Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early September 2015

September 10th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, a Wood Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank. Birds around, including those trapped, were another Spoonbill, a Green Sandpiper, a Fieldfare, 3 Whinchat, a Redstart and 6 Siskin. Offshore were 2 Great Skua and 2 Little Tern. Heading south were a Marsh Harrier, 3 Siskin and 2 Little Tern.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 14 new birds: a Wren, a Redstart, a Coal Tit, a Goldfinch, a Blue Tit, 7 Greenfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 16 retraps: 2 Blue Tit, a Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 3 Dunnock, 2 Goldfinch and a Great Tit.
A longer ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint provided 6 new birds: singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Robin, Linnet and Dunnock; and 2 retraps: singles of Robin and Blackcap.
A Black Darter, a rare visitor here, was photographed by Chris Bottomer.

Common Sandpiper, 10th September 2015.

Garden Spider, 10th September 2015.
Photo - Sam Wilson

Black Darter, 10th September 2015.
Photo - Chris Bottomer

September 9th. A White-winged Black Tern flew up and down over the beach out from Mill Hill in the morning. Around, including birds trapped, were a Pied Flycatcher, a Redstart, 2 Goldcrest, a Green Woodpecker, a Marsh Harrier and a Kingfisher. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank. Flying north were 49 Sandwich Tern, 50 Common Scoter, 2 Pintail and 59 Gannet, and south a Great Skua, a Black Tern and 7 Gannet.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 28 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Pied Flycatcher, a Robin, 4 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Redstart, a Reed Warbler, a Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch, a Goldfinch, 7 Greenfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 14 retraps: a Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, a Blackbird, 4 Dunnock, a Coal Tit, 2 Great Tit, a Goldfinch and a Wren.
A longer ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint produced 17 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Robin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and a Dunnock; and 8 retraps: a Blackbird, a Linnet, 2 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, a Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat.

White-winged Black Tern, 9th September 2015.
Photo - Richard Doan

Common Scoter, 9th September 2015.

Wigeon, 9th September 2015.

September 8th. On Tennyson's Sands was a Spotted Redshank. Birds around included 3 Greenshank, a Marsh Harrier and 3 Siskin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint resulted in 6 new birds: singles of Robin, Linnet, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Swallow and Chaffinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Blackcap and a Robin.
This afternoon the wind shifted to the east, raising hopes of some arrivals of migrants over the next few days.

September 7th. Around were 8 Spoonbill, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Merlin and a Marsh Harrier. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Ruff, 4 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper. Offshore was a Shag. Flying north were 7 Fulmar, 3 Manx Shearwater, a Sooty Shearwater, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Tree Sparrow, 5 Redpoll and 8 Siskin,
A long ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint provided 15 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, a Lesser Redpoll, a Robin, 5 Meadow Pipit, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: singles of Whitethroat, Robin, Dunnock, Blackcap and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Spoonbill, 7th September 2015.

Little Egret, 7th September 2015.

Green Sandpiper, 7th September 2015.

Redshank and Greenshank, 7th September 2015.

September 6th. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Spoonbill, a Barred Warbler, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and 20+ Siskin. Heading south were 5 Tree Sparow.
A long ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint produced 54 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler, 7 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, 4 Robin, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Redstart, a Reed Bunting, a Pied Flycatcher, a Blue Tit, a Linnet, 3 Meadow Pipit, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin, 10 Dunnock, a Barred Warbler, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird; and 11 retraps: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, a Whitethroat and Dunnock.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in 45 new birds and 40 retraps. The new birds were 24 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and singles of Goldcrest, Lesser Whitethroat, Siskin, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Robin and Whitethroat. The retraps were 14 Greenfinch, 7 Goldfinch, 5 Dunnock, 5 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Blackcap, a Chaffinch, a Robin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Barred Warbler, ringed 6th September 2015.
Photo - Richard Doan

Pied Flycatcher, ringed 6th September 2015.
Photo - Richard Doan

Redstart, ringed 6th September 2015.
Photo - Richard Doan

Forest Bug, 6th September 2015.
Photo - Sam Wilson

September 5th. Quite strong westerly wind.
On Tennyson's Sands were 6 Spoonbill and 3 Spotted Redshank. Around were a Pied Flycatcher, a Redstart, 4 Goldcrest, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaffa Short-eared Owl, 3 Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Peregrine, a Merlin, a Kingfisher, 2 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper. Flying north offshore were a juvenile Long-tailed Skua, a Pomarine Skua, a Storm Petrel, 12 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater and 5 Fulmar, and south 40 Siskin, while offshore were a Black-throated Diver, and 2 Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua. In off the sea came a Snipe, and a House Sparrow, 18 Siskin and 200 Swallow headed south.
A restricted ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mick Briggs, which was rained off by 9am, resulted in 17 new birds: 8 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 2 Goldcrest and singles of Great Tit and Robin.

