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Annual Chough report 2024

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Background 

Red-billed choughs are considered a rare species in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and north west France and, until recently, were classified as locally extinct in the Channel Islands. Changes in agricultural practices decimated their habitat and primary food source, resulting in their rarity. Several other bird species have suffered a similar fate. 

Birds On The Edge is a conservation initiative to restore coastal farmland habitat in order to benefit these species. The chough (caûvette in Jerriais) is the flagship for this work and in 2010 Durrell began a captive-breeding programme with the intention of releasing offspring into the wild. 

Intensively managed releases between 2013 and 2018, coupled with post-release monitoring and care have resulted in a highly successful reintroduction. The Channel Islands is home once again to a breeding population of choughs. 

Danny & Pyrrho’s family portrait. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

 

Notable Events and Successes in 2024 

The majority of our breeding success has been centred around our pairs nesting in Ronez Quarry. Interestingly, there were successful pairs from other areas around Jersey too and we hope to investigate these nest sites next year. A total of nine nests were checked at Ronez, six of which were active and successful. After the initial chick ringing visit, Ronez staff found another nest at the quarry which we’ll have to look out for in the next breeding season.

Kevin & Wally’s three chicks on first quarry nest checks. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

When visiting the nests at Ronez, fourteen chicks were found. Pairs that were nesting in the quarry were: Lee & Cauvette, Bo & Flieur, Trevor & Noirmont, Percy & Icho, Dusty & Archirondel and Kevin & Wally. On our checks at the quarry we presumed Red & Dingle had made a nest together. But unfortunately no chicks were found in their nest. Lee & Cauvette, Bo & Flieur, Kevin & Wally all had three chicks in their nest. Trevor & Noirmont and Percy & Icho both had two chicks in their nest. Dusty & Archirondel had a nest they were visiting, but on a second visit, it looked to be unsuccessful. We believe there were two other active nests at Ronez, however, neither of which was accessible; and with so many new pairings, it could have been anyone’s!

Table 1, chough breeding success at Ronez quarry.

Breeding Pair

Nest location 

Number of chicks in nest 

Number of chicks fledged 

Red & Dingle

Ronez

0

0

Lee &Cauvette

Ronez

3

3

Bo & Flieur

Ronez

3

2

Trevor &Noirmont

Ronez

2

2

Percy &Icho

Ronez

2

2

Dusty &Archirondel

Ronez

1

0

Kevin & Wally

Ronez

3

2
 

Totals

14

11


There were several nests that were never visually confirmed and some were from first time breeders; these pairs included: Danny & Pyrrho, Jaune & Aspen and Alder & Wally Jnr. Danny & Jaune had been a pair since 2021 however, had not been deemed successful. As we’ve lost a few older males and females in the flock, the pair split and re-paired with new partners. This seems to have worked in their favour as both new pairs: Danny & Pyrrho and Aspen & Jaune, brought two chicks to the aviary.

A completely new pair that bred for the first time this year was Alder & Wally Jnr. They brought one chick to the aviary; which is a huge success for the pair. We’re hoping that these pairs will continue to have successful breeding seasons going forward.

Another pair, Vicq & Pinel, that used to build their nest in a local stable in Trinity have successfully bred again.  Although the exact location of their nest is unknown, we do have our suspicions as to where it might be. Last year they brought their very first chick to the aviary and this year we were over the moon to see them arrive at Sorel with two chicks in tow.  We hope that this pair will continue to have successful breeding seasons in the future.

Minty & Rey with their five chicks. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Our Plemont pair; Minty & Rey, started the breeding season very early, they were a good few weeks ahead of the rest of the choughs that were breeding. The first signs of chicks in the nest brought us great joy; there were five hungry beaks waiting for their lunch. It seemed the pair had a feeding schedule, where one would chase off ravens and/or crows; while the other would feed the chicks. It seemed quite energetically consuming, however it was working in their favour; as their chicks grew up very quickly. We waited patiently for them to arrive at the aviary and sure enough, two of the five chicks managed to make it to Sorel. Although they lost a few chicks (which is inevitable in the wild) they still had a pretty successful year.

Table 2, chough breeding success in other locations across the island.

Breeding Pair

Nest location 

Number of chicks in nest 

Number of chicks fledged 

Danny &Pyrrho

Ronez

2

2

Aspen & Jaune

Unknown

2

2

Alder & Wally Jnr

Unknown

1

1

Pinel & Vicq

Unknown

2

2

Minty & Rey

Plemont

5

2
 

Total

12

9


Over the course of 2024 we’ve had a total loss of nine birds. Six of which were chicks and three of which were long-standing breeding adults. However, an overall of 26 chicks were hatched in the breeding season, the most chicks produced since the project began! 20 of those 26 chicks managed to fledge from their nests, bringing the total population to a whopping 63 birds! The team hope that next year will be just as fruitful.

Table 3, indicating the current population size as well as the flock’s sex ratio. 

