Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog

Late July 2024

July 26th. Mild start, slowly warming up, quite cloudy, with light south-westerly wind.

A very good morning for numbers and variety, starting with the regular Osprey around Croftmarsh and Cowbank Drain. There was a further increase in numbers of small waders at the roost: 3310 Sanderling and 2400 Dunlin, whilst Sandwich Terns remained around the 2300 mark. Swallows were passing through at a rate of 400 per hour with a good number of Sand Martins mixed in. Six Arctic Skuas were patrolling the Haven while a further 13 passed south offshore, with a surprise adult Long-tailed Skua. A good selection of waders on the lagoons included Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper. A Cuckoo was in the dunes.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 14 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, 4 Wren, 4 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler. a Grasshopper Warbler and a Blue Tit; and 7 retraps: a Wren, a Great Tit, 4 Whitethroat and a Long-tailed Tit.

Osprey, 26th July 2024.

Photo - Nige Lound

Marsh Harrier, 26th July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Shelduck, 26th July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Black-headed Gull, 26th July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Kingfisher, 26th July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Willow Warbler, ringed 26 July 2024.
Photo - George Gregory

July 25th. A cool and overcast morning, gradually becoming warmer with a westerly breeze and a couple of short bouts of light rain.

After yesterday's absence, the Osprey made another appearance, drifting out over the beach where it flushed the roost of 1900 Sandwich Terns, before heading back inland and fishing along Cowbank Drain. The Montagu's Harrier was seen again from the Wash Viewpoint and further bird of prey interest was provided by a juvenile Peregrine hunting waders and terns over the beach. The morning high tide roost included 2474 Sanderling, 1633 Dunlin and 3000 Knot amongst other waders. 8 Arctic Skuas were blogging/harassing terns while a further 21 passed south. A Manx Shearwater also passed south, and a Kittiwake was in the roost with 10 Arctic Terns. On the Haven there were 6 Spoonbills.

During the late afternoon there were 200+ Sandwich Terns on the beach down from Mill Hill with an accompanying Arctic Skua giving them some grief!

Tennyson's Sands held 90 Black-tailed Godwit, 52 Lapwing, 52 Avocet, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbill, a juvenile Grey Heron and a Common Tern. Whilst on Jackson's Marsh there were a Common and a Wood Sandpiper reported but mobile.

July 24th. Misty, dewy start, becoming cloudy, with light south-easterly wind.

No sign of the Osprey this morning but an adult male Hen Harrier was showing very well from the Wash Viewpoint as it hunted the saltmarsh, with the regular Montagu's Harrier more distant to the south. Also 2 local Marsh Harriers hunting there and two juveniles flew south over the sea. A Wheatear flew south over the Visitor Centre whilst several juvenile Yellow Wagtails were around. Also south was a Wood Sandpiper over Greenshanks Creek whilst the Creek itself held 7 Common Sandpipers. 2 Arctic Skua were chasing Sandwich Terns on the beach before heading North along with 2 Gannet North as well.

From Harvey's Hide there were 2 Water Rail, 47 Little Egrets, 22 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret, 15 Dunlin, 124 Avocet, 93 Redshank, 293 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 80 Sandwich Tern flew North over with 14 dropping in and 2 Common Terns. Also, Fenland Lagoon held 3 Greenshanks.

During the late afternoon/early evening, there was a female Marsh Harrier over Croft Marsh whilst on Tennyson's Sands there was 42 Avocet, 111 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Redshank, 1 Curlew whilst 2 Green Sandpiper flew south.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 2 Wren, a Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Great Tit and 3 Whitethroat.

July 23rd. A nearly all clear blue sky morning with a slight westerly breeze, getting warm and quite cloudy quickly.