Arctic Skua, 5th September 2015.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

September 4th. Moderately strong westerly wind.
On Tennyson's Sands were 6 Spoonbill and a Spotted Redshank, and on the Mere a Garganey and 2 Water Rail. Birds around included 4 Marsh Harrier, a Green Woodpecker, 13 Kestrel, a Merlin, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 45 Golden Plover, a Buzzard, a Redpoll, 17 Siskin, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Whinchat and 6 Snipe. Sea-watching produced 2 juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 3 Great Skua, 40 Arctic Skua, 23 Common Scoter, 13 Arctic Skua, 14 Gannet, 85 Sandwich Tern, 48 Teal, 4 Wigeon and 2 Shoveler south, a Manx Shearwater and 3 Pintail north, and 3 Eider, a Black-throated Diver and a Red-throated Diver offshore. South over land went 2 Swift, 600 Swallow and 5 Whimbrel.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes with Nigel Judson and Christine Flint yielded 6 new birds: singles of Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Robin, Whitethroat and Kestrel; and 3 retraps: singles of Whitethroat, Dunnock and Blackcap.

Kestrel, ringed 4th September 2015.
Photo - Nigel Judson

September 3rd. Around were 6 Spoonbill, a Mediterranean Gull, a Merlin, 2 Marsh Harrier, 7 Spotted Redshank, 15 Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Swift, a Green Woodpecker, a Redstart and 9 Tree Sparrow. Going south were a Marsh Harrier, 4 Rook, a Ruff and 84 Siskin, and north 48 Gannet.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 24 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, a Robin, 3 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 2 Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, 2 Dunnock, 9 Greenfinch and a Blackbird; and 27 retraps: 10 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Blackcap, a Chaffinch, 3 Dunnock, 2 Goldfinch, a Blackbird and 5 Greenfinch.
A ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint provided 39 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Robin, a Whinchat, a Sand Martin, 20 Swallow, 2 Blackcap, 3 Goldfinch, 2 House Martin, a Linnet and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: singles of Blackcap, Goldfinch, Whitethroat, Great Tit and Lesser Whitethroat.

September 2nd. Birds around were the Barred Warbler (still near Mill Hill), 3 Spoonbill, a Yellow-legged Gull, a Kingfisher, a Little Tern, 62 Sandwich Tern, 2 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Marsh Harrier, 4900 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4900 Oystercatcher, a Ruff, 3 Whimbrel, 5 Spotted Redshank, 19 Greenshank, a Wood Sandpiper, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 400 Swallow, 4 Swift, 12 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Whinchat, 24 Siskin, a Redpoll and a Pied Flycatcher. Heading south were a Grey Wagtail, 100 Swallow and 5 Tree Sparrow.
A ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint produced 77 new birds: 4 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 51 Swallow, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 3 Sand Martin, a Siskin, a Garden Warbler, a Linnet, a Yellow Wagtail, a Chaffinch, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap. One of the ringed Sand Martin had aberrant plumage.
A later ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint produced 20 new birds: 3 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, 8 Greenfinch, a Chiffchaff, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Robin; and 5 retraps: 2 Blackcap, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit and a Robin.

Aberrant Sand Martin, ringed 2nd September 2015.
Photo - Nigel Judson

High tide over New Saltmarsh, 2nd September 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

High tide near Bird Observatory, 2nd September 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

September 1st. The Barred Warbler remained near Mill Hill. Also around, including birds trapped, were 10 Spoonbill, 2 Short-eared Owl, 15 Sandwich Tern, 80000 Knot, 3500 Sanderling, 4100 Oystercatcher, 2 Ruff, 15 Greenshank, 4 Spotted Redshank, 8 Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, 49 Shoveler, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Turtle Dove, 25 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, a Pied Flycatcher, 5 Spotted Flycatcher, a Tree Sparrow, 4 Garden Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, 10 Siskin, a Redwing and a Redstart. Flying south was a Hobby.
A long ringing session in East Dunes by Nigel Judson and Christine Flint resulted in 34 new birds: 7 Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Goldcrest, a Robin, 4 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Linnet, 2 Garden Warbler, 5 Swallow, 2 Siskin, a Reed Bunting, a Tree Sparrow, a Pied Flycatcher, 2 Dunnock and a Redwing; and 6 retraps: a Garden Warbler, a Linnet, 3 Dunnock and a Great Tit.