Population size 

Males 

Females 

Unknown 

63

22

35

6


In 2024, there were twelve breeding pairs, ten of which fledged chicks. A total of 26 chicks were hatched, the most since the project began!

Activities in 2024

Primary activities continued as detailed below:

Supplemental feeding 

Provision of supplemental food continues daily at Sorel. Attendance by the flock varies seasonally and between individuals. It remains a reliable way to ascertain population size. There are currently sixty-three individuals of which over two thirds are now wild-hatched (Released: 11: wild hatched: 52). Due to the steep increase in population size, the supplementary feed has been adjusted.

Supplemental feeding allows staff to closely monitor health issues and inter-flock behaviour. Concerns can be flagged up quickly and often dealt with on the spot.  

A pair eating from a feeder in the Sorel aviary. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.


Notable leavers and losses  

The last and only chough left from the first batch of releases, ‘Red’, at the age of twelve, has sadly disappeared during the breeding season. Her partner Dingle was seen arriving alone, leading us to assume that Red was incubating in a nest. Dingle was then seen with another female named Iris. This is not unheard of in males, and they can sometimes be seen hanging out with other females while their partner is incubating. As Red has not been seen since May, she is believed to have died.

After the breeding season had ended and the chicks were no longer hanging off their parent’s beaks, Cauvette disappeared. We noticed her disappearance from her partner, Lee, arriving to the aviary alone. Since Cauvette’s disappearance, Lee has gained a lot of female attention. He’s now often seen flying to the aviary along with two other females (Elm and Willow). It will be interesting to see if Lee pairs up with either of these females next breeding season, but for now, we think he’s enjoying being a lady’s man!

Cheddar, a male juvenile from Minty & Rey’s nest this year has also disappeared leaving the last male chick from their nest, Sakura as the sole survivor.

Red & Dingle on a feeding station. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Research and monitoring 

There has been no sign of island hopping, it seems that females Portelet and Archirondel, who had been taking weekend trips to Guernsey have found a reason to stay on island. Both females have managed to pair up with other males in the flock. Portelet has paired with Sallow, a male hatched in 2022. Archirondel has paired up with Dusty; the very first wild hatched chough for the project in 2015. As the sex ratio of the flock is evening out, it will be interesting to see if any other choughs in the flock will decide to island hop in the future.

The team have been notified of various nesting sites from Jersey residents via the Birds of the Edge website this year. Many of these sites have been investigated and will be monitored once the breeding season heats up next year. The team appreciate the time and effort bird enthusiasts around the island dedicate to this project to enable us to gain the most information we can on the chough population.

Public sightings – where have you seen the choughs this year?

The choughs have been seen all across Jersey by you, the Jersey residents. This year we received 263 public sightings! But we ask for you to keep them coming in! Sightings can be sent to us via the birds on the edge website on the ‘Seen a chough’ page or sent to us directly by email: charlotte.dean@durrell.org.

The places that choughs were seen in the largest flocks were: Sorel with 30, Corbiere with 16, Les Landes and St Ouen with 15, Noirmont and St Brelades with 14. The hotspots where the most sightings were recorded were: Corbiere, St Ouen, Noirmont, Les Landes and Plemont. However, the choughs were also seen in various other places around the island. It’s great to see how much the choughs are dispersing across the island. Let’s see if we can beat 263 sightings next year; keep looking, keep reporting and keep enjoying the red-billed choughs flying around your neighbourhood.

Veterinary cases 

One of the choughs, Kevin had been seen with a black toe on his right foot which was in turn causing lameness. They were caught, weighed and examined by the Durrell veterinary team at the aviary. The chough seemed to have had trauma to the toe which had bled and dried on the toe making the toe look black in colour. It was however, still swollen. The chough was given a shot of pain relief and anti-inflammatory as well as having the toe thoroughly cleaned. They were then re-released and have been healthy ever since.   

Kevin’s injured digit. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Minty & Rey, the pair that nest in Plemont almost exclusively were very successful this year. They managed to hatch five choughlets! Unfortunately, on one of the nest monitoring trips, one chick was found directly beneath their nest and headless. The Durrell veterinary team carried out a post-mortem to determine cause of death – due to its injuries it was suspected to of died from impact (fell from the nest) and then scavenged.  

Percy. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Lee, one of our continually breeding males was looking under the weather during the breeding season. They were witnessed falling asleep on a feeding stand in the aviary. A faecal sample was retrieved and examine by our veterinary team. It showed some signs of parasites. Choughs generally carry low levels of parasites but can heightened in stressful situations (e.g. breeding season) or in ill health. As this bird had chicks to feed the team didn’t want to intervene unless absolutely necessary; thankfully he seemed to of perked up the next day.

Missing claw on Rougenez. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Rougenez, a chough that was hatched in 2022 was caught and re-ringed this year due to losing vital colour rings (We couldn’t identify them without their individual colour combination). Once caught and weighed we noticed that they had a claw missing on their left foot. It had completely healed over and doesn’t seem to affect the way it exists.