A Kingfisher flew out of Barrie's Plot across the Visitor Centre Car Park early morning, whilst the Osprey was back on a post on Croftmarsh before flying south along Cowbank Drain. A Cattle Egret flew high west over Croftmarsh a short time later. The Montagu's Harrier was again out from the Wash Viewpoint towards the old RAF Control Tower. Over 2500 Knot came up to roost on the morning tide along with 1200 Oystercatcher, 500 Dunlin, 150 Redshank and 1100 Sandwich Terns when a Peregrine and a Merlin were in attendance. Some 200 Swallows moved south over East Dunes.

From Harvey's Hide there were 309 Black-Tailed Godwits, 143 Redshank, 123 Avocet, 111 Lapwing, 5 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 male Ruff, 1 female Pintail,7 Cormorant, 21 Spoonbill, 102 Little Egret and 1 Great White Egret.

Egret congregation on Moat Scrape from Harvey's Hide, 23rd July 2024.
Photo - Nigel Lound.

Waders, Gulls & Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands 23rd July 2024.
Photo - Nigel Lound.

Greenshank, 23rd July 2024.

Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Sedge Warbler, 23rd July 2024.

Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Green Woodpecker, 23rd July 2024.

Photo - Jason Virgin

July 22nd. Fairly cloudy, with increasing south-westerly wind.

A busy morning, with more waders arriving form the north, waders coming out of the Wash to roost on high tide, a large Sandwich Tern roost, 130 Swift moving south and the Osprey appearing again before heading into the Wash.

Tennyson's Sands held a Spotted Redshank, 5 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Ruff, a Dunlin, 149 Redshank, 292 Black-tailed Godwit, 106 Lapwing, 134 Avocet, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 21 Spoonbill and a single juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

A total of 84 Little Egrets were present along with a single Great White Egret and 2 Grey Heron, whilst 3 Marsh Harriers were over Croftmarsh. The Green Woodpecker was again in the Plantation.

During the evening the Montagu's Harrier was out from the Wash Viewpoint, whilst a male Hen Harrier was hunting towards the old RAF Wainfleet Bombing Range. The Osprey returned and flew low out to the salting's, whilst a Great White Egret flew from the Estuary towards Jackson's Marsh.

From Harvey's Hide Black-tailed Godwits had increased to 340 which were roosting and feeding across Jackson's Marsh, Moat Scrape and Tennyson's Sands. There was also a single Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpiper from Fenella Hope Hide.

A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 11 new birds: a Wren, 4 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Robin, 2 Linnet, a Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 4 retraps: a Blue Tit and 3 Whitethroat.

A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 5 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Great Tit and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: a Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff.

Redshank, 22nd July 2024.
Photo - Tom Baker

Spoonbill, 22nd July 2024.

Photo - Tom Baker

Montagu's Harrier, 22nd July 2024.

Photo - Sam Goddard

Speckled Wood, 22nd July 2024.

Photo - Tom Baker

Southern Hawker, 22nd July 2024.

Photo - Tom Baker

July 21st. Mostly sunny, with fairly light north-westerly, then variable, wind.

An Osprey was around the Reserve for nearly two hours early morning before drifting off west. It then returned around 3 pm. Another unusual July bird was a Jay around the west side. Waders continue to build up with well over 2000 Sanderling present now, and among the gulls were 4 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls.

During the late afternoon 26 Common Scoter were offshore from the beach whilst at the Visitor Centre there was a juvenile Stonechat.

The ninth session of CES was done this morning. The 30 new birds were 5 Wren, 4 Chiffchaff, 7 Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler, 9 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, a Great Tit, a Whitethroat and a Song Thrush; and the 4 retraps were a Chiffchaff, a Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

Osprey, 21st July 2024.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Oystercatchers, 21st July 2024.
Photo - Rikki Clark

Common Sandpiper, 21st July 2024.
Photo - Rikki Clark

Common Tern, 21st July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Kingfisher, 21st July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Kestrel, 21st July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Skylark, 21st July 2024.

Photo - Rikki Clark

Mid July 2024

July 20th. Quite sunny, with light southerly wind, becoming very warm.

