Choughs at Sept Iles, Brittany

Red-billed chough at Ile Grande, August 2012. Photo by Armel DeniauUpdate by Régis Perdriat of the LPO Station at l’Île Grande

Regis reports that in August and September this year there have been 2-3 red-billed choughs visiting the vicinity of the Station and Brittany’s Sept ÃŽles Reserve. With 50+ pairs of choughs breeding in Brittany, the species’ nearest stronghold is Ile Ouessant (Ushant), the island at the western end of the Brest Peninsula.  Brittany. Map by Tim Wright

These sightings are not the first as in recent years there have been several choughs recorded in the reserve and in the vicinity of the ÃŽle Grande station:

• 1-2 birds were seen at the LPO Station between 18th October and 6th December 1987;
• 1 bird seen at the LPO Station 31st October and 2nd November 1994;Rouzic island - 7 îles archipelago. Photo by Régis Perdriat
• 1 bird seen in August 1997 on Île Rouzic (the island of the Sept Îles with the gannet colony);
• 3 birds seen between the 8th and 20th August 2005 (one bird had been ringed on Ouessant in May of the same year and was back on Ouessant two months later);
• 7 birds were seen at the LPO Station on 3rd October 2007 and 2 on the 17th October;
Red-billed chough at Ile Grande, August 2012. Photo by Armel Deniau• 2-3 birds seen regularly between the 20th August and the 17th of September 2012.

Interestingly there have been sightings of choughs even further north including birds at Cap Fréhel, Calais and even a juvenile at the Antifer nature reserve (Seine Maritime).

These records from l’Île Grande and the Sept ÃŽles Reserve Red-billed chough at Ile Grande, August 2012. Photo by Armel Deniauon Bittany’s north coast well show how much these birds may roam along the coast to the south of Jersey.

 

2 thoughts on “Choughs at Sept Iles, Brittany

    • There are 50+ pairs of choughs in Brittany but that’s interesting to see one away from the coast in the breeding season.