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2012 (5) Monday 30th January

Last week was mild again, despite forecasts of cold weather, which has hit Devon and Cornwall already, with TV shots of Dartmoor under snow.   Here, Thursday and Friday were even sunny.   It is forecast to get much colder, later this week, but with the wind from the east the winter migrant birds still won’t be arriving.   The Big Garden Birdwatch over the weekend produced encouraging numbers of residents, however.   We have only seen the first few ‘tick sheets’ so far, but high tallies to date include 32 house sparrows (Petite Blaye), 20 starlings (Church Street), 14 long-tailed tits and 8 great tits (Vallee Clos) – and sparrow hawks and pheasants at several sites.   A blackcap at Vallee Clos was seen chasing blue tits from the hanging feeders.  The watchers at Longis and Mannez saw the expected little grebes and shovelers on the ponds, but no new arrivals.

Surprisingly, the light trap at the weekend produced 11 moths, the most this month.  8 were winter moths, but there were also a satellite, a brown house moth and a common quaker, the first time we have recorded this spring moth so early in the year.

Wild flowers that should not be out till March at the earliest continue to appear.   In the Valley there are currently three plants of green hellebore, Helleborus viridis, a rare plant in UK and not on Brian’s Alderney list.   Possibly it is an escape, but certainly it has adapted well to its present site.   The strange plant, with stem, leaves and flowers all bright green, is very hard to spot among brambles, ivy and winter heliotrope.

The Countryfile portrait of Guernsey last night on TV was attractive and interesting.   Reports of washed-up dolphins echoed the fact that we had one at Longis beach earlier in the week, the first for several years.   Likewise the ‘ormering tide’ showed masses of Guernsey folk out searching for these mysterious shellfish, something that happens in Alderney but on a much smaller scale.   Ormers are good eating, but perhaps not to the extent of paying £17.00 for a small portion in a restaurant, as was shown on TV!   The feature on the oil from the Torrey Canyon, which had to be dumped in a Guernsey quarry and is only now being removed, brought back strong memories of 1967, when I was on the North Cornwall coast, helping to collect up oiled seabirds.   That was the first such disaster anywhere and people knew very little about what to do.   Two particular errors come to mind.   At first we washed guillemots and razorbills in washing-up liquid and then released them straight back to sea, without realising that this would remove the waterproofing from their feathers and they would simply drown.  The next day we were told they must stay in quarantine until ready to return to sea, so I recall ferrying a car-load of seabirds in cardboard boxes down to the ‘hospital’ at Mousehole.  The other main memory now seems astonishing, but I have never heard it commented on.   The government decided to bomb the Torrey Canyon, to ‘destroy the oil’ and although the ship had foundered way beyond the tip of Cornwall, orders were given to clear all the beaches, on both Cornish coasts and in South Wales, in case there was a ‘fireflash’ spreading along the oil slicks.   I was in Bude at the time and I remember we waited indoors at the arranged time, watching the sea, in case there was an almighty sheet of flame.   Of course nothing of the sort happened, but it did seem plausible, back then.   We had no idea at the time how far the oil had spread and I only discovered recently what harm it had done to Guernsey. 

Liz and Julia both left yesterday after a brilliant 12-month stay on the AWT staff.   Their ‘leaving party’ at the Belle Vue on Saturday showed how many friends they had made in their time here.   Fran always makes cakes for the leavers (who will do this when Fran herself goes? – that is if the Alderney Society allows her to!)   Julia’s cake featured newly-planted trees and Liz’s had puffins, neither a surprise but both superbly done.   We shall miss them greatly, but in their place have come Adam, Gareth and Sarah who are already fitting in very well.   Adam has distinguished himself straight away by getting the weather recording system at Essex Farm to work, something it had not done in the four years since Mike Caiden left!   Good luck to Liz and Julia in their future careers and to the new arrivals on their time here, which we hope they will enjoy.
 

2012 (4) Monday 23rd January

It has been a dry week, overcast and with hardly a sight of the sun, but very mild.   We are still waiting for the winter migrant birds, although there is a male shoveler at Mannez pond and a pair of pochard landed briefly at Corblets yesterday, then noticed a fisherman and took off again.   Liz’s Bird Club walk yesterday morning took in Platte Saline and the Clonque path.   They saw plenty of little egrets and rock pipits, and two grey herons.   There was another heron at Corblets and two more at Mannez pond.   These birds nest very early in the year, so it is perhaps surprising that so many appear in Alderney at this time – their chances of nesting here are nil, until the new woodland is tall!

We are building up for the Big Garden Birdwatch this coming weekend.   Reports of sightings are already becoming interesting, although nowhere near what we had last year, when many people were seeing bramblings and we even had a hawfinch on a bird-table.   This time most people seem to have long-tailed tits, and there are numerous pheasants, collared doves and especially whole flocks of starlings turning up.   Resident birds are apparently much reduced in number in UK, but this doesn’t seem to be the case here.