Again, Sandwich Terns were a feature, with internationally important numbers present on the Haven and fishing offshore with others moving south into the Wash. Some very good news came from the Little Tern colony where 15 juveniles have now fledged. We are grateful to the dedicated team of staff and volunteers that cover all aspects of the Shorebird Protection Scheme at Gibraltar Point NNR.

Gull numbers are building up and the first juvenile Mediterranean Gulls (3) and juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls (2) were noted today. 8 Arctic Skuas were seen, and a first-summer skua initially in the company of an Arctic Skua was thought to be a Long-tailed Skua. It flew inland towards the lagoons.

Two Cattle Egrets flew south into the Wash early morning. Flocks of Knot, Sanderling and Bar-tailed Godwit were passing south with over 300 Swallow and 100 Sand Martin. The highlight of vis mig though was a male Hen Harrier that passed south-east over the Wash towards Norfolk.

Later in the morning presumably the same two Cattle Egrets was with the Cows on Croft Marsh with one showing very well around Moat Scrape early afternoon. Jackson's Marsh held 5 Snipe, a Green Sandpiper, a Great White Egret and a Grey Heron. An impressive Whimbrel passage in the evening involved flocks of 80 and 60 heading south 10 minutes apart, having been tracked down the coast from Mablethorpe.

A good day for insects involved a Tawny Wave trapped overnight, a Brown Hawker in East Dunes and White-letter Hairstreaks feeding on Ragwort flowers in West Dunes.

Common Tern, 20th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Golden Plover, 20th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Tawny Wave,20th July 2024.
Photo - Nige Lound

White-letter Hairstreak, 20th July 2024.

Photo - Richard Doan

July 19th. Mostly sunny, with light south-easterly wind, becoming warm.

An excellent morning for birds moving overland and over the sea with a total of 90 species being recorded in two hours, mostly from Mill Hill up to 0830hrs, although on the negative side, the seemingly early departure of many adult Swallows was witnessed.

During the morning the Wash held 3500+ Sandwich Terns with 2 Mediterranean Gulls, while hunting them were 2 Peregrines. 3 Marsh Harriers were also over the saltmarsh. Also, flying into the Wash were an adult Pomarine Skua, 600 more Sandwich Tern, a Shoveler and 4 Wigeon. The Scaup was again present with the Scoter flock before flying North and one or two Cattle Egrets were reported in long vegetation around the cattle on Croftmarsh.

The Green Woodpecker was again in the Plantation, whilst, somewhat unusual at Gibraltar Point nowadays, a House Sparrow was at the Yacht Club. Also around were a Great White Egret, a Water Rail (Fenland Lagoon), a Grey Wagtail, 6 Arctic Skua, 2 Grasshopper Warbler and 5 Greenshank. On Jackson's Marsh in the trees by the pumping station there were 11 Little Egret and another Great White Egret.

During the evening a strange sight was witnessed on the Mere where a Common Tern was seen repeatedly trying to get 2 Black-Headed Gull fledglings on the water to take a small white bait fish from it. The over powering maternal feelings of the Tern appeared to be making it mistake the 2 gulls for its own nestlings.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 8 new birds: 3 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and 2 Whitethroat; and a retrap Wren.

Arctic Skua, 19th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Little Tern, 19th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

July 18th. Mostly sunny, with light southerly wind, becoming warm.

During the morning there were 17 Spoonbill on Tennyson's Sands.

From Mill Hill on the afternoon high tide there were no roosting terns due to somebody sunbathing on the Greenshank's Creek roost site. The Common Scoter flock didn't seem to mind though and although the flock had reduced to 80 birds, the male Scaup was still amongst the raft. Greenshanks Creek held 17 Spoonbills and 4 Little Egret. Sandwich Terns were moving south offshore and attracting up to 3 Arctic Skuas. A Water Rail was vocal and eventually seen along the Mill Pond Road drains.