Our bi-annual pooled faecal samples were taken over a couple of days. This involves collecting a great deal of fresh faeces from anywhere it’s seen at the aviary and submitting it to our laboratory to be examined for parasite loads. There were very low amounts of coccidian found within the faecal samples which showed that the population as healthy as it can be. Low levels of coccidian in choughs are relatively normal however can elevate when they bird becomes sick or stressed.

 

Release aviary maintenance 

The site services team have been hard at work during the autumn and winter period refreshing the Sorel aviary. The new netting was purchased, fitted and replaced. This could only be carried out thanks to the generosity from the Jersey Country Enhancement scheme. The wooden framework and release hatches have been stripped down, section by section, reconstructed and erected. The last of the heavy work left in the aviary is replacing the shelves.

First looks at the aviary after storm Darragh. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Jersey was hit by another storm; Storm Darragh. It wasn’t as powerful as Storm Ciaran but unfortunately it still did a great deal of damage to the aviary. A section of the roof was bent out of shape, the aluminium panelling had collapsed in several places, a few holes had emerged on the new netting and the guttering had been found across the field. Luckily we have a great site services team which can help with any significant repairing tasks.

Disconnection of poly tunnel structure. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

 

Choughs on the newly refurbished aviary. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Chough report – Forth quarter (October – December)

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The results are in
This year’s breeding season was a huge success. The pairs fledged more chicks than in any year previously. We sent off biological samples to find out what the sex ratio of chicks is this year, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. This year’s chicks have given a sex ratio of 9:11 (Males: females). To see the sexes of each individual, check out our updated chough ID list on our ‘Seen a chough’ page. The overall sex ratio of the flock is now: 22: 35: 6 (Males : Females : Unknowns). The flock’s sex ratio is starting to even out, allowing more breeding pairs to arise in the future – which is great news! Although the newly fledged chicks will unlikely be ready to reproduce next year; there is always time to surprise us!

Angalsea & Islay foraging. Photograph by Mick Dryden.

Supplementary feed adjustments
The chough population has grown from 32 in 2021 to 63 in 2024. The supplementary feed given has therefore been increased to account for such continued growth in population. The supplementary feed is provided in containers with specific dimensions for the species. Choughs have long bills which they use to probe soil for invertebrates; therefore the feeding boxes are at a depth for them to perform normal foraging behaviours to gain food. The depth of these feeding boxes also reduces inter-species interactions in the aviary. Continuing to provide a supplementary feed allows us to monitor the population at an individual level. Although, not all choughs are seen as regularly as others; this indicates that they must be finding adequate food sources from the island.

Two choughs using the feeding boxes at the aviary. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Chough adventures
A chough was found in the basement of the Atlantic hotel, Corbiere in October. The chough was identified as Neufchatel, a young female bird which hatched earlier this year. The basement of the Atlantic hotel is a floor and a half below ground level and access into the building is by a long staircase from outside. The chough was found by an employee at the hotel and was successfully released from the basement. They have been seen happy and healthy at the aviary ever since.

Neufchatel and several other juveniles foraging. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Chough movements
During October, the largest numbers seen in a flock together were 14 at Noirmont and St Brelades Bay. Choughs were seen in flock sizes of five at Les Landes and with a pair seen in L’Etacq. Pairs were being regularly seen along the south-westerly coast including Corbiere, Petit port, Noirmont, Beauport and various locations within St Ouens. Choughs are also being seen on the south-eastly corners of Grouville golf course. A pair were also spotted in St Helier.

Throughout November, the choughs were seen in various places across the island. A flock of 18 were spotted at Les Mielles golf course. The most frequently occurring numbers were seen in St Ouen with a flock of 15 seen at the sand pits. However, they were also seen in smaller numbers at Corbiere, Les Landes, St Peters and St Helier.

There were fewer overall sightings received for the choughs during December. The largest flock seen was nine over the pond in St Ouen and five at La Moye golf course. Other sightings were of pairs or singular individuals around St Ouens, twice in Crabbe in three separate places within St John.

Choughs watching us in the field. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Aviary refurbishments and Storm Darragh’s disasters
The aviary was having its last and final repairs carried out over the winter period. The last of the wooden framework was erected, and most of the shelving had been replaced. The sites service team was close to finishing the repairs, however, another storm hit Jersey. It was not as strong as storm Ciaran but it still caused some significant damage. Due to strong winds, the aviary was unserviceable over the course of Storm Darragh (the weekend) as the government advised for only essential travel. As the aviary is next to the coast, it was unwise for us to visit the site. All preparations had been carried out prior to the storm to ensure that the aviary was open and safe for the choughs. When Monday came, the team had the job of assessing all the damage: a part of the roof had been torn off and bent out of shape, the aluminum paneling had collapsed in several places, a few holes emerged in the aviaries new netting, the guttering had disconnected and a few days later the supporting poles disconnected. It’s safe to say, we’ve got a lot of repairs on our hands!

The damage caused by storm Darragh. Photographs by Charlotte Dean.

