The (Guernsey) Conservation Herd have been invited to graze L’Ancresse Common and were moved to the common on Sunday 2nd April.
La Société Conservation Herd were invited to graze the Common by Vale Commons Council as a trial to re-introduce grazing. This initiative has been set up under its new management regime which aims to protect the area as an important recreational and cultural site whilst also enhancing the internationally important grasslands.
Background
L’Ancresse Common was historically grazed by inhabitants of Braye du Valle, who have rights to graze their animals there. As fewer households kept their own cows and it became less economically viable for dairy farms to graze theirs on the common, the number of grazing animals there reduced. Today, no inhabitants exercise their right to graze.
This loss of grazing has had a significant impact on the ecology of the common – the grassland has become tall and rank and areas have become established by gorse and brambles. The delicate wildflowers which require short, grazed grassland no longer have access to light and so are being lost from the common. This, in turn, leads to a loss of the insects, small mammals, bats and birds which rely on them.
La Société Conservation Herd
The Conservation Herd is a herd of eight Guernsey steers whose job is to manage grasslands to protect and enhance their diversity. La Société was approached by VCC to graze the common for several weeks, starting from April 2nd. This initiative is a trial of a longer-termed project which aims to see more grazing animals return to the common.
Julia Henney, the Conservation Herd’s manager, said, “We were delighted to be approached by VCC and asked to graze L’Ancresse Common. It is a vitally important site for Guernsey’s biodiversity and we hope that re-introducing grazing will help preserve it for many years to come. We have experience grazing common land, with the introduction of Operation Skylark at Port Soif Common. The local community offered so much support and the herd were well received and accepted onto Port Soif Common and we hope to replicate this success at L’Ancresse.”
Peter Blake, President of the Vales Commons Council said “Myself and my committee wish you and the herd a great stay on the Common and hope that this will encourage more of the inhabitants to do the same.”
The Conservation Herd will be grazing within electric fencing for several weeks around The Doyle area and will be checked daily by the team which cares for them. La Société and the Vale Commons Council would welcome assistance from regular dog walkers and people who walk or exercise around L’Ancresse. ‘Watchers’ are sought to keep an eye on the cattle when they’re passing and report any problems or concerns to the Conservation Herd team.
Temporary signs are placed around the site to explain the project and give information on who to contact in the event of an emergency.
Anyone who would like more information on the Conservation Herd is welcome to contact Julia Henneyat conservationherd@societe.org.gg and visit our online map here to track where they are grazing.
Considering February is the shortest month, Mother Nature managed to fit in pretty much every weather type bar drought. The choughs faced blinding fog, F10 gales, hailstorms, thunder, and glorious sunshine.
Rolling sea fog to the west of Mourier Valley (left) glorious sunshine to the east at the same time. Photos by Liz Corry.
This might explain why Lee and Caûvette failed to turn up for supplemental feeds four days in a row. In fact they were not sighted anywhere for almost five days. We are not entirely sure if they stayed out at Les Landes the whole time or just waited until sunset to reach their regular roost site at Sorel. Staff attempted to find the answer by stalking the pair around Les Landes and staking out the roost site. Both of which failed because they were either nowhere to be seen to stalk or the roost site was shrouded in fog.
Just as panic set in with the sighting of peregrines hunting at Les Landes the pair were spotted. Both completely fine, behaving as normal feeding around the parade ring at the racecourse.
There was the slight twinge of excitement about their absence if we went with the train of thought that they had chosen to roost at Les Landes. Would this be a clue about where they will attempt to nest?
Chough nest-site prospecting with the Channel Island Occupation Society
Choughs will nest in man-made structures and down mine shafts as well as sea caves and crevices. We know Jersey’s choughs have been hanging around the German observation tower at Les Landes so we decided to investigate the various structures built during the German Occupation in the 1940s. We met with Tony Pike from the Channel Island Occupation Society (CIOS) and his dog Sal who very kindly gave us a guided tour of the site.
Tony Pike kindly allowed access to several German military structures to assess feasibility of chough’s nesting. Sal, his dog, was also keen to show us around as long as it wasn’t underground. Photo by Liz Corry.
We started at the tower, known as the Kriegsmarine Marine Peilstand 3 tower. This was originally built by the German Navy for observing targets at sea. There are seven floors to it, five of which look out to sea and take a fierce battering from the sea winds. Birds cannot enter the tower from this side as the openings have been blocked off with perspex to preserve the interior.
View of the MP3 tower at Les Landes. Photo by Liz Corry.
There is one opening on the land side left open by CIOS members for bats to access if needed. Theoretically, the choughs can use this to access the tower. The walls of the tower are two metres thick providing a convenient shelter ledge for choughs at the opening. Despite the depth it might still be too exposed for choughs to choose to nest on.
Looking inland from inside the tower. Photo by Liz Corry
Once inside there are just flat walls, no ledges to build a nest on with the exception of the concrete spiral staircase. When it rains the floors can become very wet and although they dry out fast I imagine that a smart bird like a chough will quickly realise that this is not a suitable place to raise young.
There are two ‘brother’ towers of Bt Steinbruch on Guernsey and Bt Annes on Alderney allowing the Germans to pass semaphore messages throughout the Channel Islands. The mobile network of its day. Maybe that is what the choughs are doing? Trying to scope out the other islands to decide whether its worth the flight across?
Choughs practising semaphore in an attempt to communicate with Guernsey. Photo by Liz Corry.
As a side note Tony pointed out two sites along the cliffs which the Germans had blasted square holes into the rock face to provide sheltered artillery positions for a soldier to sit in. This side note turned out to be extremely relevant as one is positioned a metre below where we have stationed ourselves several times in the past two months watching the choughs. If only we had known we could have saved ourselves a lot of earache and a few less head colds.
View from a rifleman’s lookout position blasted out of the cliff face. Photo by Liz Corry.
A chough foraging on a cliff face the profile of which was changed when the Germans blasted rock and dumped rubble when building the bunkers. Photo by Liz Corry.
The other structures we were interested in are to be found below ground. There is an extensive complex of passage-linked personnel and ammunition bunkers at Battery Moltke. Precision engineering by the Germans meant that the bunkers had heating and ventilation through a series of shafts and underground piping. None of which look accessible by choughs. Most of the public entrance ways to the bunkers and passageways are behind locked metal-sheeted doors to stop vandalism. If the choughs did find their way in I would like to think they would appreciate what is hidden away underground as much as we did.
Battery Moltke under the ground. Photo courtesy of the Channel Islands Occupation Society
One particular bunker was unearthed by Tony and a team of volunteers last year several decades after the States of Jersey had back-filled it with rubble for health and safety reasons. The ‘flower bunker’ as Tony called it, is an anti-aircraft bunker with a decontamination unit in case of a gas attack. On the walls inside you can see the original artwork by German officers of flowers in what one assumes is an attempt to brighten up the doom and gloom one would face being locked away in an air raid.
Original artwork by German officers on the walls of an anti-aircraft bunker at Les Landes. Photo by Liz Corry.
Original artwork by German officers on the walls of an anti-aircraft bunker at Les Landes. Photo by Liz Corry.