Tennyson's Sands over the high tide in the afternoon held another 9 Spoonbill at the same time making 26 on site. There were also 225 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Avocet, 113 Lapwing, the usual moulting Spotted Redshank and a Common Tern, while the usual Water Rail was vocal from Harvey's Hide.

Arctic Skua and Sandwich Tern, 18th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Arctic Skua, 18th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Red-tipped Clearwing moth, a NEW species for the reserve 18th July 2024.
Photo - Nige Lound

Very young Weasel, found on the Cycle Track, released in a safe place nearby, 18 July 2024.
Photo - George Gregory

July 17th. Mostly sunny, with light variable winds, becoming warm.

Birds around during the morning included a Marsh Harrier, whilst a Wood Sandpiper was showing well but elusively from Fenella Hope Hide. From Harvey's Hide there were 23 Spoonbill, 209 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Avocet, 10 Redshank and the remaining moulting summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling and showing well from the West Lagoon Hide at 1100hrs. A Great White Egret was reported on Jackson's Marsh during the course of the day.

Interestingly one of the Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands was the colour-ringed bird first seen on Tennyson's Sands on 24th June that was originally ringed in the Netherlands in May 2018 as a pullus. Since its last visit to us it had travelled up to Fairburn Ings, Yorkshire (30th June and 8th July). It has now come to be known that it was first seen in the UK at Goldcliff Pools, Newport, Wales two days before it arrived at Gibraltar Point - quite the wanderer! These records easily demonstrate the usefulness of colour-ringing such a species to build up a picture of movements.

A look at the sea from Mill Hill late afternoon produced 250 Sandwich Terns in the roost on Greenshanks Creek along with 300+ Knot and 100+ Dunlin. On the sea the raft of Common Scoter had increased to 100 and now included the male Scaup last seen on the 13th and 14th July. It showed well for over 45 minutess and was seen by several observers. Also 2 Spoonbill flew out towards Norfolk.

Fenland Lagoon held 5 Avocet and 3 Greenshank, while on Tennyson's Sands from the Fenella Hope Hide there was an increase in the Black-tailed Godwit flock which had increased to 285 birds, whilst conversely Avocet numbered just 61.

At least 10 Little Tern juveniles have now fledged form the colony.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: a Wren, 2 Blackcap, a Goldfinch, 3 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock; and 4 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, a Wren, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

The spell of warm, sunny weather has started to see a more encouraging number of butterflies on the wing including newly emerged Gatekeepers and a Painted Lady.

Little Tern, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Ste Taylor

Wood Sandpiper, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Paul Neale

Wood Sandpiper, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Paul Neale

Black-tailed Godwit, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Paul Neale

Gatekeeper, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Paul Neale

Painted Lady, 17th July 2024.
Photo - Rob Watson

July 16th. A very wet start with prolonged rain in the morning including some heavy downpours, with a very light breeze from the south-south-west.

A number of Swifts flew south when the rain eased. At the north end of Tennyson's Sands there were 4 Greenshank early in the day. Late afternoon on Greenshanks Creek there were 200+ Sandwich Terns and 300+ waders - mainly Knot roosting, while on the sea just North of Mill Hill there was a group of 80+ Common Scoter, and another group of 30 flew north out of the Wash. At the Wash Viewpoint a Short-eared Owl hunted briefly.

Also late afternoon from Harvey's Hide there were 119 Black-tailed Godwit, 52 Lapwing, 30 Avocet, 30 Redshank, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Tern, 2 Cormorant, a female Pintail, and a large increase in Teal to 117. Also a Marsh Harrier hunted the reedbed before moving off towards the estuary. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling half way along the golf course in the East Dunes.

During the evening the Green Woodpecker was again vocal in the Plantation whilst a Spoonbill went north over Old Saltmarsh.

Grasshopper Warbler.
Photo - Bob Derry

July 15th. Misty start, clearing, with light south-easterly wind, and a couple of slight showers in the late afternoon.