Some Festive enrichment over the holidays
It’s that time of year again when we must remember to share the Christmas joy with everyone, including our red-billed choughs. The team ensured the choughs could send their Christmas letters to Santa this year. Merry Christmas everyone and have a great start to the new year!

Choughs lining up to send their letters to Santa. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

 

Chough Report – Third Quarter (July – September)

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Old to new pairs
A fairly big surprise to the team this year was Danny and Jaune both experiencing a successful breeding season; but separately! Danny and Jaune were always seen as a pair in previous years. Always arriving together at the aviary and seen flying and building nests in various places in Corbiere. However, this year, both choughs paired with a different bird in the flock. Danny paired with Pyrrho after the loss of Green and Jaune paired with Aspen after Danny re-paired. Danny and Jaune had been seen building nests as a pair for two consecutive years with no real success. It could be that the pair lacked maturity, or perhaps Danny & Jaune were never truly a pair; maybe they were just close friends after all!

Aspen & Jaune with two hungry chicks at Corbiere. Photograph by Julie Blampied.

Another first!
Another fantastic surprise this year was from another new pair Alder and Wally Jnr, who were seen with one chick on 13th July at the aviary. This is the very first breeding attempt for both of these birds. Both parents hatched in the wild, Wally Jnr in 2021 and Alder in 2022. The team have watched these two choughs grow closer over the past year; often observed arriving at the aviary together as well as allopreening. Over the course of the breeding season they were often absent at the aviary and so we had been hoping they were practicing their nesting abilities. When they showed up with a begging youngster in tow, we couldn’t have been happier! Since carrying out catch ups at the aviary to ring the remaining chicks they’ve become quite elusive, which isn’t surprising – who would want to be caught anyway!?

What the choughs think of all the catch ups. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

A plaque of gratitude
A plaque has been hung on the aviary to acknowledge our gratitude to the Jersey Country Enhancement Scheme for funding the chough project. Their funding has enabled us to replace the old holey netting and wooden aviary framework.

Our bright plaque to show our gratitude to the Jersey Country Enhancement Scheme. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Breeding season summary
This year’s breeding season has been a huge success! We’ve had the greatest number of chicks hatched since the project began; a whopping 26 chicks from ten breeding pairs. Three of those pairs were first time breeders! Only six chicks of those chicks didn’t fledge, making our overall fledging success rate 77%. It’s safe to say that the aviary has been pretty chaotic this summer. All 20 ‘choughlets’ have been ringed and added to our chough ID list, which can be found on our website ‘Chough ID list’. Our current island population stands at 66 choughs! 12 of the original captive-released choughs and 54 wild-hatched choughs. So, if you enjoy walking around Jersey’s countryside and bird watching, be sure to report your sightings via this link: ‘Seen a chough? – Birds on the edge’.

Sakura, a chough from Minty & Rey’s clutch with their identifier rings attached. Black for the year and Cerise as their individual identifier. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.


Table 1, each breeding pairs fledgling success.

Breeding pair

Number of fledged chicks

Dingle & Red

0 – nest

Lee & Cauvette

2

Percy & Icho

2

Kevin & Wally

2

Trevor & Noirmont

2

Dusty & Archirondel

0

Danny & Pyrrho

2

Bo & Flieur

3

Minty & Rey

2

Pinel & Vicq

2

Aspen & Jaune

2

Sallow & Portelet

0

Alder & Wally Jnr

1

Total number of fledged chicks

20

Where have you seen the choughs?
During July, most of our chough sightings across the island have been in various places in Grosnez; with groups of up to five seen either near the castle, near the car park or along the cliffs. The second most popular area has been Corbiere; one group being a family group (Aspen, Jaune and their two choughlets) whose photograph can be seen above. Other sightings were seen across St Ouens, St Brelade and St Helier.

In August, the choughs were reported in Corbiere the most, once with a flock of 12. Second most popular sights were recorded from several areas in St Ouen, including Mont Matthieu, St Ouens pond and around the sea cliffs. Large groups were also seen flying over the cliff paths of Crabbe and Devils hole. On the other side of the island choughs had also been spotted. In Noirmont, a pair is regularly spotted by a local twitcher.

September brought the most consistent sightings of two choughs at Noirmont. However, the place seen with the largest flocking number of choughs were in Corbiere with 16; closely followed by 12 spotted over Petit port. The choughs were also seen across St Ouen, Crabbe, Les Landes, Greve de Lecq, Overdale and St Helier.

Our chough student (Phillip), gaining some hands-on experience with the choughs. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

 

Annual Chough report 2023

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Background

Red-billed choughs are considered a rare species in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and north west France and, until recently, were classified as locally extinct in the Channel Islands. Changes in agricultural practices decimated their habitat and primary food source, resulting in their rarity. Several other bird species have suffered a similar fate.

Birds On The Edge is a conservation initiative to restore coastal farmland habitat in order to benefit these species. The chough (caûvette in Jerriais) is the flagship for this work and in 2010 Durrell began a captive-breeding programme with the intention of releasing offspring into the wild.