From what we observed it looks unlikely that choughs would nest successfully in any of these places. We are very grateful to Tony nonetheless and now have a greater appreciation of Les Landes when we go out radio-tracking. The choughs still have the option of sea caves and crevices along that stretch of coastline. They may look to the farm buildings behind the racecourse. We will keep a close eye on Lee and Caûvette in March. At the first sign of twig carrying we will be on them like…falcons (in a non-aggressive way).
Big brother is watching you
Simon visiting the dusty nest sites at Ronez Quarry. Photo by Glyn Young
Ronez Quarry very kindly agreed to fund nest cameras in the quarry this year. With help from quarry staff nest-boxes have been installed to try and encourage two particular pairs to nest away from active machinery.
We cannot be sure that the pairs will use the boxes, but if they do we will be able to follow their progress closer than ever before. Using equipment supplied by Handykam we will be able to record what goes on inside the box and hopefully learn more about clutch size, hatch rates, and general day to day activities of nesting choughs.
We do not currently have the option to view live footage. This incurs a greater cost and would be a gamble since we are not even sure if the birds will use the boxes.
The set up also includes monitors at each site to allow quarry staff to check the nests whenever they like without disturbing the birds. Their attentiveness over the past two breeding seasons has been invaluable to the success of the choughs. In the past we have had to wait for a scissor lift or something similar to be brought into the quarry to look in a nest if staff alert us to a situation. Now we just flick a switch.
Highly sophisticated calibration techniques for setting up nest cameras. Photo by Liz Corry.
If the pairs decide not to use the boxes we may be able to reposition the cameras and still capture nesting activities. However, it all depends on timing as we do not want to disturb the choughs unnecessarily. We are very grateful to Ronez Quarry for funding and supporting this project. In particular Mark de Carteret and Andy Paranthoen for co-ordinating and fitting the cameras.
Last, but not least
A future chough diet?
Orlux Remiline granules, a complete food for song thrushes, is being gradually added to the supplemental diet this month. We are trying to see if we can switch from an egg-based diet which can spoil relatively quickly to a dry pelleted diet.
If successful we will then look into automated feed stations similar to those used in Mauritius and New Zealand.
A new ground-breaking assessment published in Bird Conservation International has revealed that loss of habitat could lead to the extinction of a number of species of curlew and godwit, some of which are found in the Channel Islands and the UK.
The world’s godwit and curlew species occur on all continents except Antarctica, but breed only in the Northern Hemisphere. Over half are of global conservation concern, including two (Eskimo curlew and slender-billed curlew) that are Critically Endangered and may even be extinct, and two others (Far Eastern curlew and bristle-thighed curlew) also threatened with extinction. A further three that all occur locally, the Eurasian curlew, bar-tailed godwit and black-tailed godwit, are globally Near Threatened. The assessment has canvassed the views of over 100 experts and reviewed the scientific literature, to help highlight the many threats they face.
Top of the list is the loss of non-breeding habitats. Most species rely on coastal estuaries and wetlands outside of the breeding season, many of which face increasing development and disturbance. This pressure is greatest in the Yellow Sea of China and Korea, perhaps the most important staging area in the world for migratory birds, in terms of numbers, diversity and proportion of threatened species. Part of the East Asian Australasian Flyway, the Yellow Sea provides a vital rung in the migratory ladder between northern breeding areas in Asia and Alaska and southern non-breeding areas as far south as New Zealand and as far west as India. A quarter of the Yellow Sea’s mudflat feeding areas have been lost since the 1980s and much of the remainder is heavily degraded, causing declines in many wader species that depend on it. Increasing pressure for coastal development elsewhere in Asia and across the Americas may similarly affect other species.
All curlew and godwit species nest on the ground in open landscapes. The deterioration of these habitats, for example through changes in agricultural practices, drainage, tree planting and disturbance is a significant pressure across Europe and North America, exacerbated by increasing populations of generalist predators such as red foxes. Climate change is also likely to be an increasing threat through time in both breeding and non-breeding areas.
It is not too late to act. Coastal sites that support important non-breeding populations need to be identified and effectively protected from development, most urgently along the Yellow Sea but also locally – the majority of Jersey’s wintering bar-tailed godwits can be found in Grouville Bay where they increasingly they face disturbance from recreational beach users. Areas that support breeding populations across North America and Europe need to be sympathetically managed at a low-intensity, and where necessary, steps can be taken to reduce the predation pressure.
Bar-tailed godwit. Jersey (January) counts 1987-2017. Figures from Societe Jersiaise Ornithology Section
James Pearce-Higgins, Director of Science at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), and lead author of the paper said “These long-lived wader species require wild open landscapes for breeding, and generally occupy undisturbed coastal habitats at other times of the year. Many are long-distance migrants and vulnerable to change throughout their annual cycle. In many ways, they are among the most sensitive bird species to global change. That over half of the species studied are rapidly declining globally should emphasise to us the impact we are having upon the planet. Their long-term future may well depend upon how well we coordinate international efforts to adopt the recommendations of this paper and support their conservation.”
Nicola Crockford, Principal Policy Officer, RSPB, said “The Eurasian curlew is an iconic species; its appearance in spring is announced by one of nature’s most evocative calls. Sadly like many UK species the Eurasian curlew is in trouble, their numbers have dropped dramatically, putting them at risk of disappearing completely from the UK.“
“The paper recommends that achieving conservation success at the national or international scale will likely require dedicated programmes targeting species at risk, like we have developed for the Eurasian Curlew in the UK where steep declines have been a major factor in the listing of the species as globally Near Threatened with extinction.”
“Through RSPB’s Curlew Recovery Programme and BTO’s programme of Curlew research, we are working together, in partnership with a range of people from farmers and land owners to statutory nature conservation bodies, to reverse this decline.”
A global threats overview for Numeniini populations: synthesising expert knowledge for a group of declining migratory birds. Paper here
The study, involving hundreds of people, found benefits for mental health of being able to see birds, shrubs and trees around the home, whether people lived in urban or more leafy suburban neighbourhoods.
The study, which surveyed mental health in over 270 people from different ages, incomes and ethnicities, also found that those who spent less time out of doors than usual in the previous week were more likely to report they were anxious or depressed.
After conducting extensive surveys of the number of birds in the morning and afternoon in Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton, the study found that lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress were associated with the number of birds people could see in the afternoon. The academics studied afternoon bird numbers — which tend to be lower than birds generally seen in the morning — because they are more in keeping with the number of birds that people are likely to see in their neighbourhood on a daily basis.
In the study, common birds including blackbirds, robins, blue tits and crows were seen. But the study did not find a relationship between the species of birds and mental health, but rather the number of birds they could see from their windows, in the garden or in their neighbourhood.
Previous studies have found that the ability of most people to identify different species is low (see 2012 study below), suggesting that for most people it is interacting with birds, not just specific birds, that provides well-being.
University of Exeter research fellow Dr Daniel Cox, who led the study, said: “This study starts to unpick the role that some key components of nature play for our mental well-being.”
Birds around the home, and nature in general, show great promise in preventative health care, making cities healthier, happier places to live.”
