Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late August 2015

August 31st. Rain most of day, making recording difficult.
The Barred Warbler was still near Mill Hill. A Corncrake was discovered in East Dunes. Around were 10 Spoonbill, 7 Spotted Redshank, a Mediterranean Gull, 150 Sandwich Tern, 6 Whimbrel, a Turtle Dove, a Kingfisher, 24 Siskin, 7 Whinchat, 2 Redstart, a Goldcrest, 3 Spotted Flycatcher and 4 Pied Flycatcher. On Tennyson's Sands were a Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Greenshank and 4 Spotted Redshank. Flying gradually south-west were 45 Swallow, and north 4 Scaup, 4 Common Scoter, 2 Swift. Offshore were 50 Common Scoter, 380 Sandwich Tern, 4 Arctic Tern, 80 Common Tern, 2 Kittiwake and 5 Arctic Skua.
A late afternoon ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mick Briggs, Nigel Judson and Christine Flint provided 19 new birds: a Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, a Whitethoat, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, a Coal Tit, 2 Chaffinch, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Greenfinch; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, a Coal Tit, a Dunnock and a Greenfinch.

August 30th. The Barred Warbler remained near Mill Hill. Other birds around, including those trapped, were 9 Spoonbill, a Temminck's Stint, a Merlin, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Hobby, a Redstart, 5 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Pied Flycatcher and 3 Spotted Flycatcher. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Going south were a Wood Sandpiper, 450 Swallow and 50 Sand Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 44 new birds: 9 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 5 Robin, a Pied Flycatcher, 5 Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, a Spotted Flycatcher, 10 Linnet, a Garden Warbler and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: 3 Dunnock, a Great Tit, a Meadow Pipit, a Wren and a Whitethroat.
Meanwhile at Aylmer Avenue, while Mick Briggs was eagerly awaiting another influx of migrants, what he received was more of a trickle. A restricted number of nets was used due to the threat of rain and this resulted in 37 new birds and 5 retraps.
The new birds were 12 Blackcap, 7 Willow Warbler, 4 Dunnock, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackbird, 2 Garden Warbler and singles of Wren, Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, Reed Warbler and Robin. The retraps were singles of Dunnock, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Robin and Blue Tit.
Hopefully with rain this afternoon and heavier rain overnight accompanied by strengthening north easterlies, by the morning there could be some good arrivals of migrants along the east coast. However, it will be raining heavily for most of the day!

Barred Warbler, 30th August 2015.
Photo - Garry Wright

Swallow, 30th August 2015.
Photo - Garry Wright

August 29th. Around, including birds trapped were a Barred Warbler (near Mill Hill), 2 Wryneck, 18 Spoonbill, a Yellow-legged Gull, 7 Spotted Redshank, 25 Greenshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Redstart, 5 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatear, 8 Whinchat, a Goldcrest, a Green Woodpecker, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, 2 Short-eared Owl, an Arctic Skua, 2 Tree Pipit, a House Sparrow (scarce here) and 3 Siskin. Heading south were 5 Swift, a Grey Wagtail, 13 Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 33 new birds: 8 Willow Warbler, 7 Robin, a Garden Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 3 Linnet, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Pied Flycatcher, a Reed Warbler, 4 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock; and 9 retraps: a Blackbird, a Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Tit and 2 Dunnock.
Meanwhile at Aylmer Avenue, Ringer in Charge Mick Briggs was finishing the Constant Effort Site season off with session number 12. Along with other nets the total for a nine hour day was 114 new birds and 15 retraps. The new birds were 17 Greenfinch, 17 Chaffinch, 16 Blackcap, 13 Willow Warbler, 10 Robin, 9 Whitethroat, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Great Tit, 3 Dunnock, 3 Wren, 3 Blackbird, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Pied Flycatcher and singles of Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Wryneck and Song Thrush. The retraps were 3 Blue Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 2 Wren and singles of Blackcap, Robin, Great Tit and Greenfinch.
At least 4 Pied Flycatcher were hunting around Aylmer Avenue by mid afternoon despite none being present in the morning - were they arriving through the day rather than overnight? The weather forecast for Sunday and into Bank Holiday Monday looks very exciting with showers and easterlies: there should be plenty more scarce migrants arriving along the east coast over the next 48 hours at least.

Pied Flycatcher, ringed 29th August 2015.
Photo - Mick Briggs.

Wryneck, ringed 29th August 2015.
Photo - Mick Briggs.

Barred Warbler, 29th August 2015.
Photo - James Siddle

Oystercatchers, 29th August 2015.

Waders, 29th August 2015.

August 28th. Increasing south-westerly wind.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 18 Spoonbill, a Wood Sandpiper, a Wheatear, 16 Whinchat, 5 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, a Tree Pipit, 2 Marsh Harrier and 8 Kestrel. On Tennyson Sands was a Little Stint. Flying south were 3500 Swallow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Mike Polling and James Siddle, provided 50 new birds: 22 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 4 Robin, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Linnet, a Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Whitethroat, a Whinchat, a Swallow and a Tree Sparrow; and 8 retraps: 2 Wren, a Linnet, 2 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Pied Flycatcher and a Dunnock.

Lesser Whitethroat, 28th August 2015.

Whinchat, 28th August.