Intensively managed releases between 2013 and 2018, coupled with post-release monitoring and care have resulted in a highly successful reintroduction. The Channel Islands is home once again to a breeding population of choughs.

Notable Events and Successes in 2023

The majority of our breeding success in 2023 centred around our pairs nesting in Ronez Quarry. Interesting observations were noted when checking the nests at the site. There were many more nest spots than usual; which suggested to us that others, perhaps younger choughs, were practicing for when they are mature enough to pair-up and breed. It will be exciting to see if our predictions come true in 2024!

Kevin feeding a chick on the aviary. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

We recorded 18 chicks in nests within Ronez quarry during the year and one from another location which will be ‘assessed’ in the next breeding season. Fifteen of the total 18 chicks fledged to the aviary. Ten of the 18 chicks are still alive to this day and only two chicks out of the 15 that were blood sexed were male. This being said, due to an issue with the laboratory we use to sex birds, we have nine birds that are currently unsexed and who will remain so until they show breeding behaviour in the future. Given the historic sex ratio skew favouring females, we’re hoping that in 2024 a few more males will be produced.

Table 1, indicating the current population size along with the flocks known sex ratio.

Our only ‘wild-hatched’ pair attempted to nest in a stable during 2023 but were unsuccessful in their endeavours. They subsequently returned to Plemont where they have nested before. While it is believed chicks were hatched, sadly they were never seen at the aviary, suggesting they perished.

The pair of chough that have successfully nested at Simon Sands Ltd. were seen nest prospecting in out-buildings at the airport. This behaviour was dissuaded on health and safety grounds. It is hoped they return to the safer location of the old sand extraction site in 2024.

Impatient choughs awaiting supplementary food. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

Breeding pair Vicq & Pinel surprised the team this season. They brought one chick to the aviary at the very end of July. This is the first time (to our knowledge) this pair has had a successful breeding season. While there were initial reports of them nesting in a stable building in Trinity, they subsequently chose to nest somewhere else, the location of which is currently unknown. We hope that this will be the start of a successful breeding pair for the future.

The flock has lost a total of nine individuals over the course of the year, but has gained ten new members. Of those choughs that have disappeared, their partners have re-paired up and we hope to see some new successful breeding pairs next season. Overall, it has been a successful year.

Activities in 2023

Primary activities continued as detailed below:

Supplemental feeding

Provision of supplemental food continues daily at Sorel. Attendance by the flock varies seasonally and between individuals. It remains a reliable way to ascertain population size. There are currently forty-seven individuals of which over two thirds are now wild-hatched (Released: 13: wild hatched: 34).

Supplemental feeding allows staff to closely monitor health issues and inter-flock behaviour. Concerns can be flagged up quickly and often dealt with on the spot.

Notable leavers and losses

After forty years of service at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Dr Glyn Young hung up his boots for the last time in August. He will be enjoying the retired life after much dedication to the Trust. His wisdom and knowledge will continue through the next generation of conservationists who all benefited from his experience.

A picture of Liz and Glyn when the project began!

Sadly, we lost the oldest chough of the flock and one of the two remaining choughs from the project’s first releases back in 2013. Green, although gone has contributed to the population by siring forty-two chicks over the past twelve years; fifteen of which are still alive today.

Green & Pyrrho enjoying the summer heat. Photograph by Charlotte Dean

Research and monitoring

There have been no exciting island-hops for the usual, same-sex pair of choughs to Guernsey this year. Usual visitors to the island, this pair appeared to have broken up, with only one female being observed foraging at Pleinmont. The other female has now found a male worth sticking around for! This could lead to an exciting new breeding pair in the next coming year.

There a few visits to Ronez quarry this year to undertake nest checks. Only two clutches of chicks were ringed in the nest however, as inclement weather prevented other nests being accessed. Subsequent ringing was carried out when youngsters were caught at the aviaries, but three remain unringed at present.

Three chicks in Kevin & Wally’s nest. Photograph by Tobias Cabaret.

We look forward to 2024 when we welcome a PhD student from Anglia Ruskin University to research the choughs for effects of sound disturbance during the breeding season.

Veterinary cases

One of Kevin and Wally’s chicks from last year’s season (Sallow), was found grounded by a local birder in St John. Initially taken to the JSPCA, Durrell ultimately took responsibility for the bird. It was suspected to have a broken coracoid due to the visual bruising in the area; however, this was thankfully not the case. The chough was also seen to have a low platelet count and was underweight. The veterinary team supplied the chough with pain relief and fluids. The Bird Department provided the diet previously used for the captive choughs. Additional food supplements and tasty treats were given to help fatten him up. In our care, the chough gained 20 grams before he was taken back to the aviary. Before being fully released, we had a licensed ringer, ring the chough and then shut him into one of the sheltered sections of the aviary. He was kept here for a few days to habituate once again to his surroundings and for staff to evaluate his flying ability. Once the team were happy with his progress, he was re-released and is still looking happy and healthy to this day.