The positive association between birds, shrubs and trees and better mental health applied, even after controlling for variation in neighbourhood deprivation, household income, age and a wide range of other socio-demographic factors.
2012. Biodiversity and the feel-good factor: understanding associations between self-reported human well-being and species richness. Download the paper here
2017. Doses of neighbourhood nature – the benefits for mental health of living with nature. Download the paper here
Interested in Jersey’s wildlife and how you can make a difference? Join us at Wild About Jersey
Come along to Acorn Enterprises, Trinity on 11th & 12th February 2017
This two day celebration of Jersey’s wildlife is open to all with free entry. There will be stalls, displays, activities, talks and training workshops given by a range of local and national speakers.
Saturday 11th February
Talks
A series of talks offered to all who are interested, which will showcase environmental projects happening in Jersey that could do with a helping hand. No need to book, take your pick!
10:00 Making the Difference: The Seasearch Observer Project. Kevin McIlwee, Jersey Seasearch.
10:30 It’s all about scale(s): An uncertain future for Jersey’s grass snakes. Rob Ward, University of Kent.
11:00 The National Plant Monitoring Scheme: Developing a new volunteer-based plant monitoring scheme. Dr Oliver Pescott, National Biological Records Centre.
11:30 The Coastline Campaign: Making a difference. Charles Alluto and Jon Parkes, National Trust for Jersey.
12:00 Earthworms of the UK: A Quest to know more. Emma Sherlock, Earthworm Society of Britain, Natural History Museum, London
12:30 – 13:00 Earthworm Watch Lunchtime Survey Join members of the Earthworm Society of Britain in our Earthworm Watch survey. This involves digging for earthworms, checking which of the three groups they belong to (and what they do to the soil) and checking the soil type where they were found. It might involve slightly muddy hands (but gloves will be provided!)
Training workshops (Choose One) 13:30 – 15:30
Training offered to all, providing an opportunity for everyone to get involved in scientific research.
National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) – Rob Ward & Nina Cornish
Training in amphibian and reptile identification, habitat assessment, survey methods, recording, health & safety. Including advanced skills for grass snake surveying, highlighting the issues in detecting grass snakes in Jersey and how to improve your chances of finding them. We will provide guidance and training on what data should be collected.
National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) – Oliver Pescott & Anne Haden
This workshop will begin with an overview of the NPMS scheme, and how to identify areas to survey. This will be followed by a field trip, meeting at Les Landes primary school car park. The field survey will explore the areas chosen in the classroom. If time allows, some identification of plants will also be demonstrated.
Sunday 12th February
Talks
No need to book, take your pick!
10:00 Corks, Pellets & Rings. Bob Tompkins, Jersey Barn Owl Conservation.
10:30 Wildlife in urban and suburban habitats. Attitudes, challenges and opportunities. Sue Clarke, Wessex Environmental Consultants.
11:00 10 Years of Toadwatch. Nina Cornish, SoJ Natural Environment Team
11:30 Winter is coming…and it’ll be fine: A lifeline for farmland birds. Cristina Sellares, Birds On The Edge.
12:00 Lighting the Spark: Connecting children to nature to inspire environmental stewardship. Stephen Le Quesne, Wild Jersey.
Training workshops (Choose One) 13:30 – 15:30
Jersey Conservation Volunteers – Julia Meldrum and Piers Sangan
Habitat management at Grouville Marsh. Willow management and dead hedging along the stream edge. Bring hand saws, loppers, secateurs, gloves (some provided)… and wellies!! Followed by Kim’s Kakes and a cuppa! Meet at Longbeach car park, Grouville.
Jersey Butterfly Monitoring Scheme – Sue Clarke and Denise McGowan
Learn the basic techniques in identification and monitoring of Jersey’s butterflies and what this citizen science program has taught us. Training in identifying common species provided
Tea, coffee and food available to purchase from Acorn Café all day
Another year gone and once again its time to count the birds in our gardens during the Action for Wildlife, Birds On The Edge and Jersey Evening Post Great Garden Birdwatch. Few things show us more how the environment around us, our own living-space, is faring than looking at the birds that have chosen to live alongside us. If all is well there it shows that our environment is healthy while, conversely, obvious declines in bird numbers suggest that all is not well at home.
Analysis of sightings from the previous 15 years of this survey makes it very obvious that not all our favourite garden birds are faring so well and that populations are changing dramatically. But, how exactly do we know. Well, through as many people as possible counting them. And not just birdwatchers but everyone who likes birds because, let’s face it, everyone does like birds. And they are often easy to count because they can be pretty obvious especially when they come into our gardens to the food we put out for them. Data shown by the survey are very important in highlighting what is happening in our wider environment and, while not covering the whole countryside, results do bring home to everyone wider concerns. Just think, if the birds are doing badly in our gardens where we feed and protect them, what is happening out there in the rest of the world.
So, please, over this weekend follow the guidelines printed below or in today’s JEP and tell us what birds you see. We can add up all the counts (we have 15 years’ worth already) and easily pick up changes that are happening right in front of us. Will there be even fewer greenfinches than last year and will wood pigeons have finally taken over our bird tables? We call this ‘citizen science’ so consider yourself all citizen scientists!
And don’t forget. For this survey, squirrels can consider themselves birds so please count them too if you see any.
How to enter the survey
Counters should note the highest number of each species of bird that are seen together at one time during that period – not the total number which enter your garden over the period of the watch.
Survey forms and a handy identification guide will be published in the JEP on Thursday the 2nd and all data received will be passed on to La Société Jersiaise to add to their records and included in Birds On The Edge bird monitoring analyses.
Completed forms can be posted in or delivered to the JEP. You can also send in your records online through this website here from the weekend.
The intertidal habitat map has been compared with aerial photographs taken in 1944, 1980, 2003 and 2005. This suggests that the intertidal area at Les Minquiers is in good condition and there has been little measurable change in the type, size and location of its habitats. With the exception of some sand movement, the reef’s intertidal ecology seems to have remained stable during the past 70 years.
Unfortunately, not measurable from historical aerial photography is small scale ecological damage that can result from activities such as low water fishing and boating, such as not returning boulders. In 1956 it was reported that ormer fishermen were not returning rocks and that this was killing off under-boulder fauna to such an extent that it was affecting shellfish stocks on the reef. Survey work at Les Minquiers since 2013 suggests that while some ormer fishermen still do not return rocks, this is not happening enough to cause widespread habitat and species destruction.
Low water fishing activities should periodically be quantified to avoid some of the problems that have occurred on the nearby Chausey Islands. Compared with the French coast, pursuits such as raking, digging and ormering are at a low level on Les Minquiers and much that does occur tends to be within the anchorage at Maîtresse Île or on adjacent sandbanks. Raking has the potential to disrupt or destroy stable infaunal communities and is especially problematic in areas of eelgrass but when conducted on a small scale, habitats can recover and be repopulated from nearby areas. Promoting good practice regarding low water fishing will assist with the conservation of key intertidal habitats. Other potential but currently minor problems include the placing of moorings in eelgrass areas, the dumping of fishing gear and the threat from oil or other chemical spillages.
