Introduction.

This short trip was aimed at seeing the rarest amphibian in the British Isles the Agile Frog, but I managed to get permission to do a bit of small mammal trapping so took a few traps. But the trip the the sunniest place in the British Isles did not turn out quite as expected.

I have to thank lots of people at the States of Jersey Environment Department for all their help and to several people from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust for their help particularly Glyn Young for all his help.

Friday 8th March

Getting the fast ferry from Poole to Jersey was effortless and we arrived in the sunniest place in the British Isles in glorious sunshine. Given the excellent weather we headed directly to Les Banques Blanches where we located several green lizards but it took 1.5 hours before we found a confiding one. With the sun still out we headed to Gorey for some wall lizards but the sun vanished on arrival and we could not find any. We checked into our hotel before heading to Ouaisne Common to set the small mammal traps in the fading light as the rain started to come down. Ideal conditions for amphibians we started to search for Agile frogs, but could only locate a Jersey toad and a few palmate newts but plenty of frog spawn was present. A quick visit to the chipshop was in order.

Saturday 9th March

After a full English we headed back to Ouaisne Common to check the traps and we quickly had the jersey sub species (caesarius) of bank vole, we flushed both dartford warblers and a woodcock. wood mice were also caught as was a lesser white toothed shrew and in the British isles only found here and the Scilly Isles. We headed to the Durrell Zoo to see the animals and also the good conservation work they do, I particularly wanted to see the Mountain Chicken Frogs which were massive. There were free ranging tamarins of two species and also some really wild stuff, a redwing and water rail of note and of course some red squirrels, a peacock butterfly basked in the glorious sunny weather. We left the zoo in warm sunshine but by the time we started to search for wall lizards the sun had gone in. After doing a few bits we returned to check the traps and then as the sun set I spent an hour or so searching for the Agile frogs, after a couple of toads I found the first agile frog in a pond but it quickly disappeared. The second was a little less jumpy but just as I readied the camera it dived and was not seen again. A barn owl screaching was noteworthy but I only got a glimpse of that as well.

Sunday 10th March

Today was not a nice as the previous days but still pleasant for the time of year so we explored the island and did a bit of bitrding, but first to check the traps and again a similar selection of species but in increased numbers. Next we headed to the sand pit, where the wind was really getting up a lone swallow battled with the wind and the pit only held a few common species, the scrape near St Ouen Pond was more productive with several marsh harriers and plenty of wildfowl. We could barely stand at St Ouen pond itself so spotting was difficult and we only added a few species to the trip list. We toured the north of the island but struggled to find much in the strong wind. After a late lunch in Gorey we headed to Queen's valley reservoir where we quickly found a bar headed goose amongst the other dodgy wildfowl here, the area was alive with chiffchaffs every bush had one and being sheltered it was quite a pleasant walk, we bumped into a siskin and several tit flocks but they did not hold anything of note. Our next stop was at Grouville school where we easily located the long staying cattle egrets who were associated with some cattle (funnily enough). A quick look a Grouville marsh which was actually behind our hotel where black swan, greylag, bar headed and barnacle geese were of duboius heritage and we could nit be certain as to the origin of the three whooper swans present either. A quick cup of tea before heading back to Ouaisne Common to do a bit of birdwatching but the wind kept everything hiding away. A quick of the traps at dusk before heading into St Helier for a meal.

Monday 11th March

The day was planned as a touristy day but we awoke to snow falling so after a quick breakfast we quickly headed to collect the traps again the same species but a couple of lesser white toothed shrews this time, the snow was pouring down as we left but all the traps were safely packed away and we headed to the War tunnels which were shut. Apparently no staff made it so we headed to St Matthew's church but apparently the snow stopped that opening as well. We headed into St Helier but most of that was also closed so after a cup of tea and a wander round we headed back to the hotel in now blizzard conditions and what turned out to be the worst weather for 30 years. We spent the evening in the hotel as the island ground to a hault.

Tuesday 12th March

We awoke to deep snow so did not venture out until mid afternoon when the major roads cleared a little, we saw the cattle egrets and whooper swans again this time in the snow and almost got stuck on a back road. We took a quick visit to Grouville Bay but the gale force winds made it difficult to see anything. After a quick wander round St Helier we went to the Ferry terminal for what promised to be a horendous crossing so I quickly drugged up and slept the whole way back.

No photo of the Agile frog but considering the conditions we got the most out of the trip.

Birds 76