August 27th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
Around, including birds trapped, were a Honey Buzzard (over Croftmarsh briefly), a Red-backed Shrike (near Mill Hill), 17 Spoonbill, a Wood Sandpiper, 21 Geenshank, a Cuckoo, a Green Woodpecker, 18 Whinchat, 3 Redstart, a Tree Pipit and 5 Pied Flycatcher. On Tennyson's Sands were 7 Spotted Redshank and 2 Ruff. Going south were 3 Wood Sandpiper.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 24 new birds: 14 Willow Warbler, 3 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock and a Cuckoo; and 11 retraps: a Robin, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Linnet, 3 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.

Cuckoo, ringed 27th August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 26th. Strong southerly wind, with morning rain, making recording difficult.
On Tennyson's Sands was a Temminck's Stint. Birds around included a Wryneck, 17 Spoonbill, a Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, 13 Whinchat, a Short-eared Owl and 2 Marsh Harrier. Offshore were a Pomarine Skua, 7 Arctic Skua, a Black-throated Diver and a Black Tern. Heading south were a Wood Sandpiper, 10 Ruff, 32 Shelduck and 2 Black Tern.

Temminck's Stint, 26th August 2015.
Photo - James Siddle

Spoonbills, 26th August 2015.
Photo - Fiona McKenna

August 25th. Around, including birds trapped, were a Red-backed Shrike, 7 Wryneck, 15 Spoonbill, a Pomarine Skua, 5 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, a Whimbrel, 3 Redstart, 30 Whinchat, a Wheatear, 21 Pied Flycatcher, 11 Spotted Flycatcher, 212 Willow Warbler, 4 Garden Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Tree Pipit, a Treecreeper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzard, a Merlin and 6 Kestrel. On Jackson's Marsh were a Temminck's Stint, a Spotted Redshank and a Green Sandpiper, and on Tennyson's Sands a Wood Sandpiper. Flying south were 2 Buzzard, 19 Yellow Wagtail and a Wood Sandpiper.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 70 new birds: 50 Willow Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher, 6 Robin, 4 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Linnet, a Garden Warbler, a Chaffinch, a Redstart, a Wryneck, a Greenfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 2 retraps: singles of Dunnock and Greenfinch.

Red-backed Shrike, 25 August 2015.
Photo - James Siddle

Wryneck, 25 August 2015.
Photo - James Siddle

Red-backed Shrike in East Dunes, 25th August 2015
Photo - Nige Lound

Pied Flycatcher in East Dunes, 25th August 2015
Photo - Nige Lound

Wryneck, ringed 25 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 24th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 3 Wryneck, 17+ Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Redstart, a Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 40+ Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 10 Tree Pipit, 13 Common Sandpiper, 19 Greenshank, a Cuckoo, 2 Hobby and a Marsh Harrier. On Tennyson's Sands were a Little Stint, 5 Spotted Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover and a Wood Sandpiper. Going south was a Little Ringed Plover.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 40 new birds: 13 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Robin, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 4 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, a Reed Warbler, a Redstart and a Whinchat; and 7 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock and a Linnet.

Redstart, ringed 24 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

Pied Flycatcher, ringed 24 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

Whinchat, ringed 24 August 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

August 23rd. Strong easterly wind.
Around were 15 Spoonbill, 2 Pintail, 181 Black-tailed Godwit, a Kingfisher, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Green Sandpiper, a Fieldfare, 7 Tree Sparrow, 2 Marsh Harrier, 19 Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpiper and 4 Spotted Redshank. On Tennyson's Sands briefly in the morning was a Red-necked Phalarope, then later 2 Little Ringed Plover. On the Mere were 3 Garganey. Offshore was a Pomarine Skua. Heading north over land were 52 Common Tern and north-west 110 Commic Tern.

Red-necked Phalarope, 23 August 2015.
Photo - James Siddle

Red-necked Phalarope, 23 August 2015.

August 22nd. On Tennyson's Sands were 16 Spoonbill, a Little Gull, a Spotted Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover and a Green Sandpiper. Other birds around included a Pomarine Skua, a Little Stint, 6 Black Tern, 260 Common Tern, 6 Arctic Tern, 550 Sandwich Tern, 3 Little Tern, a Mediterranean Gull, 2 Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Whinchat, a Wheatear, 2 Tree Sparrow and 7 Common Sandpiper. Flying south were a Siskin, 21 Swift, 400 Swallow, 32 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Sand Martin and 2 Marsh Harrier.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 40 new birds: 6 Willow Warbler, 7 Linnet, a Chaffinch, a Reed Bunting, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, 5 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, a Blackcap, a Swallow, a Reed Warbler and 6 Dunnock; and 11 retraps: 3 Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Wren and a Blackcap.

August 21st. Around the reserve were 12 Spoonbill, 21 Arctic Skua (mostly south), a Turtle Dove, a Greenshank and a Whimbrel. Offshore were 2 Pomarine Skua (which had roosted on a sandbar overnight), a Scaup and 15 Eider. Going south were 23 Black Tern, 180 Gannet, a Hobby, 15 Wigeon, 140 Teal, 13 Ruff, 5 Turnstone, 15 Swift, 12 Sand Martin and 750 Swallow.
Butterflies included a Painted Lady.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 3 new birds: a Blackcap and 2 Linnet; and 2 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat.

The first juvenile Black-tailed Godwit of the autumn, 21 August 2015.

Spotted Redshank chasing a Redshank, 21 August 2015.

Spoonbills, 21 August 2015.