REL A X
THRIVING WILDLIFE IN THE
ISLANDS OF GUERNSEY
W
hile the country has been nesting at home, many species of wildlife have continued to thrive - with an abundance of birds, marine life, and rare flora being spotted across the Islands of Guernsey.
In a post-Covid world, 58% of UK travellers who have a positive impression of Guernsey and would like to visit in the future, believe ‘nature and outdoor experiences’ to be the most important factor according to The UK Travel Intelligence Report. Below are some of the most important – and unexpected – nature encounters that are taking place across the five islands of Guernsey. ALDERNEY WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS From Alderney’s beloved Blonde Hedgehogs to the lesserspotted Palmate Newt, the Alderney Wildlife Trust has also recently reported sightings of inquisitive Bottlenose Dolphins, Grey Seals and the first butterfly of 2021 - the Red Admiral. A popular destination for birdwatching, the island is home to many species including the Dartford Warbler and the Grey Wagtail - both of which have been spotted over the past few weeks. The Alderney Bird Observatory, situated on the popular Longis bay, now provides accommodation for keen bird watchers and researchers to get even closer to the island’s winged inhabitants. The observatory also hosts regular activities such as
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bird ringing and moth trapping. With over 160km of walking trails, staff from the Alderney Wildlife Trust have teamed up with Visit Alderney to provide a series of new virtual walks starting with Fort Albert and Bibette Head Trail, which can be watched on the Alderney Wildlife Trust YouTube channel. Wildflowers, insects and marine life in Guernsey New signs of life in the form of flowers are beginning to appear with swaths of yellow Gorse and bright pink Common Storks-bill emerging along the south coast of Guernsey. Endemic ferns, which are only found in Guernsey, have also been spotted as well as beautiful orchid fields at Les Vicheries on the island’s west coast and Bee Orchids were found for the first-time last year in St Germain. For amateur entomologists, the rare Black Backed Meadow Ant, once found across the British Isles, live now only on the cliffs in Guernsey (and some neighbouring Channel Islands) - their nests are marked along the cliffs with red flags. The rare Glanville Fritillary butterfly has a strong population in Guernsey despite falling numbers in the UK, where they’re now spotted in just a few coastal locations. In many bays around the island, and off the neighbouring island of Herm, underwater meadows of seagrass can be seen at low
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