Richard's Pipit photographed at Pleinmont [PLE] on 8/3/2015 Photo: © Judy Down (visit site)

Since the first Channel Island record at Port Grat in March 1974, the Richard's Pipit has been a scarce autumn migrant and has been recorded on all the major islands. Most records are of birds in autumn but there have been 3 spring records between late March and early April involving 4 birds. In autumn, sightings are spread out August and December although there is a definite peak of occurrence in October and November. The August record is exceptionally early and refers to the first and only (?) Sark record on 11 August 1977. There is only one other August record of a bird in Alderney on 29 August 1977 (Alderney Bird Report 1979 & 1980).

Despite being a regular migrant in Britain and France, it is less than annual in Guernsey occurring in 13 out of 28 years since the first record and it is likely that this species is overlooked. All records come from coastal headlands, Pleinmont in particular but also Port Grat, L'Ancresse, Fort Doyle and Fort le Marchant. There is one inland record of a bird at the airport and also two birds from La Grande Mare before the recent development took place.