OK, two Wren and a Song Thrush don’t make for a great morning’s bird ringing seeing that we were up at 5.15. The weather has not been our friend: very fine, clear days some with strong winds have meant few migrants. There has been no rain for over a fortnight and the stream in Le Vallon d’Or has dried up which has not helped.
This afternoon was much more successful. We were joined by children from Sark Watch (the Junior Section of La Societe Sercquaise) as we walked down to Dixcart Bay on a hunt for Scaly Crickets. Trevor went down to the beach, before dinner at Stocks yesterday evening, which is real dedication, to set the traps. Large plastic cups were ‘baited’ with chicken nuggets and cat biscuits – honestly! (Trapping in Cornwall makes use of pasties which must be the equivalent of cordon bleu cookery). A few pebbles are added for the Scaly Crickets to shelter under and then the whole thing is buried in shingle and a rocky lid placed over the top.
The Scaly Cricket is red-listed which means that it is highly endangered. Only a few sites are known globally and the Bailiwick has the highest known population – probably more than the rest of the world put together. They live in shingle but need space at the top of the beach when there are high tides as they cannot swim.
Traps were last set here in 2019 and 12 Scaly Crickets were found. Today – huge success – 366 were counted from the traps. All were released unharmed and we enjoyed getting close-up views of one of the planets rare insects.
After the Scaly Cricket extravaganza, we walked back to Le Vallon d’Or through Dixcart Wood. I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be. Magical.
Natural history of the Bailiwick of Guernsey 