The intertidal environment at Les Minquiers is diverse and mostly pristine. From Les Minquiers – A Natural History
Subtidal habitats
Assessing the nature and quality of subtidal habitats at Les Minquiers has been problematic and there is much work left to do in this area. Diving, aerial photography and fisheries data all suggest that the seabed from chart datum to around five to ten metres in depth is probably in good condition with little obvious evidence of degradation. An exception to this is an eelgrass area to the south-west of Le Rocher du Sud which, in 2003, showed clear evidence of having been heavily dredged causing considerable damage.
Deeper water areas have not been assessed since the 1970s but modern fisheries data indicate that the seabed to the east, south-east and north-east of the plateau has been regularly fished using mobile gear. The state of these seabed areas has not been ascertained but it is possible that they may have been damaged by commercial fishing and be in a degraded condition and/or affected by the accumulation of the American slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata).
Some form of seabed survey, possibly by remote camera, is desirable, especially in areas that the PhD study of Retière (1979) records as having had maerl. Non-mobile métiers, such as potting and line fishing, do less harm and, apart from instances of lost gear, are unlikely to cause long-lasting seabed damage.
Rocky subtidal habitats are of less interest to dredgers and trawlers and evidence from divers, and the fisheries data, suggest that there has been little damage to rocky reefs or large areas of exposed bedrock on the seabed. Subtidal rocky habitats contain many delicate species such as sea fans, sponges and anemones and should be conserved whenever possible.
A sponge on Les Sauvages – a particularly important underwater site to the south-east of Les Minquiers. From Les Minquiers – A Natural History
Marine Species
A general lack of data pre-1992 makes it difficult to discern any population trends for marine species found at Les Minquiers. There is sufficient anecdotal information to suggest that a number of species have either disappeared from the reef or have noticeably declined. This includes the conger eel, sea bass, common octopus, slipper lobster, flat oyster and eelgrass, although their decline is probably related to factors outside of the reef such as regional overfishing, disease and climatic events. A severe decline in the ormer population is related to a combination of historical overfishing and, in 1999, disease. There has been some recovery since the 1990s but the population is at an historical low and further conservation measures may be needed to assure the ormer’s long-term regional future.
The reef has also gained some new species, some of which have migrated up from southern Europe and there are seven invasive species that have arrived from neighbouring coasts. Invasive species can present a real threat to the local marine environment and some, such as wireweed (Sargassum muticum), have permanently changed habitats within Les Minquiers. Fortunately, the Plateau des Minquiers seems to have fewer invasive species than neighbouring coasts although it is possible that the American slipper limpet may be affecting deeper water sediment areas. It is only through international regulation and meaningful biosecurity measures that future arrivals can be minimised in the north-west European area.
Over 600 marine species are known from Les Minquiers. From Les Minquiers – A Natural History
Biodiversity on Les Minquiers
The table below summarises the number of species recorded from Les Minquiers from three separate periods of time: pre-1950; 1950 to 1999; post-1999. These periods broadly reflect elevated levels of recording that occurred either side of World War II and individual surveys during the 1950s, 1970s, 1990s and at the start of the current century.
It is probable that the number of species recorded on Maîtresse Île is an accurate reflection of the island’s overall biodiversity and that there has been a loss of plant and breeding bird species since the end of World War II. The resident arthropods have probably remained stable and may even have increased with the renovation of the huts from the 1970s onwards. Microscopic animals, such as mites and diatoms, and lichens have only recently been studied.
It is probable that the number of recorded marine species in the table is an underestimate with the total diversity probably being double or treble this total. Further targeted research will produce more records, especially in subtidal areas. Historical records are not good enough to discern whether there has been a decline in most marine species although this it is suspected in some cases.
A summary of biodiversity on Les Minquiers for three time periods: pre-1950; 1950-1999 and post 2000 together with the total number of species recorded overall. From Les Minquiers – A Natural History
Environmental threats, causes and solutions
The information gathered during the course of this project suggests that Maîtresse Île is under considerable environmental pressure. Of particular concern is the issue of soil erosion which presents an immediate threat to the island’s wildlife and infrastructure. Addressing it is primarily a matter of awareness, stakeholder cooperation, management and infrastructure maintenance although there are some factors, such as rising sea levels, that cannot be tackled solely at a local level.
In the marine realm the greatest threat is from the fishing industry and especially the use of mobile gear (such as dredges and trawls) on the seabed which can cause serious and irreparable damage to habitats and species. A review of ecosystem services suggests that Les Minquiers is an area of high biological productivity with habitats that make it an important nursery area for commercial fish and shellfish species. This has been suspected for some time and as early as the 1930s it was suggested that the reef was important to regional fish stocks.
It is probable that conserving the nursery function of Les Minquiers will have a greater long-term economic return for the fishing industry than the short-term rewards gained from damaging its benthic habitats. It is, therefore, important that as much of the reef as possible is designated as a no mobile fishing gear zone but especially the shallow marine habitats on the Plateau des Minquiers most (but not all) of which are at present undamaged.
Some other common solutions include the need for increased management, monitoring and awareness and there are a number of major potential threats (such as climate change, oil slicks and invasive species) that require international cooperation. However, in the short term it is local and regional management that offers the best and most immediate means of conserving the key ecological, infrastructural and cultural attributes of Les Minquiers.
Historically Les Minquiers has been managed via an informal relationship between the States of Jersey, the Crown, hut owners and regional fishing authorities. However, in recent years other organisations and groups have been founded whose remit covers the reef including the Ramsar Management Authority, the National Park and the Maîtresse Île Residents’ Association. Exactly how the reef should best be managed and how this may best be accomplished without becoming intrusive or overbearing to its stakeholders, remains a matter for discussion.
About Les Minquiers Project
The project to study Les Minquiers was begun in 2012 by three members of the Société Jersiaise’s Marine Biology Section. They had been working on Les Écréhous and Paternosters and were aware of the importance and fragility of Jersey’s offshore reefs. They were aware that little was known about Les Minquiers and decided that they would take a look to see what could be done to rectify this.
The initial plan was to just look at the reef’s marine biology (its most obvious natural asset) but it became quickly apparent that almost every aspect of Les Minquiers needed documenting. The team soon expanded to include botanists, ornithologists, entomologists, divers, geologists, archaeologists, meteorologists and all manner of other specialists. Every conceivable thing was studied, from single-celled organisms through to the reef’s complex political and cultural history. In the end the project had nineteen principal contributors plus over 50 others who assisted with fieldwork, data crunching, logistics and archive research.
The projects results have been written up into a book which is available in a limited edition hardback (from Société Jersiaise only here) and a paperback. Any profit from the hardback edition will be used to pay for the project’s cost, most of which has been funded by the participants themselves.
Following publication of the landmark book Les Minquiers – A Natural History Birds On The Edge asked one of the authors, Paul Chambers, to discuss the book and these remarkable but poorly known islands.
Situated just 12 miles south of St Helier, the tangle of rocks, reefs and sandbanks that form Les Minquiers is a world entirely removed from the bustle and traffic of Jersey life.
