Bullfinch photographed at Select location on 2/4/2020 Photo: © Mike Cunningham (visit site)

As with several of the other finches, numbers of Bullfinches have fluctuated over the past century. The first recorded birds in the Bailiwick are from 1874 and it seems as though Bullfinches were rare at that time. Smith writes 'Miss C. B. Carey, in the 'Zoologist' for 1874 mentions a Bullfinch having been brought into Couch's shop in November of that year, and adds - 'This bird is much more common in Jersey than it is here. Miss Carey is certainly right as to its not being common in Guernsey, as I have never sen the bird on any of my expeditions to that Island, nor have I seen it in either of the other Islands which come within my district.'

The habitat on the island at the time of Smith's writing was probably suitable for Bullfinches, but Bullfinches may have been persecuted by fruit growers. In the present day, Bullfinches can consume large amount of buds on fruit trees and may have been persecuted in Guernsey at the end of the nineteenth century. Cider orchards were prevalent at the time and also many other types of soft fruit were grown at the time.

By the time of Dobson's visits in the mid 1900s, the number of Bullfinches had increased and they were not uncommon and numbers have remained at a steady level since. The situation in Alderney was similar and Bullfinches were an iregular breeding species in the first quarter of the 20th century but had become established by the 1940s (Dobson).

Very little detailed information is available on the past abundance and distribution of this species as indicidual records were not written down. It is now a scarce reisdent which is concentrated around areas of woodland and large gardens. Small numbers breed in the Fauxquet Valley, along the Heritage Walk and around the Reservoir and also in other areas with tall trees as well but there are few precise data on its distribution and abundance across the island. In 1994 an appeal for records was broadcast amongst La Société and approximately a dozen pairs were reported between April and June that year. The 1989-91 GBBS showed it to be widespread and it occurred in 15 of the 23 (65%) of the surveyed squares.

With the advent of computerisation of records in 1993 more detailed records of Bullfinch distribution and abundance became available. Records have involved 10 birds or less and no large flocks have occurred. The weekly distribution showns that the number of birds recorded per week remains low throughout most of the year but that peaks occur in April and October. This may be indicative of migration through the island but there is little other proof of a regular migration this although Condor considered it a regular passage migrant in Alderney. Dectability and the amount of observer effort must be taken into account when interpreting these graphs. In some years, birds do undoubtedly pass through the islands. In October 1987, 12 birds were seen at Jerbourg on the 18th, 55 were seen flying over Plienmont on 20th and 9 were seen flying out to sea on the 22nd. These are exceptional records (Bourgaize and Watson 1987)