-facing gorse-covered headland named the Giffione. Here a small resident flock of Jackdaws reside. We also saw several singing Whitethroats as we made our way slowly towards the vantage point, at which we gathered to marvel at the spectacle of around 6,000 Gannets on Les Etacs rocks. Below we found a Raven’s nest containing two chicks, and Trevor managed to spot a Sun Fish with its huge fin extending from the water. A rare sight indeed! Walking back we added Stock Dove and Woody Nightshade to our trip lists and saw several more Glanville Fritillaries. The afternoon was devoted to the boat trips operated by Alderney Wildlife Trust and, for some, the hoped-for highlight of the trip: Puffins! This is the very best time of year to see the Alderney Puffin colony, along with the Gannets and other seabird colonies. A further bonus was a Peregrine sat on Burhou island. Kittiwake and Common Tern were new birds for the trip, and on Les Etacs rock another Yellow-legged Gull was seen. We ended our day in the hotel’s private cinema with a slide show presentation by John on the Wildlife of Alderney.