At 300 km2 the Minquiers’ plateau is larger than most British cities and yet at high tide only 0.002 km2 remains above the sea. Six hours later (and drop in sea level of up to 13 metres) and the area of exposed seashore expands by some 10,000 per cent to 20 km2. The reef holds around 20,000 individual rocks the oldest of which are at least 640 million years old. The one vegetated island, Maîtresse Île, has a rich prehistoric archaeology which suggests it has been regularly used by humans over the past 4,500 years.
This wonder of the natural world is sat on Jersey’s doorstep and yet until recently very little was known about the history or natural history of Les Minquiers. ‘There is perhaps no area of comparable extent in the British Isles about which so little is known,’ wrote the celebrated geologist Dr Arthur Mourant in 1977. This remained true until 2012 when a small team from Jersey’s Société Jersiaise set out to document the reef’s marine and terrestrial biology.
Following the recent publication of the team’s landmark book on the history and natural history of Les Minquiers (see book here) we are pleased to present an overview of the current ecological health of Les Minquiers. This has been adapted from the ‘Summary and Conclusions’ chapter in the book.
Introduction
Les Minquiers. July 2016. Photo by Glyn Young
In 1998 the Jersey in the New Millennium government consultation document stated that Les Écréhous and Les Minquiers ‘may very well warrant SSI [Site of Special Interest] designation and even international recognition but there is an urgent need to recognise their unique character and the ecology/landscape/leisure use linkages in a “national park” style designation akin to that given to Les Mielles. The increase in leisure boating activity and the number of marinas on the adjacent French coast will subject these reefs to increasing people pressure with obvious knock-on ecological impacts’.
Since this was written all of Jersey’s offshore reefs have been designated as Ramsar (Wetlands of International Importance) areas and the terrestrial areas included within the Jersey National Park. Maîtresse Île is scheduled to become a Site of Special Interest (SSI) and has been subject to various management plans, laws, policies and multilateral environmental agreements.
This has drawn attention to the importance of the offshore reefs and yet, until recently, there remained a general lack of appreciation of their histories and natural histories, and an absence of coordinated study, management and monitoring. It was this knowledge gap that inspired a small team of amateur and professional naturalists to spend four years studying all aspects of Les Minquiers, from its history, archaeology and geology to its animal and plant life. Their results are published in the book, already described as ‘an achievement on a global scale’ by The Sunday Times environment correspondent (and author of End of the Line) Charles Clover.
Les Minquiers. April 2011. Photo by Glyn Young
Aside from providing a comprehensive overview of every aspect of Les Minquiers, the project’s results provide much of the basic information that is needed by local, national and perhaps international authorities to make decisions regarding the reef’s present-day management, as well as to develop strategies to safeguard its future.
Presented below is a summary of those results and conclusions that most concern the general environmental and ecological health of Les Minquiers, especially those which might have some relevance to the reef’s future management.
These should not be taken as an exhaustive summary of all the project’s results as much other information is provided in the book and a reading of the relevant chapters is recommended. Regardless of how the information derived from this project is used in the future, the authors would like to think that their work does fulfil the ‘urgent need to recognise the unique character’ of Les Minquiers, as requested by the States of Jersey in 1998.
A summary of physical and environmental change
Presented below is a summary of key facts and conclusions relating to the current and historical environmental status of Les Minquiers. This includes aspects of the reef’s archaeology and oceanography but does not include summaries of information relating to the human and geological history of the reef unless it touches on ecological and environmental matters.
Physical Geography, Oceanography and Sedimentology
The general topography of Les Minquiers has probably changed little since the post-glacial sea level stabilised around 2,000 to 4,000 years ago. Much of the plateau is made of hard igneous rock about ten per cent of which is exposed at low water. There has been little opportunity for human activity to destroy or alter the bedrock and so many parts of the reef will present the same profile now as they did when the first Bronze Age hunters travelled to the reef in search of seals.
The main exception to this is Maîtresse Île and several nearby rocks whose physical profile has changed considerably following quarrying in the early nineteenth century. The removal of rock from the north-west and south-east of the island may have accelerated soil erosion by allowing breaking waves to access the area west of the huts. It is probable that some soil erosion had occurred prior to this but quarrying may have accelerated the process.
A second noticeable change in topography concerns the reef’s many sandbanks which build up against rocks or form in the lee of obstacles within tidal currents. An obvious example is the large sandbank known as Le Gris Banc which, since the time of the first hydrographic surveys, has moved steadily eastwards into an adjacent channel. This movement accelerated in the 1990s entirely closing what was once a navigable gap of around 300 metres. Other less strategic sandbanks, such as Le Banc du Turbot, may also have changed shape in recent decades. Although visually remarkable and a nuisance to boaters and chart makers, sandbank movement is probably part of a natural cycle of accumulation and erosion within the reef.
Le Gris Banc a sandbank at Les Minquiers which has moved 300 metres during the past decade. From Les Minquiers – A Natural History
Maîtresse Île
The small terrestrial area of Maîtresse Île has probably seen the greatest change of any place on Les Minquiers. Prior to the nineteenth century Maîtresse Île was a remote, largely untouched, vegetated island with no freshwater which was irregularly visited by fishermen. Then came the quarrymen and more organised fishing from La Rocque Harbour so that by the mid-nineteenth century around 18 stone buildings had been built which were permanently inhabited during the spring and summer months. It is probable that the fishermen managed the island’s vegetation (especially tree mallow) creating habitats for specialist coastal plants such as grasses. Throughout this time soil erosion continued to operate on the western and north-eastern edges of the island.
Maitresse Ile. April 2011. Photo by Glyn Young
Plant life
Following World War II the huts were abandoned, allowing plants and birds to take over. Renovation of the derelict buildings began in the 1970s and, by the 1980s, had led to a new phase of development and occupation by Jersey families. In 2016 just two hut sites remain undeveloped. As huts have been renovated and visitor numbers have increased, so the biology and ecology of Maîtresse Île has gradually changed. This was accelerated by the application of weed killer across the island in 1973 which removed an estimated 99% of all plant life. Erosion was enhanced immediately following this event leading to considerable soil loss.
Tree mallow (with mist net). April 2011. Photo by Glyn Young
Over the past century a total of 26 plant species have at some point been recorded from Maîtresse Île. The most species observed during an individual survey was 16 in 1973, immediately after the weed killer incident when, ironically, opportunistic weeds temporarily appeared. Currently there are eight known species with those plants that have disappeared during the past century mostly being grasses and short species such as thrift. Some of these (including thrift) may have been permanently removed by the weed killer incident while others were possibly crowded out by the tree mallow which currently dominates the island.
It is possible that tree mallow is naturally pervasive on Maîtresse Île and that, left to its own devices, this is the species that will proliferate and dominate. Other historically recorded species, such as grasses and thrift, may have been present only as long as the fishermen were resident and regularly clearing the tree mallow.
Aside from aesthetics, the most important roles of vegetation are to prevent soil erosion and provide food and shelter for wildlife. This is especially true for the island’s bird life with almost all the 92 recorded breeding and migratory species being dependent on the presence of tree mallow.