Birds around included a Sparrowhawk, whilst 2 Kingfishers were reported on the Lagoons. On the Mere there were 6 Tufted Duck ducklings with their mother. At Sykes Farm 4 White-letter Hairstreak Butterflies were again showing during the morning. Offshore up to 650 Sandwich Terns were in the tern roost whilst a Green Woodpecker was first in the East Dunes before probably the same bird was later in the Plantation, before flying towards the West Dunes. This was presumably the same bird that was ringed early on at the Observatory (see below).

Later in the day up-to 70 Common Scoter were on the sea just north of Mill Hill. In the late afternoon Tennyson's Sands and Moat Scrape held 96 Lapwing, 11 Avocet, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatcher, a Common Tern, a Pochard, a Spoonbill, a Little Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Spotted Redshank, which is now moulting its summer plumage.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 11 new birds: 2 Wren, 2 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Dunnock and a Green Woodpecker; and 7 retraps: 2 Wren, 2 Whitethroat, a Great Tit and 2 Dunnock.

Sparrowhawk, 15th July 2024.
Photo - Tony Foster

Green Woodpecker, ringed 15 July 2024.
Photo - George Gregory

July 14th. Continuous low cloud with intermittent drizzle and comparatively cold.

Coverage was mostly limited to sea-watching in the poor weather but this proved productive. The male Scaup was still with the Scoter flock close in and a further 50 Common Scoter headed north. Three Arctic Skuas arrived from the north and settled on the beach while another 2 were on the sand bars and three more passed south into the Wash. Sandwich Tern numbers were as yesterday but there as an increase in Gannets fishing and moving south offshore. During the morning on Tennyson's Sands there were 17 Spoonbill, 151 Avocet, 171 Black-tailed Godwit, a Spotted Redshank and a Common Gull. Later on 8 Spoonbill arrived from off the sea and landed on the River Haven viewable from the Wash View Point.

July 13th. Another overcast day within intermittent drizzle/rain with a slight breeze from the west-north-west.

There was a noticeable increase of Sandwich Terns, with up to 130 roosting on the beach and others moving offshore with several Common Terns and 4 Arctic Terns. 2 Roseate Terns were found within the tern roost before they moved north, calling frequently. A male Scaup joined the raft of 60 Common Scoter on the sea with further flocks of Scoter totaling 130 moving north. 30 Gannet and 2 Arctic Skua also headed north.

Roseate Tern in flight with Sandwich Terns, 13th July 2024.
Photo - Kev Wilson

Barn Owl, 13th July 2024.
Photo - Jack Hood

July 12th. Another cloudy day with outbreaks of drizzle with an increasing northerly breeze.

During the morning on Tennyson's Sands there were 8 Greenshank present, whilst in the afternoon there were 76 Lapwing, 38 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, a summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank, a Snipe and a Dunlin. Up to 50 House Martins were hawking in between the cold drizzly showers. 2 Common Tern were also reported on Tennyson's Sands during the day. Around was a Barn Owl.

The eighth session of CES was done this morning. The 4 new birds were 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Dunnock; and the 2 retraps were a Blackbird and a Wren.

July 11th. Drizzly spells, with light northerly to north-easterly wind.

25 Common Scoter were reported flying south into the Wash during the day. Jackson's Marsh held a Green Sandpiper and a Snipe mid afternoon. Later a visit to Harvey's Hide during the afternoon revealed that wader numbers had dropped somewhat with just 17 Redshank, 17 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Avocet and 4 Greenshank left but Lapwing had increased in number to exactly 100. A Marsh Harrier appeared hunting the Jackson's Marsh side of the river bank at about 1730hrs, whilst a Common Tern was still feeding on the lagoon, and up to 100 House Martins were hawking at the same time. Later the Montagu's Harrier was seen hunting over New Saltmarsh towards the Outer Ridge at 1820hrs.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11th July 2024.
Photo - Jack Hood

Greenshanks with Mallards, 11th July 2024.
Photo - Jack Hood