The light trap this weekend produced just four moths, the lowest total since last year’s snowy spell.   One was a herald, however, a really beautiful moth and aptly named, with brilliant orange and black patterns on its forewings.  In this ‘close season’ for lepidoptera the most interesting viewing has been of the goings-on inside a circular plastic box, three inches in diameter and an inch deep.   Back in September a female lesser wax moth, from Jane Aireton’s bee-hive, was placed there and laid a few eggs.   Since then nearly 40 moths have emerged from at least three generations.   The box is kept in an airing cupboard and has been opened only to remove individual moths when they have paired and to restore the food supply (dried currants, which the caterpillars seem to relish as much as wax!)

Last week the conservation volunteers cut willow from the Bonne Terre area and this Wednesday, 25th January they will be weaving fences from it.  On Saturday 28th, as well as being the first of the Birdwatch days, the volunteers will be preparing for planting of the new orchard at Les Rochers.

Those intending to take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch this week-end, 28th and 29th January, can download the ‘tick-sheets’ direct from the RSPB website or collect one of the forms from the Trust office in Victoria Street.   On Saturday 28th from 10.00 to 11.00 there will be AWT staff at the bird hides to supervise a group birdwatch.   There are feeders in place at both Mannez and Longis ponds, so there should be some interesting viewing. 
            
Also on Saturday 28th, from 6.00 pm at the Belle Vue, there will be a farewell drinks party for Liz and Julia, who leave us very shortly.   I am sure that many of you will be there to show your appreciation of their hard work here – but if you haven’t heard about it until you read this, do come.
 

2012 (3) Monday 16th January

Last week was dry and in long spells, bright and sunny.   The wind from the south east was slight.   It has turned much colder, however, and yesterday and this morning there has been frost in various places, the first of the year.   The clear skies have given rise to some wonderful starlit nights.   The full moon early in the week was really spectacular and on Saturday and Sunday the stars were magnificent, so bright that the ‘coloured’ ones could be seen clearly without a telescope. 

 
We are still waiting for the influx of winter migrant birds, although I saw a Brent goose at Platte Saline on January 13th, which was noted again in the same locality the following day.  Whether it was a genuine migrant or had come from the sizeable Jersey population, we cannot say.  Mannez pond is very full at present, but there are no visiting wildfowl there (but several grey herons have come in recently, presumably from France.)   There are plenty of long-tailed tits around the island, although still no white-headed Continental ones.   It was surprising to find a long-tailed tit quite near the beach at Clonque on Saturday.

Moth recording has virtually gone into hibernation, although one trap is still being run at weekends.  The catch is currently almost entirely winter moths.   A Bloxworth snout was flying in sunshine by the car park at Clonque on 14th January and another this morning outside the bakery.   If there are few insects about, however, unseasonal flowers are still to be seen all around the island.   Summer snowflake is out in the Valley Terrace, while thrift and sea campion are in flower in many places.   Clumps of trailing bell-flower are in bloom in the Valley.

The pigs are back in the new woodland to clear the next area for planting.   Arbor Day is 25th February, so they have plenty of time to get the site ready.   This time the planting will have to be done without Julia’s guiding hand, since she leaves us on 29th January, with Liz leaving a day later after the conclusion of the Big Garden Birdwatch.   They will be a hard act to follow, but changes have to happen.  This Saturday, 14th, the Trust welcomed its new Reserves Officer, Adam Offler, who within three hours of arriving was out helping clear browntail moth tents...  We wish him all good luck and hope he enjoys his time here.   The Trust has now cleared browntail caterpillars from a large part of the Giffoine, although there are still plenty there.   It is important to ensure that the paths are free of webs.  Last year the Watch group cleared all along the Clonque road, and when they tackled the same site this weekend they found far fewer ‘tents’ than before.   That area is now virtually free of browntails.   New infestations will doubtless appear at new sites during the summer, but overall the scheme does seem to be working.

Volunteer work for this week is concentrating on willow.   On Wednesday 18th it will be coppicing the willows below the Bonne Terre and on Saturday 21st it will be Willow Working Day, learning about the trees and how to weave fences etc from them.   On both days, park at Fort Tourgis and walk across to the site, meeting at 2.00 on Wednesday and at 10.00 and 2.00 on Saturday.   
 

2012 (2) Monday 9th January

The gales we experienced in the first part of the year have largely died down and this weekend has been calm, dry and remarkably warm.   Saturday was even sunny.   There has still been no mass-arrival of winter birds, although the fulmars are back.   Currently there are few wildfowl on the ponds.   This time last year there were six wigeon at Longis and at least six gadwall at Mannez.   In the first week of 2011 we also had a waxwing recorded, as well as plenty of redwing and fieldfare.   Now there are plenty of long-tailed tits in the island, but none of the white-headed northern form, and the trio of extremely tame blackcaps (one male and two females) which frequent bird feeders at the top of the Valley are resident birds.  Comparisons of ‘then and now’ are often interesting: in January 2009 there was no water at all in Longis pond! 

 
Since the gales abated, many people have been up to Les Rochers, to see what harm has been done to the newly-planted woodland.   Remarkably, hardly a tree has even tilted!   The guards round them are brilliantly designed and aerodynamic – and of course the late autumn rains came at just the right time for the new saplings.   Julia leaves us at the end of this month, and after her incredibly hard work getting it going, the Community Woodland is a fitting legacy.