The destruction of vegetation exposes soil to the effects of waves, wind and rain, causing it to erode rapidly. Since 1928 Maîtresse Île has lost an estimated 50 per cent of its soil cover and it is soil erosion, above all else, that presents the greatest environmental threat to the island’s ecology. Soil provides an anchor for vegetation which is in turn needed by birds and invertebrate animals. Soil also supports hut foundations and contains archaeological material.
Although the issue of soil erosion has been raised several times by archaeologists, little has been done to address it. This should form a central part of any future management plans for Maîtresse Île, especially with regard to the way in which visitors and residents use the island. Without soil, Maîtresse Île will lose its wildlife, its infrastructure and its archaeology. Without soil, the central part of the island will be around a metre lower in height which will permit storm waves to sweep up from the south and east and cross the spine of the island.
Only the high points around the flagpole, Le Gabé and to the west of the toilet will be significantly above the high water mark. In such circumstances the huts and any terrestrial species are unlikely to survive, leaving Maîtresse Île a largely barren rock that, like La Grande Maison, would support only nesting birds, maritime algae and some lichens.
Nesting birds
Another notable biological change to have occurred in recent decades is in the use of Maîtresse Île by nesting birds. The discovery of seabird bones from the Bronze Age suggests that the island has been used as a nesting place for thousands of years. It is unlikely that seabirds would have nested successfully when fishermen were in residence as the nests would probably have been raided or scattered. After World War II birds did nest successfully as the ruined huts provided shelter for shags, gulls and other seabirds. Since renovation of the huts began in the 1970s, there has been a decrease in the number of species nesting so that currently it is only gull species which nest in any number on the rocky areas to the west and north of the huts although, in July and August 2015, a large number of Terns nested on the north of the island for the first time in living memory.
Les Maisons. Photo by Mick Dryden
Disturbance
In recent years weather, inadvertent disturbance and deliberate damage to nests has led to some poor breeding seasons on Maîtresse Île. For example, in 2014 all the gulls’ nests were deliberately destroyed early in the season leading to a disastrous breeding year for the birds. Additional monitoring of when, where and which species are nesting on the island might allow for a more targeted management during the nesting season. A second nesting site exists around the base of the beacon at La Grande Maison which seems to receive little human interference.
There have been many other events and incidents that have affected the ecology of Maîtresse Île in some way. Most of these result from individual acts of ignorance, such as clearing vegetation for camping or picnics, placing heavy machinery on the island and lighting barbecues on bare soil or next to huts. Other actions derive from ignorance or wanton destruction of property and the dumping of litter and chemicals are more deliberate acts.
An increased awareness of the fragility of Maîtresse Île’s ecology amongst visitors and residents will go some way to resolving these problems. Signs, websites and literature (such as posters and leaflets at marinas) should promote a greater understanding of Maîtresse Île and its ecology. There have also been issues around repairs and renovations on the island and it is recommended that future projects (whether by Jersey’s authorities or individuals) are made to adhere to tight management plans which avoid the risk of soil erosion, habitat destruction and pollution.
Climate change
One final and probably unavoidable issue facing Maîtresse Île is that of climate change and rising sea levels. Many different models and claims are made about the cause and visible effects of climate change but evidence does suggest that the global climate is undergoing a warming phase and that the sea level is rising. For low-lying islands and reefs this is not good news, as even small sea level rises risk increased erosion and marine inundation. This may be compounded by a predicted increase in the number and severity of storm surges as the warmer seas create and empower low pressure systems.
Maitresse Ile. April 2011. Photo by Glyn Young
Between October 2013 and March 2014 the coast of Europe was hit by a series of spectacular storms that rolled in off the Atlantic swamping and damaging coastlines along the English Channel. On Maîtresse Île these storms removed soil from the west of the island, damaged two of the seawalls and undermined the concrete area at the top of the slipway. Similarly, a storm surge in February 2008 damaged a wall and shifted large boulders across the slipway. As the sea level rises, so the destructive potential of waves will move higher up the island placing pressure on the sea defences and further increase the action of soil erosion. This issue is being addressed for Jersey’s sea defences and needs to be addressed for Maîtresse Île too.
The results from this project suggest that Maîtresse Île is facing several immediate threats, the most serious of which are issues relating to soil erosion, habitat/species loss and storm damage. These, and other threats, are best addressed through coherent management and monitoring of the island, investment in infrastructure maintenance, the cooperation of its principal users and raising awareness for visitors and potential visitors.
Maitresse Ile at Les Minquiers: soil erosion means it gets smaller every year. Les Minquiers – A Natural History
The Department commissioned Amphibian and Reptile Conservation to analyse and prepare a report on 10 years of citizen science data collected under the Toadwatch survey.
Jersey residents were asked to take part in Toadwatch by reporting sightings of our crapauds (spiny toads) using ponds. Data has now been collected for over 10 years (2005 – 2014) and this analysis has created an up to date toad distribution map for Jersey. It has highlighted features of the Jersey landscape that are most important for toads and suggested areas to create new breeding ponds.
A breakdown of the types of ponds used for toad breeding overwhelmingly supports the suggestion that man-made habitats are critical for the species’ survival in the island. Ensuring that these habitats are maintained and connected across the Island is considered to be a critical task to conserve our toads into the future.
Records of Jersey toads were received from 281 locations between 2005 and 2014 and used to create a distribution map. The same data were used to create a GIS model indicating which features of the Jersey landscape are most important for toads. Ponds and gardens were most important, along with other man-made habitats like parks, golf courses and recreational fields, indicating the reliance of toads on anthropogenic features in the modern Jersey landscape.
All Toadwatch record locations 2005-2014
Further modelling combined with an analysis of barriers to connectivity between populations (roads) revealed that many toad populations in the centre and north of the Island, especially, are isolated from the larger clusters of breeding ponds found in St. Brelade and St Helier-St Saviour. This can be used to suggest areas where creation of new breeding ponds and other habitat will be most effective as a tool for toad conservation in the Island – specifically:
Between La Crabière and Les Landes, and between St Ouen’s Village and Grève de Lecq, as well as La Crabière and St Peter’s Village (to link populations in the west of the Island);
Approximately between Beaumont and Sorel, and along almost any north-south valleys (to link the St Mary – St John population cluster to other populations);
Eastern Trinity, St. Martin, south-east to Gorey and through Grouville (to restore connectivity in the east of the island);
Approximately between Beaumont and Bellozane (reconnects the southern population clusters to one-another);
Between Noirmont, Woodbine Corner and Ouaisné (the latter population not currently recorded as part of Toadwatch) (to connect Noirmont with other populations and improve population robustness in this key area).
Analyses of the Toadwatch monitoring data showed that timing of toad breeding was very variable (starting usually any time between early January and early March) but there was no discernible trend towards earlier breeding. Analysis of any population trends 2005-2014 is difficult due to inconsistencies by recorders; however, the average number of spawn strings per pond was <4, indicating generally small populations. The majority of ponds (81%) also had <30 toads in any one year.
A breakdown of the types of ponds used for toad breeding in Jersey overwhelmingly supports the suggestion that man-made habitats are critical for the species’ survival in the Island. Nevertheless, almost half of the reporters recorded toads being killed on nearby roads – a consequence of their dependence on urban habitats.
Toadwatch has not yet provided much data on other key species (such as grass snakes), though some islanders have begun to record these species. The adoption of an on-line recording system, hosted by Jersey Biodiversity Centre will help improve collection of these data, improve consistency of reporting and allow for more revealing future analyses of e.g. population trends.
Summary of Key Recommendations
Create new breeding ponds in the areas suggested to improve population resilience
Continue to support collection of Toadwatch data on-line as a key component of monitoring the species’ status in the island
Use signage and patrols, where likely effective, to reduce road mortality
Update the available information on creating toad habitat/ponds.
Download the report Ten Years of Jersey Toadwatch: Analysis & Recommendations here
On 3rd October the choughs inside the release aviary were given access outside to join the free-living flock. Chick S is still missing presumed dead so the radio-tracking study will focus on the eleven remaining captive-bred juveniles of 2016. This includes Trevor, Durrell’s parent-reared male, already at liberty with the older birds. However, our primary concern during the first week of the October release was ‘simply’ making sure the six Paradise Park birds survived.
Table 1: The identities of the radio-tracked choughs for the 2016 release.
The four foster chicks knew what to expect due to their summer outing shortly after fledging. The six birds from Paradise Park had to take a leap of faith. For a few it was obvious that the situation was overwhelming. The physical stress of flying outside of the aviary parameters started to show quite quickly.
Earl took to the air after a period of contemplation on the outer shelf. His flight was quite laboured compared to the birds with several months flying experience. He flew continuously making several loops high above the aviary and started flying open-mouthed implying shortness of breath. When he finally landed back at the aviary it took him several minutes to compose himself, standing on the shelf, mouth wide open, before venturing back inside to feed.
One of the females, Yarila, acted in a similar fashion. She flew non-stop for almost an hour flapping back and forth between Sorel Farm and Mourier Valley whilst the other 34 choughs paid her no attention. Almost certainly peregrine fodder, fortunately for her they were occupied elsewhere. Yarila is the name of a Russian deity symbolising spring (and an anagram of Ali and Ray). Fingers crossed she makes it through to the spring if she keeps up antics like that.
Earl (on the rock) returned to the aviary after his first flight looking visibly stressed. After taking several minutes to compose himself he went back inside to feed. Photo by Liz Corry.
The foster chicks also appeared to have had a hectic first half hour. Hopefully more out of excitement than stress. Very quickly they settled back into life outside the aviary, foraging together or joining the adults in flight around Sorel. They chose to roost back at the aviary which helped calm the nerves of the tracking team.
Two of the foster chicks, Wally and Ube, quickly settled back into their old ways having already experienced life outside the aviary for two months back in summer. Photo by Liz Corry.
Trevor (red over orange leg ring) foraging alongside one of the older birds. Photo by Liz Corry.
Dingle, seen here preening his partner Red, demonstrating just how interested the older choughs were in the new additions to the flock. Photo by Liz Corry.
Duke and Earl are two males from Paradise Park and very important for the future of the wild population. No surprises then that these two deviated from the plan. After recuperating in the aviary, Earl took flight again following a group leaving the aviary towards the quarry. Radio signals suggested he was with the group flying around the quarry which put the tracking team at ease and allowed the focus to shift to Duke who had wandered off to the cliffs.
Student Simon ready and waiting with the tracking gear in case the released choughs disappear out of sight. Photo by Liz Corry.
The radio signal for Duke suggested he was part of a trio hanging around the top of Sorel Point. As the team crept closer with binoculars primed, the choughs took flight and dropped behind the point. Half an hour before sunset Duke reappeared, alone, on the cliff-top near the aviary. We know from previous releases, that if the bird is not at the aviary as the sun is setting on their first night out they start to panic. They look for an alternative roost site within their immediate vicinity which might not be appropriate, but it is the only option they see. Duke had settled in an area where we have a nest box secured on the cliff face. When his signal disappeared at sunset we had to hope he had found the box and was sheltering at the back.
Sunrise from Le Marionneux. Photo by Liz Corry.
Returning at sunrise we found that Duke‘s signal was coming from the same area. We tried to scour the area as best as possible, bearing in mind sections of shear cliff and thick vegetation physically blocking areas and the cliff structure bouncing/blocking radio waves. We started to fear the worse after two hours of the signal behaving as if the bird (or transmitter) was stationary. Suddenly a chough flew up out of nowhere, called, then disappeared. Was this Duke or one of the others who had been foraging nearby? At 10:30 the student went off to prepare the dishes for the morning feed at the aviary. Much to everyone’s surprise Duke was at the aviary flanked by the other Paradise Park chicks. He didn’t seem quite at ease, but must have been as relieved to be back as were we.
At the same time as searching for Duke we had to find out what had happened to Earl. His signal was still at the quarry despite all the other quarry roosting choughs dispersing at dawn. Trevor and sixteen other choughs had entirely vanished. No sign of them at Devils Hole or Crabbé. The three breeding pairs and their chicks were foraging with the newbies at Sorel. Earl was alone. As with Duke his signal was not changing location but it was behaving as if he was moving. Possibly short flights back and forth. Yet not a single chough in sight. The good news was that he had gone to the side of the quarry where others have in the past and we can get supplemental food to them (via a catapult). The bad news was that it was also the same place where Ronez perished last year.
As the sun was setting 24 hours after Earl had first arrived at the quarry, a large group of choughs flew into the quarry. They started foraging for food in the same area where Earl‘s signal was coming from. A total of 27 choughs were there including the foster chicks. He had to be in that group. Surely this meant he would roost with either the quarry group or follow the foster chicks when they headed back to the aviary to roost.
Earl spent his first day outside of the aviary alone on the east side of the quarry. Photo by Liz Corry.
A group of twenty-seven choughs including Earl foraging in the quarry shortly before roost. Photo by Liz Corry.
Nope. Day 2 began like groundhog day. Earl alone in the quarry, Trevor and a large group off travelling the Island, and the remainder at the aviary. The major difference was at 9am when suddenly Earl appeared, sat on a rock. Jumping into action, chough food was catapulted over the fence towards Earl. Initially he seemed oblivious, then noticed the food and started eating.
Earl made an appearance after a day of hiding in the quarry. Photo by Liz Corry.
Staff managed to catapult in food for Earl to boost his energy levels. Photo by Liz Corry.
We paid him another two visits making sure he kept his energy levels up throughout the day. Then at 3pm a group of 19 choughs flew in from the direction of the quarry and landed at the aviary. One of which was Earl. Unfamiliar with the concept of walking on netting he edged his way slowly across the roof to re-join the Paradise Park chicks.
Earl cautiously walking across the netting for the first time to get back into the safety of the aviary. Photo by Liz Corry.
The rest of the first week outside was relatively uneventful. The newbies stayed around Sorel along with the breeding pairs with occasional visits to the quarry or Devil’s Hole. It was Trevor and other choughs who caused fun and games for the tracking team. We knew the older birds had been visiting other areas along the north coast thanks to a couple of public sightings. Once we started radio-tracking again from dawn until dusk it was evident the visits were common place.