The remains of a youngster from 2022, Birch, were found at Ronez. Scant remains were collected, so no post-mortem was performed, but rings allowed us to identity it.

Release aviary maintenance

The Sorel aviary is considered a temporary structure for official planning purposes. Permission to keep the structure standing for the next five years was approved in 2023, which means it will be standing until at least 2027.

Storm Ciaran left devastation throughout the island in 2023 and the aviary at Sorel sustained significant but not catastrophic damage. Large holes were ripped in the netting, and aluminium panelling at the side of the aviary was ripped off. Some of the wooden support structures of the enclosure itself were also left weakened and broken.

The aviaries fallen wooden framework. Photograph by Charlotte Dean.

The aviary netting holes require National Trust assistance to help bring our large henchman ladder to the aviary to have the holes reachable to fix. We are working on these repairs between the National Trust and our own staff availability. The wooden framework is a much bigger job which will be fixed at a later date by our maintenance team at Durrell.

Choughs flying over the aviary. Photograph by Abbie Thomson.

In autumn, we secured a grant from the Government of Jersey’s Countryside Enhancement Scheme to fund new netting for the aviary. Thanks to the States of Jersey for this funding, which will enable us to replace the damaged netting in 2024.

Chough report – June 2023

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By Charlotte Dean

Our sincere apologies for the delays in circulating monthly reports. We hope to start catching up.

Wild weather
It’s that season again when the chough team make arrangements with Ronez Quarry to access the chough nests for the first nest checks and chick ringing. Unfortunately, the weather this year was not in our favour. As the quarry is an unsheltered area along the north coast, there is no easy or safe way to access high nests in winds above F4. Most of June had this level of wind so the team and quarry staff agreed it wasn’t worth the risk. However, we could at least access some of the nests on foot. The pairs we managed to access this way were those of Kevin & Wally, which had three very noisy chicks inside, and Bo & Flieur whose nest surprised us with four chicks! The chicks were ringed with our year colour for 2023 which was Pink and will be accompanied with another coloured ring for easy identification in the field. The chicks were also blood sexed, weighed and measured before being placed back into their respective nests. Without access to the other nests the team can at least acknowledge that there are currently seven chicks in two nests so far; but as there is plenty of activity in other well-known nests, we’re sure we’ll have more chicks.

Quarry updates
The quarry also witnessed a few unsuccessful fledging events this year due to the adverse weather; practically a whole month of high winds. One chick was found dead beneath a nest site for pair Green & Pyrrho. We believe that it could have died from the impact after falling from the nest, it was not, however, of fledging age and, therefore, we assume it’s death may have been caused by some sibling rivalry for space in the nest. Later, fledglings emerging from Kevin & Wally’s nest were also found on the ground near their nest site. Both were initially going to be collected by quarry staff to be assessed for cause of death by the Durrell veterinary team. However, one chick had already been predated by then. We were thankful to know that at least one chick from Kevin & Wally had also been seen by quarry staff wing-begging at its parents from the staircase just outside their nest site, looking active and healthy. Since Kevin & Wally’s chick emerged from their nest, the quarry staff have contacted us about other chicks that have been seen around the quarry as well; we can safely say that the quarry is starting to get more noisy than usual!

Plémont pair
The Plémont pair, Minty & Rey had been seen feeding chicks in their cave nest at a few days old at the end of May, which was very exciting news for our truly wild pair. Both Minty & Rey had both been seen at the Sorel Aviary every day since then. To the team, this seemed like a big issue. This could indicate that Minty & Rey were not finding enough food from foraging around their nesting area and, therefore, were coming to the aviary for food. When spending long periods of time at the aviary as a pair, they were leaving their newly hatched chicks in a nest unprotected. The chough team visited their nest the week after and were faced with silence. It was assumed that while they were still coming to the aviary for food, their chicks were predated in their absence. It has been a great shame to witness the silence from within their nest again this year. We are hopeful that they will find a new and successful place next breeding season. 

First choughlet at the aviary
The wait is finally over, the team finally heard the calls of a hungry chick at the aviary. The first pair whose fledged chicks came to the aviary this year were, perhaps unsurprisingly, Kevin & Wally on 15th June. And it wasn’t long before the other pairs started to bring their chicks too. Green & Pyrrho and Percy & Icho both brought two chicks a few days later. Dusty & Chickay, Bo & Flieur and Lee & Caûvette brought chicks at the very end of the month. Dusty & Chickay and Bo & Flieur both brought two chicks and Lee & Caûvette brought the one. Trevor & Noirmont’s nest was looked at in our Ronez Quarry visit but their chicks were a lot younger than the other breeding pairs’ – we expect them to arrive early next month.

