SEABIRDS rarely seen in Jersey have turned up in droves in the wake of Storm Ciarán.
Storm petrels are strangers to the Island’s shores, spending almost their entire life at sea.
They come ashore only for a brief period to nest, and do not breed here, but strong winds have blown many off course to Jersey, where they have been found taking shelter from the storm.
By yesterday, ten European storm petrels had been found, four of which were dead while six have been successfully released.
Meanwhile, seven Leach’s storm petrels – a species recorded only three times before in Jersey, the last time in 2006 – have been discovered, five of which were released, with two dying.
The JSPCA, which has taken in many of the seabirds, called it “incredibly unusual” for them to be seen here.
“As they are not used to land, or people, our dedicated team worked quickly to try to get them back into the wild as soon as possible,” the charity wrote on social media.
The JSPCA said they had released three on Saturday morning, which were ringed by Dave Buxton.
Islanders are being advised to look out for dead or struggling seabirds, especially along tidelines after recent storms.
Many birds can wash up on Jersey’s beaches in bad weather, according to conservation project Birds on the Edge, who added: “The sight of dead birds is never pleasant, but it is very important that we record every casualty in order to understand the extent of the incident and to predict what impacts there may be on already threatened seabird populations. The birds may have rings or other identification devices, and reporting these will provide information on their travels, longevity and other aspects of their life.”
