Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early August 2015

August 10th. On the estuary were now 6+ Spoonbill. Around were 3 Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Cuckoo, a Whimbrel, a Greenshank and a Tree Sparrow. On Tennyson's Sands were a Wood Sandpiper, a Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank and a Little Ringed Plover. Flying south were 25 Swallow and 6 Sand Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Great Tit, 2 Goldfinch and a Dunnock; and 9 retraps: 2 Dunnock, 4 Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, a Wren and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Male Emerald Damselfly on Square Pond. 10th August 2015
Photo: Nige Lound

August 9th. On the estuary were 3 Spoonbill. Birds around included a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Stonechat, a Wheatear, a Ruff, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank. On Tennyson's Sands were a Wood Sandpiper, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher. Going south were a Red Kite and 4 Swift.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Linnet, 5 Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Cuckoo; and 4 retraps: singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Dunnock, Wren and Sedge Warbler.

Cuckoo, ringed 9 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 8th. The Black Stork reappeared mid morning over Croftmarsh, and then flew off south-west towards Wainfleet. Around were 15 Spoonbill, 19 Tree Sparrow, a Stonechat, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank and 150 Swallow. On Tennyson's Sands were a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and 8 Greenshank.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 11 new birds: 3 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, a Swallow, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Swallow; and 11 retraps: 3 Wren, 3 Dunnock, 4 Whitethroat and a Blackcap.
Moths included a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

August 7th. The Black Stork reappeared, flying south-west at 1110hrs and seen north of Croftmarsh at 1500hrs. A Bee-eater was discovered high over Old Saltmarsh, then probably flew off south-west with Swallows. The Nightjar was relocated briefly at the north end of West Dunes, very early morning. Other birds around included 17 Spoonbill, 6 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, a Hobby, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Ruff, 4 Whimbrel, 9 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Whimbrel, 150 Swallow and a Spotted Flycatcher. Heading south were a Red Kite, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and 3 Siskin, and north 50 Common Scoter, a Fulmar, a Black Tern, 90 Common Tern, 30 Arctic Tern and a Snipe.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 23 new birds: 4 Willow Warbler, a Treecreeper, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Linnet, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Yellow Wagtail and a Reed Warbler; and 5 retraps: a Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, a Wren and a Whitethroat.

Treecreeper, ringed 7 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 6th. A Nightjar was discovered at the north end of West Dunes, early morning. Also around were 14 Spoonbill, a Peregrine, 7 Marsh Harrier (including 5 south), a Treecreeper, a Kingfisher, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Green Woodpecker, a Ruff, 9 Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 177 Black-tailed Godwit and 28 Greenshank. On Tennyson's Sands were a Wood Sandpiper, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, a Golden Plover and a Little Gull. Offshore were 4 Arctic Skua. Flying south were 2 Razorbill, 100 Swallow and 150 Swift, and north 9 Common Scoter.
The tenth session of CES was done this morning. The 34 new birds were 6 Wren, 10 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler, a Linnet, a Robin, a Swallow, a Blue Tit, 6 Dunnock and a Blackbird. The 11 retraps were 2 Dunnock, 3 Blackbird, a Willow Warbler, 3 Wren, a Blue Tit and a Whitethroat.

Colour-ringed Spoonbill, 6 August 2015.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

August 5th. A Black Stork was seen twice over the reserve in the morning, then flew off inland. Around were a Crossbill, 2 Green Woodpecker, 15 Willow Warbler, 6 Marsh Harrier, a Greenshank and 2 Whimbrel. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Spoonbill, and on Tennyson's Sands 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper and 180 Black-tailed Godwit. Going south were 60 Swift and 11 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: singles of Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Linnet, Blackbird and Kingfisher; and 3 retraps: a Dunnock and 2 Wren.

Black Stork, 5 August 2015.
Photo - Steven Humphreys

Kingfisher, ringed 5 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 4th. Birds around included a Montagu's Harrier, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Peregrine, 2 Hobby, a Merlin, a Mediterranean Gull, 6050 Sanderling, 29800 Knot, 2 Green Sandpiper, 27 Greenshank, 185 Lapwing and 129 Black-tailed Godwit, a Brent Goose, 50 Common Tern and 3 Whimbrel. On Jackson's Marsh were 14 Spoonbill, and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Spotted Redshank, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Turnstone. Heading south were a Black Tern, 5 Arctic Skua, 6 Whimbrel, 2500 Swift, 4 Crossbill, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 95 Sand Martin and 792 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 14 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, 5 Wren, 2 Blackcap, a Swallow and a Garden Warbler; and 5 retrap Whitethroat.

Garden Warbler, ringed 4 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 3rd. Moderately strong southerly wind.
Around were 4 Willow Warbler, a Marsh Harrier, a Green Woodpecker, a Greenshank and 2 Whimbrel. On Jackson's Marsh were 15 Spoonbill, 3 Common Sandpiper and 3 Greenshank, and on Tennyson's Sands a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Spotted Redshank and 16 Greenshank. Flying south were 35 Swift and 8 Swallow.
A brief, wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just a new Whitethroat; and 3 retraps: a Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

August 2nd. Birds around included 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Cuckoo, 2200 Sandwich Tern, 23850 Knot, 9000 Sanderling and 9250 Dunlin. On Tennyson's Sands were 9 Spoonbill, 12 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and 103 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh a Green Sandpiper. Going south were a Wood Sandpiper, 17 Turnstone, 55 Swift, 120 Sand Martin and 566 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 18 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Linnet, a Robin and 2 Swallow; and 10 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, a Linnet, 3 Dunnock, a Wren, a Great Tit and a Blackcap.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 66 new birds and 20 retraps. The new birds were 26 Greenfinch, 6 Chaffinch, 6 Dunnock, 5 Linnet, 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Great Tit, 4 Blackbird, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Whitethroat and singles of Wren, Blackcap, Robin, Magpie and Great Spotted Woodpecker. The retraps were 8 Great Tit, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock and singles of Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Wren, Linnet and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Willow Warbler, 2 August 2015.

Waders at high tide, 2 August 2015.

Waders on falling tide, 2 August 2015.

August 1st. Near the Wash Viewpoint were 2 Bee-eater until 0930hrs, when they flew off west. On Jackson's Marsh were 16 Spoonbill, and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff and 12 Greenshank. Around were a Montagu's Harrier, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Kingfisher, a Wheatear, 17 Yellow Wagtail, an Arctic Skua and 10000 Knot. Heading south were 50 Sand Martin, 220 Swallow and 11 Whimbrel.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 15 new birds: a Wren, 3 Willow Warbler, a Robin, 5 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Yellow Wagtail and a Dunnock; and 8 retraps: 2 Wren, a Linnet, 3 Whitethroat and 2 Great Tit.

Colour-ringed Little Egret, 1 August 2015.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Despite the lowest water levels for some years it is encouraging to see Little Grebes continuing to rear young; 1 August 2015.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth