Bird Life

Coastal Birds

Jersey's coastal birds can loosely be split into two groups. Those that return each year to breed on the Island's steep cliffs in the summer and those that spend the winter months on the rich feeding grounds on the low lying south and south-east coasts. Perhaps the best loved of the cliff dwelling species is the puffin. Each spring a small colony faithfully returns to burrows on the north west coast to harvest the sand eel shoals during their breeding season. 

Sharing this habitat and the master of the thermals rising up the cliff faces is the fulmar. They breed regularly in Jersey and numbers are gradually increasing year by year. They share the rocky ledges with colonies of resident shags. This is also a place to hear the shrill voices of oystercatchers echoing among the deep, sea-worn gullies and caves.

The Island's east and south-east coasts provide a complete contrast to the northern cliffs. When the tide drops, huge expanses of mud and sand are revealed, interspersed with rocky outcrops and shingle banks. This provides a rich feeding ground for thousands of wintering waders, gulls and wildfowl. When their northern breeding grounds freeze hard during the winter, the birds move south to seek ice-free conditions in which to feed and roost. Jersey is such a place. This 'fall' of sea shore birds begins in early autumn. Muttering formations of brent fgeese are joined on the foreshore by grey and ringed plover, curlew, dunlin, sanderling and a significant number of turnstones. Wader numbers increase as winter deepens and during high tide every ledge on the off-shore rocks is filled to capacity.

Birds of the Hedgerows

The only resident owl is the Barn Owl but most common species of birds can be seen throughout the Jersey year. Among the less familiar species, however, are the Short-toed Treecreeper, Cetti’s Warbler, the Dartford Warbler, Cirl Bunting and Serin. Two breeding species of Woodpecker, can also be seen and heard.

Fulmar's - Fulmaris glacialis

See Jersey's Fulmars live with the National Trust for Jersey's webcam.

JerseyBirds.co.uk

The recording of all the Island bird reports is undertaken by the Ornithology Section of the Société Jersiaise. Visit www.jerseybirds.co.uk to find out more.