 

Chough report – April 2023

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By Charlotte Dean

Easter Monday

Many of the breeding pairs were seen collecting wool on the fields and flying in the direction of Ronez Quarry. The younger choughs were also enjoying all the wool floating along the fields; they were often seen rolling around on the grass with it. With all the extra time the choughs were spending in the fields collecting wool and with Easter around the corner, the team had some Easter related enrichment put out in the fields adjacent to the aviary. A fun new part of the Island for the choughs to explore. The wind over the coast did make it more interesting for them to approach; but even the sheep were curious about the new objects.

So far, it seemed that the choughs were already behind in their nest building compared with last year’s breeding season. It was also interesting to see that the captive choughs at Paradise Park already had chicks hatching! The Jersey team continued to be hopeful that with all this wool collecting observed, there would be definite signs of egg-laying for the Sorel choughs soon!

Behavioural changes

The second half of April saw plenty of exciting behaviour at Sorel. A few of the known breeding males in the flock were seen feeding and displaying at (is that to?) their females; notably: Dusty, Dingle and Percy. Many persistent displays from the males were going on before and during the feeds but so far, the majority of the females had shown no real interest. However, as April drew to an end, it was clear to see that the breeding season was well on the way. Around mid-April we had started observing females begging from their males for food. We all know what that means; the incubation period has begun, and breeding males need to make sure they’re feeding their females on the nest! To our knowledge, the first pairs to start incubating this year were: Dusty & Chickay, Kevin & Wally and Percy & Icho. We know this because the males provide all the food to the female on the nest and these males were showing up to the supplementary feeds without their partners several times each day. The remaining potential breeding pairs in the flock, particularly Bo & Flieur, Trevor & Noirmont and Lee & Cauvette were not long behind them.

News from around Jersey

It seems that one pair (Danny & Jaune) who could potentially be our second ‘wild breeding pair’, had been using Simon Sands in St Ouen’s Bay as a safe roosting area and but have moved on from St Ouen’s and settled in a little further inland in St Peter. The pair have found another building with a nice overhang to nest in this year. We currently have some uncertainty over whether this is their active nest at this time. However, the team are hoping that this year is their year! Our other truly wild breeding pair is Minty & Rey. Last year, Minty & Rey unfortunately lost their chicks before fledging and we think that this may have been why they had not rebuilt their nest in their usual spot in Plémont. They were still being seen at Plémont this month; however, we’ve had many sightings of them in the Grosnez area too and even some evidence of them nesting in a stables! Their nest site was discovered but unfortunately the owners had already persuaded the choughs to nest elsewhere and the pair were seen using their usual nesting spot in Plémont again so we are hopeful that they will have better luck with their offspring this year.

Campaign to create Seabird Reserve moves to next stage

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A campaign by Birds On The Edge to save the Island’s much loved puffin by the creation of a Seabird Reserve has moved a step closer with the submission of a planning application for a section of profile fencing.

The proposed Seabird Reserve will require the erection of a one-mile predator proof fence to protect the puffins, their eggs and chicks from non-native predators such as rats and ferrets (mammals like these are a threat to seabirds worldwide). An application is being submitted for the erection of a temporary section of the fence so that people can see for themselves what the Seabird Reserve might look like.

The profile fencing section will be a 15-metre-long section constructed in the same area where the real fence would be proposed in the future.  The mock-up will be identical in height, colour, and overall look of a real predator fence. It will be in place for a minimum of two months before being removed, to give all members of the community the opportunity to visit the area and see the section for themselves. The public will also be encouraged to engage with the project via a range of platforms including drop-in sessions, opinion polls, and social media.

 

It is hoped that this will demonstrate to the public both the visual impact the fence will have on the landscape as well as the protection that it will afford to coastal wildlife. The BOTE Partnership will also use the opportunity to help boost understanding of the project and wider appreciation of the wildlife found at Plémont.

BOTE ultimately wants the people of Jersey to see and decide for themselves if this project is a fair compromise in order to protect the puffins and other wildlife from becoming extinct in Jersey.

BOTE’s Cris Sellarés, Project Officer, commented on the application:

“There are now likely to only be eight puffins left in Jersey.  If we don’t do something now, there is a real risk that we will lose the iconic seabird which plays such an important part in Jersey’s natural and cultural heritage.

However, BOTE fully recognise that such a strategy comes at a price and the proposed fence will have some visual impact upon the coastal landscape. It is, therefore, imperative that Jersey’s community has the opportunity to assess the impact for themselves and decide whether they feel this project should go ahead. Such decisions are never easy but undoubtedly will be increasingly required if our community is going to play a full and active role in addressing the current biodiversity crisis.

The continuing loss of biodiversity in Jersey through local extinctions will inevitably result in a denuded and poorer environment for this generation and those that follow on. Already we have seen the loss of the yellowhammer and turtle dove and alarming declines in such species as starling and cuckoo. The time has now come to decide whether we wish to see the puffin and other seabirds follow suit or actively attempt to find solutions.”

Glyn Young, co-founder of BOTE said:

“Provision of a predator-proof fence to protect our Island’s remaining puffins and other seabirds may be the last hope we have to keep these wonderful birds in Jersey. Seabirds today face a multitude of global problems from changing sea temperatures and overfishing to pollution and human disturbance. They need safe areas to nest and rear their young away from non-native predators, who if left free to access nest sites would eat the birds’ eggs and chicks. The proposed site, free of predators, will likely see the return of former breeding seabirds such as the Manx shearwater and storm petrel too. They visit our coast annually but recognise that the Island is currently unsafe for nesting. BOTE invited Kirsty Swinnerton to draft an initial proposal in 2018. Delayed by the pandemic it is exciting to see this project progressing so well. Fencing of this kind has been very successful in protecting endangered seabird populations in Hawaii, New Zealand and elsewhere. Without making bold advances like this, Jersey will face the loss of large components of its natural environment and become a poorer place”.

March volunteer activity

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Sunday 13th March 2023 – White Rock, Rozel, Trinity 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Task Come and help us manage some scrub on the headland of White Rock, above Rozel. Gorse has started to encroach into this area and is in need of cutting back so patches of short turf grassland can benefit from the work.

+If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added (or removed) to/from the Wild About Jersey email list, please contact either Julia Clively (tel: 441600; j.clively@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site Meet at White Rock car park, off La Rue du Câtel, Trinity.

Jersey phone directory: Map 5, GG6. Google maps here

Time Meet at 10.15, ready to start work at 10:30. We will finish work at approximately 12:30 to give us the chance for a catch up over a cuppa.

Parking White Rock car park.

Tools needed Please bring cutting tools such as loppers and pruning saws if you have any but we shall provide some tools. Please do bring your own gloves if possible.

Clothing needed Do wear appropriate (waterproof) clothing and sturdy boots and gloves, we go ahead whatever the weather 😊

Children All are welcome, although we do ask that volunteers under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult. Due to the uneven ground, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Refreshments Kim the Kake will provide us with some of her excellent home-made cake and a hot drink at the end of the task but *Please make sure you bring your own mug or reusable cup*

Hope to see you there!

February volunteer activity

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Sunday 12th February 2023 – Grantez, St Ouen 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Task Field cricket habitat restoration at Grantez.

Due to the depletion of heathlands and grasslands, field crickets are now some of the rarest species of crickets in the UK and Channel Islands. However, a population of them has been discovered at Grantez. We will be clearing and burning the gorse bushes to allow the grass to grow back and provide a habitat for the crickets.

If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added (or removed) to/from the Wild About Jersey email list, please contact either Julia Clively (tel: 441600; j.clively@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site Please click on screenshot (right) for where to park on the day. We will be working in a field near the Grantez Sunset Festival site.

Jersey phone directory: Map 1, F8. Google maps here

Time Meet at 10.15, ready to start work at 10:30. We will finish work at approximately 12:30 to give us the chance for a catch up over a cuppa.

Parking See maps above.

Tools needed All the tools/equipment will be supplied, but please do bring your own gloves if possible.

Clothing needed Please keep an eye out for the weather forecast as it could be wild and wet, so please wear appropriate (waterproof) clothing and sturdy boots and gloves.

Children All are welcome, although we do ask that volunteers under 16 years of age are accompanied by an adult. Due to the uneven ground, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Refreshments The wonderful Kim will be providing cakes and refreshments for us. *Please make sure you bring your own mug or reusable cup*

Hope to see you there!

 

Jersey’s 22nd annual Great Garden Birdwatch – 4th and 5th February 2023

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Counting birds in the garden for a good cause, as well as for fun

By Andrew Koester, Survey coordinator and Glyn Young

The Action for Wildlife Jersey and Birds On The Edge annual Great Garden Birdwatch returns this year for its 22nd year in succession and it is hoped that as many people as possible will help to build up a picture of the health of the Island’s bird population. 

This year, the Great Garden Birdwatch will be held over the weekend of 4th and 5th February. The method of the count is very straight forward. Basically, you just need to grab a coffee, a comfy seat a handy garden bird guide and then look out into the garden for an hour on either Saturday or Sunday morning and write down what birds you see and the maximum number of each species at any one time.

Oh, and for one weekend a year, red squirrels are birds. We’re not sure what they think about that, we’ve tried asking but they are too busy – maybe they accept that it’s an honour.

Everyone who takes part in the count is a citizen scientist and doing their own small bit to help us understand our garden birds that bit better. Most of all though, it’s fun and will remind you how important our birds are to us and how much we need them to help us feel alive and well. And they’ll take your mind off things. So, please complete either an online form or download a copy (below) and email it on one day over the weekend and help us see how our birds are doing.

If you do see an red-billed chough, don’t be surprised and don’t forget – squirrels are birds!

Please use the online survey form Great Garden Birdwatch Survey Form 2023 or download from this website here and then return the form to us by any of the following methods: By Email: afw.jersey@outlook.com or birdsote@gmail.com by Message to Action for Wildlife Jersey on Facebook

Thank you for your participation in this year’s survey.

Andrew Koester, Survey coordinator and Glyn Young, Birds On The Edge