The environment and natural setting of the site

The seawatch site of Cap de la Hague is located at Auderville at the head of the La Hague peninsula, at the northwestern extremity of the Cotentin. This region in the back of beyond is characterized by its rugged coastline and heather moorland. Countless stone walls are one of the most distinctive landscape features of « Little Ireland ». The watchpoint is located between the little harbour of Goury and the semaphore of Cap de La Hague, facing the island of Alderney 12 km away and separated from the mainland by the dangerous Race of Alderney (Le Raz Blanchard), the strongest tidal current in Europe. To the east of the watchpoint, the low rocky coast has a softer profile. To the west, high granite cliffs drop into the sea:  the scenery along this coastal stretch is gorgeous with spectacular views at Baie d’Ecalgrain and Nez de Jobourg. More to the south, the cliffs are less high and give way to the seashore marsh of Vauville, a nature reserve, and the dunes of Biville, forming a unique landscape.

Breeding birds of the cliffs and islets of La Hague are typical of the Armorican Massif with Shag, Oystercatcher, Greater Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull. Fulmars do not breed any more at La Hague but are still regularly seen. During the breeding season Raven, Peregrine Falcon and Rock Pipit can also be found along the cliffs. Dartford Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Stonechat and Linnet are all breeding birds of the moorland with heather and gorse.  "La mare de Vauville", a freshwater lake separated from the sea by a narrow dune ridge has many remarkable breeding species, such as Pochard, Tufted Duck, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Bearded Reedling, Marsh Harrier and Kentish Plover.

Outside the breeding season, the coastline of la Hague hosts many wintering birds and seabirds, such as divers (three species), alcids (mainly Razorbill) and Kittiwake. Other birds that can be seen include Purple Sandpiper, Merlin, Snow Bunting and less regularly Lapland Bunting.

History of the seawatch site

A regular survey from 1982 to 1985 revealed the importance of Cap de La Hague as a seawatch site both in spring and autumn. During the next few years, the site was only visited irregularly by local birders in autumn, mostly during a simultaneous count organized by the Groupe Ornithologique Normand in the first week-end of October. From 2004 onward, on the initiative of a few local seawatchers, the autumn counts became more frequent with an observer pressure of less than 50 hours between August and November. Between 2008 and 2010 the number of hours increased with a maximum of 195 in 2010. The same year, a spring survey started with 89 hours between mid February and mid May; the observer pressure reached 141 hours in spring 2011.

Ornithological interest, birds of special importance

In the middle of The Channel, the Cotentin peninsula forms a natural barrier for migratory seabirds. During spring birds seen at Cap de la Hague cross the English Channel west of the Cotentin peninsula and converge along the west coast of the peninsula. During autumn, migratory birds seen at the watchpoint cross the Bay of the Seine, either offshore for pelagic species or closer to the Calvados coast. As the Cotentin peninsula juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain, it is very interesting for cross Channel migration (mostly passerines).

Gannets are the most numerous seabirds at Cap de la Hague. Tens of thousands of Gannets between March and August are believed to be mainly dispersing adult breeding birds (7500 pairs in 2009) originating from two islets off Alderney. From September to early December, some 20 000 Gannets are counted on autumn migration. They come probably from colonies in Northwestern Europe. Hundreds of Gannets, nature's dive bombers, plunging from the sky into the tormented waters of the Race of Alderney, are among the great spectacles of nature.

Some tens of Fulmars are counted each year, mainly in spring. A migration peak in April-May may include non-breeding birds from the eastern Channel and/or pre-laying dispersal of adult breeding birds from the same colonies.

Most divers are counted in March-April with several hundred Red-throated Divers, several tens of Black-throated Divers and 7 or 8 Great Northern Divers. In autumn, only a few tens of individuals are counted, all species combined.

Shearwaters are casual on spring migration and mainly concern Manx Shearwaters in westerly gales over the western Channel. On average, some 1200 shearwaters are counted from August to October. The commonest species is Balearic Shearwater with about a 1000 individuals on post-breeding dispersal. The passage of Manx and Sooty Shearwaters, the more pelagic of the two, strongly depends on wind force and direction.

Wildfowl movements are dominated by Brent Geese and Black Scoter. On average some 2000 to 4000 individuals are counted in spring and 1000 in autumn. Velvet Scoter is rarely seen in autumn and more regularly in spring (a few tens of individuals). The spring total of 300 to 400 Eiders, mainly in March, is remarkable: the west coast of the Cotentin peninsula is the main wintering area of the species in France.

The low numbers of Shelduck and dabbling ducks (a few tens) during spring may be explained by a migration corridor across the Cotentin peninsula at the level of Baie des Veys. Autumn numbers are slightly more important and most ducks are recorded during the early hours, towards the end of nocturnal migration.  

A few raptors are noted regularly during both seasons: Osprey, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Merlin and Hobby. So far, Short-eared Owl has only been sighted a few times in autumn.

Several hundred of shorebirds are counted in April-May and August-September. The commonest species are Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.

Skuas are mainly seen from August to October in autumn (nearly 600 individuals half of which are Great Skuas).  Only about 20 skuas are recorded in March-April in spring (mainly Arctic Skuas). Long-tailed Skuas are very rarely noticed in autumn.

Gull migration is more obvious in autumn with about 2000 inds. compared to 500 in spring. The most numerous species are Kittiwake, Black-headed Gull and Mediterranean Gull. A few Sabine’s Gulls are seen both in spring (end of March – early April) and in autumn (end of August to mid November).

Sandwich and Common Terns outnumber the other Tern species. The former is about as numerous in spring as in autumn (3000 on average) whereas Common Tern is less common in spring (about 100 inds.) than in in autumn (2500 inds.).

March is the best period for alcids in spring (1000 on average) and October to early December in autumn (2000 on average). Razorbill (90%) is by far the commonest species of those identified at species level.

There are some obvious differences in the species composition between the two migration periods. Starling and Chaffinch are the majority (80%) of all counted passerines in autumn but they are scarce in spring (less than 1%). The three swallows, Yellow Wagtail and Goldfinch, on the contrary, represent nearly 80% of the spring total of passerines (10 000 on average) but only 7% of the autumn total. Meadow Pipit and White Wagtail are equally numerous in spring and in autumn.

Access

From Beaumont-Hague, two roads lead to Auderville :

• The hasty and aficionados of the nuclear industry may prefer the D901 along the reprocessing plant of La Hague.
• Amateurs of beautiful landscapes and typical villages may follow the direction of Omonville-la-Rogue to join the superb coastal road (D45).

In Auderville, take the direction of Goury and shortly beyond the village take to the right to the semaphore. Continue the small road along the semaphore until it becomes a track leading to a bunker. Park your car at the bunker and look for shelter depending on the wind. In calm conditions, it is possible to watch from the roof of the bunker.

There is no infrastructure for birders at Cap de La Hague but seawatchers are often present in the morning during week-ends or bank holidays.

Nearby facilities

There is a wide choice of places to stay and to eat and numerous possibilities for hiking. Please contact the Tourist office of La Hague for up-to-date information : 02 33 52 74 94.

We recommend staying at the Sémaphore de Jardeheu, an old navy building located at 8 km from Cap de La Hague, and converted into a guesthouse by its current owner, the municipality of Digulleville. It has a room with an excellent view on the sea accessible to all occupants. It is possibly to watch seabirds in comfortable conditions from this building but you are likely to see more birds at Cap de la Hague.

Contact

Gilbert Vimard : mailto:vimardg@gmail.com