Even before the sun had risen over the horizon a group had set off to find breakfast at Les Landes. They visited the race course at Les Landes last autumn. This time round there are more of them and the consistency of their visits is fairly promising. They are expanding their range and who can blame them with managed grassland potentially rich in invertebrates thanks to the dung produced from the resident cows in the middle of the track and the visiting horses.
Sunrise at Les Landes where the choughs were having breakfast. Photo by Liz Corry.
Choughs foraging in the middle of the race track which just happens to double up as cattle pasture. Photo by Liz Corry.
The track at Les Landes proving popular with the choughs out of the horse racing season. Photo by Liz Corry.
It is a difficult area to keep track of exactly how many choughs are present. It may look flat, but there are plenty of dips, dents, and barriers to visibility. The most challenging being when they land in amongst the heather as you can see below.
Can you spot the TWO choughs in amongst the heather at Les Landes. Photo by Liz Corry.
Public sightings of choughs
Other areas regularly visited by the choughs this month have been Crabbé shooting range, L’Etacq just south of the race course and the Model Aircraft Field. There is a prize up for grabs to the first person to get a photo of a chough taking off from that runway! They have also been seen flying over Plémont to get to or from Les Landes. No one has yet reported seeing a chough feeding at Plémont. The habitat restoration work carried out at Plémont by the National Trust for Jersey should make it more attractive to the choughs over the next few years. If not sooner.
We are starting to collect a few intriguing sightings in areas where we wouldn’t typically expect to see the choughs, but not impossible considering the size of the Island. They tend to be a single bird flying overhead, making it impossible to identify the individual. It also means we cannot be certain if they are using that area or just flying over en route to another location. Either way we are urging Islanders to keep an eye out in St Lawrence and Trinity!
Transmitter tales
Of course it doesn’t help matters when the birds you are tracking drop their radio-transmitters. After only two weeks Zennor lost her radio-transmitter. It dropped close to the aviary with the feather still attached. The quill was damaged. This could be an indication of why the feather came out before their natural moult. Equally the damage could have occurred after it dropped by feet (or hooves!) unknowingly trampling the feather.
Zennor tends to stay close to the other juveniles which means her movements should be relatively easy to follow. Hopefully this is a one off and the others stay attached until the birds moult naturally in May/June.
Patience is a virtue
We finally succeeded in trapping the sick wild chick, PP003, in the aviary towards the end of the month. Her condition had not worsened, but it certainly wasn’t improving. After an injection of wormer and visual inspection by Durrell’s vet nurse she was released and re-joined the group. We have noticed a considerable improvement and will continue to monitor in case a second dose of wormer is required.
PP003 the sick wild chick pictured here with her sibling was caught up this month and treated for syngamus. Photo by Liz Corry
Daylight savings
The end of British Summertime saw a shift in daylight hours and has meant that the supplemental feed in the afternoon has been brought forward to 15:00 from 30th October. Our roost checks will now occur daily at a more amenable time as sunset becomes earlier and earlier.
And relax!
With the choughs successfully released and settling down into their new lives in the wild it was time for a day off. What better way of relaxing than taking a boat trip with Jersey Seafaristo see….the choughs.
To be fair, the two hour trip along the north coast from St Catherine’s Breakwater to L’Île Agois promised sea caves and dolphins and nothing (strictly) to do with choughs.
That being said it did provide a unique opportunity to scour the coastline thinking about future breeding sites when competition in the quarry forces new pairs to look elsewhere.
There are plenty of caves and crevices along the north coast, but many are cut off at high tide. Devil’s Hole has always looked appealing and resembles may of the Cornish breeding sites. On this particular day the choughs were flying high above Sorel Point, but they frequently visit Devils Hole. The boat trip does not go as far round as Les Landes and Plémont. Even if it did, we would have run out of time that day. A pod of dolphins complete with baby, kept crew and passengers engaged a lot longer than anyone anticipated both there and back.
Sorel Point as viewed from the sea. Photo by Liz Corry.
The entrance to the blow hole at Devil’s Hole can only be accessed by kayak at low tide (and calm seas). Photo by Liz Corry.
Dolphins are a fairly common sight along the north coast of Jersey. Photo by Liz Corry.
It is well worth hopping on board a Jersey Seafaris excursion and seeing the Island from a completely different perspective. It becomes clear, very quickly, why it is important to protect Jersey’s natural heritage on both land and sea.
Below is a video of the trip filmed by Mark Errington. You won’t be able to ‘play spot the choughs’, but there is a split second cameo by yours truly.
Visitors to Sorel
Durrell and the National Trust were proud to host Maggie Walker from the Audubon Society and her sister Jane Kramer on 5th and 6th October. Maggie and Jane visited Durrell’s Wildlife Park and the choughs before getting a guided tour of the National Trust conservation fields and other areas of their work.
Peter Blake, President of the Vales Commons Council said “Myself and my committee wish you and the herd a great stay on the Common and hope that this will encourage more of the inhabitants to do the same.”
By Liz Corry
Over-half of the world’s curlew and godwit species face extinction from habitat loss and other pressures
From 
Interested in Jersey’s wildlife and how you can make a difference? Join us at Wild About Jersey
Analysis of sightings from the previous 15 years of this survey makes it very obvious that not all our favourite garden birds are faring so well and that populations are changing dramatically. But, how exactly do we know. Well, through as many people as possible counting them. And not just birdwatchers but everyone who likes birds because, let’s face it, everyone does like birds. And they are often easy to count because they can 
be pretty obvious especially when they come into our gardens to the food we put out for them. Data shown by the survey are very important in highlighting what is happening in our wider environment and, while not covering the whole countryside, results do bring home to everyone wider concerns. Just think, if the birds are doing badly in our gardens where we feed and protect them, what is happening out there in the rest of the world.
So, please, over this weekend follow the guidelines printed below or in today’s JEP and tell us what birds you see. We can add up all the counts (we have 15 years’ worth already) and easily pick up changes that are happening right in front of us. Will there be even fewer greenfinches than last year and will wood pigeons have finally taken over our bird tables? We call this ‘citizen science’ so consider yourself all citizen scientists!
Marine habitats
From the 
The Department commissioned 
A breakdown of the types of ponds used for toad breeding overwhelmingly supports the suggestion that man-made habitats are critical for the species’ survival in the island. Ensuring that these habitats are maintained and connected across the Island is considered to be a critical task to conserve our toads into the future.
Further modelling combined with an analysis of barriers to connectivity between populations (roads) revealed that many toad populations in the centre and north of the Island, especially, are isolated from the larger clusters of breeding ponds found in St. Brelade and St Helier-St Saviour. This can be used to suggest areas where creation of new breeding ponds and other habitat will be most effective as a tool for toad conservation in the Island – specifically:
With the choughs successfully released and settling down into their new lives in the wild it was time for a day off. What better way of relaxing than taking a boat trip with 
Durrell and the National Trust were proud to host Maggie Walker from the 
