Spring Migrants are arriving

I spent a few hours ringing with trainer Trevor Bourgaize this morning and we had our first Reed Warbler of the year. Lots more will be following on. They are unassuming birds to look at, warm brown with pale underparts, you are more likely to hear them than see them as their song is a non-stop chatter.

As their name suggest, they are mostly found in reed beds, often on reed stems close to the water. This habitat was common in Guernsey along stretches of the west coast and in the north. Today, the best areas are in La Société’s reserves at La Claire Mare and Le Grand Pré, but they can be found elsewhere. I have also heard them in the orchid fields at Le Gélé, land also managed by La Société.