On Saturday 7th January the first Browntail Moth Clearing afternoon of 2012 took place in sunshine on the Giffoine.  More than 30 volunteers turned out to help and between them they cut out about 3,000 caterpillar ‘tents’, about the same number as was managed over three afternoons last year – a great effort.   They cleared the area from just south of the pig pens, in a wide sweep round to the top of the Zigzag, while Roland took a small group down to Trois Vaux. Next week the Watch team will concentrate on the Clonque area.  Most islanders are aware of the value of this work and appreciate what the Trust does, but for a few elderly residents who questioned whether it was “really necessary” here are some facts.   The browntail moth occurs in one form or another virtually world-wide, and if left unchecked it can destroy whole acres, even miles, of vegetation.   It was introduced accidentally into the USA in 1897 – from Europe.  The barbed hairs of the larva can cause a most unpleasant rash and sometimes severe sickness.   When these hairs break off they often float in the air, so are particularly dangerous to people ingesting them who suffer from respiratory problems.   The method of spraying and burning to get rid of the larval ‘tents’ is always expensive and is often ineffective, while grubbing up the bushes on which they feed can be disastrous, as the caterpillars simply move elsewhere.  They are known to eat more than 40 types of tree, shrub or low-growing plant!   In USA they have recently tried to destroy browntails by introducing myriads of natural parasites – the problem then is where do these parasites go next?  The moths are moving north with global warming.   In UK they used to be found only on the south coast of England, but are now turning up north of London…

During the next week the conservation volunteers will be working as follows: Wednesday 11th January, Trees, checking the condition of all trees planted over the last four years, from Essex Hill to Les Rochers and setting up pig fencing on the Community Woodland site. Meet at Essex Farm, 2.00 pm.   Saturday 14th, Browntail Control (2), meet at Fort Tourgis / Clonque car park (Platte Saline end), 2.00pm.
 

2012 (1) Tuesday 3rd January

A Happy New Year!

It has been another remarkably warm week and with lesser celandine, cow parsley and primrose in flower in sheltered places, one would expect spring to be just around the corner.  Despite the mildness, however, we have had the most persistent rains of the winter so far, and currently are experiencing stronger gales than we have had for several years.   A straggling hawthorn outside the Chez in Victoria Street has blown down, which is not surprising as the trunk was rotten, but a large tree at the edge of Ormer House playground which fell across the road overnight was much more dramatic, although thankfully it did little damage.   In fact, solid walls both sides of the road kept the trunk above head height.   Maybe other trees have come down elsewhere overnight, but we haven’t heard of any, yet.   A feature of Alderney is that parts of the island can remain sheltered and warm while others are blowing a gale and are many degrees cooler, to be followed only hours later by a complete reverse. The wind is at present from the south west, which means that people with cameras trying to capture shots of massive waves over the breakwater have been disappointed, whereas those trying to photograph ravens or peregrines at Les Etacs have found it hard even to stand upright on the cliff top.   As I write this there has been a report of a seal driven close inshore beyond the lighthouse.  Liz beat the gales by returning on New Year’s Eve, but Julia, who should be back today, has had her flight postponed till Thursday.

For yet another week there has been no influx of migrant birds.   There are a few fieldfares about and some small flocks of long-tailed tits, and Bill had 13 collared doves in his garden yesterday, far more than we usually see, but most reports are of resident species.   There are two little grebes on Longis pond, and two water rails in the reeds.   The experiment of putting one bird feeder much lower than the rest at Longis is proving interesting.   It is slightly above pheasant height, but they are learning to jump and knock the feeder, thus getting at least a small amount of food.   The water rails, which seem to be more intelligent birds, have learnt that if they wait under a feeding greenfinch they will get plenty of scraps.   The water in Mannez pond and Corblets reservoir has risen considerably in the past week, so if immigrant wildfowl do arrive, they will have plenty of space.

There were very few moths in the light trap at the week end: winter moths, apple moths and a many-plumed hexadactyla.   There have been no red admiral butterflies seen during the week, for the first time since February, but while clearing ivy from round my shed at Valley Clos I disturbed a big and very beautiful large tortoiseshell.  There are still a lot of bees around and on December 27th they were literally in dozes on Jo Watts’s winter heather in Butes Lane.

This Saturday, 7th January, will be the Trust’s first day this winter for clearing browntail caterpillars.   For those who haven’t previously helped with this important task, the aim is to cut from the bushes the webs in which the poisonous-haired larvae are hibernating.   If you are able, meet just beyond the pig pens on the Tourgis Road at 2 o’clock, wearing warm clothes and solid shoes (and gloves) and bring secateurs if you have them.   It should not take more than an hour.   We shall decide the following week’s venue then.   In the last three years we have virtually eliminated the caterpillars from the lighthouse and Quesnard areas, and have much reduced the numbers at Saye and Clonque, without the use of spraying or burning.   A lot of people have worked very hard to make the system work and in 2011 they removed some 3,000 webs.   Do come and help on Saturday, if you can.