Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late September 2015

September 30th. Moderately strong easterly wind.
The Red-footed Falcon was still present. Other birds around included 5+ Yellow-browed Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher and 38 Brent Goose. On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spotted Redshank, 13 Ruff and 2 Greenshank. A flock of 70 Pintail flew south.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 5 new birds: a Blackcap, a Reed Bunting, 2 Swallow and a Robin; and a retrap Robin.

High tide near Bird Observatory, 30th September 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

High tide over New Saltmarsh, 30th September 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

September 29th. The Red-footed Falcon was still present, mostly around the Plantation. 4 Yellow-browed Warbler were around - the best areas to find them are along the road between Beach Car Park and the Golf Course and in the Plantation. Other good birds around were a Pied Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Greenshank and 25 Brent Goose. On Tennyson's Sands were 142 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and 3 Spotted Redshank. Flying south was a Grey Heron, and west 19 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Robin, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Swallow, 3 Meadow Pipit, a Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and a Dunnock; 2 retraps: singles of Robin and Dunnock; and a control Reed Bunting.
A colony of an endangered bee, Colletes halophilus, is making its nest under the bench adjacent to Wash Viewpoint (Lill's Hut).
The bees are harmless and are only known from saltmarshes fringing the North sea and parts of the English Channel. In England this species is found as far north as the Humber, but Lincolnshire probably supports a major proportion of the world population. The juxtaposition of Sea Aster for pollen on the saltmarshes and exposed sand embabkments for nesting are critical to the survival of the species.

Colletes halophilus
Photo - Nige Lound

September 28th. The Red-footed Falcon was still present in the morning. Other birds around, including those trapped, were 5 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Ring Ouzel, 8 Redwing, 7 Song Thrush, a Woodcock, 60000 Knot, a Green Woodpecker, 7 Buzzard, a Garden Warbler and 16 Chiffchaff. On Tennyson's Sands were 5 Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher. Going south were 43 Pink-footed Goose, 22 Siskin, a Grey Wagtail and a Peregrine, and north 7 Redwing. In came 2 Grey Heron.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 14 new birds: 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Wren, 4 Goldcrest, a Robin and a Green Woodpecker; and 5 retraps: 2 Blackcap, a Wren, a Whitethroat and a Robin.

Red-footed Falcon 28th September 2015
Photo - Philip Millns

Red-footed Falcon, 28th September 2015.

September 27th. The Red-footed Falcon reappeared late afternoon. Around were 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, 8 Brent Goose, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and a Stonechat. Heading south were a Spoonbill and 185 Pink-footed Goose, and west 73 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett and James Siddle, resulted in 19 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, 7 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch, a Reed Bunting, a Lesser Redpoll and a Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: 2 Blackcap, a Blue Tit and 2 Goldfinch.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent resulted in 17 new birds: 4 Greenfinch, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and singles of Wren, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Reed Warbler; and 19 retraps: 6 Dunnock, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and singles of Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Long-tailed Tit.

Yellow-browed Warbler, 27th September 2015.
Photo - Russel Hayes

Yellow-browed Warbler, 27th September 2015.

Brent Geese, 27th September 2015.

September 26th. The Red-footed Falcon was still present around Croftmarsh/north end of West Dunes. Other birds around included a Short-eared Owl, 4 Brent Goose, 3 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat and 7 Tree Sparrow. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spotted Redshank. Flying south were 193 Pink-footed Goose and a Sand Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith and Toby Collett, provided 18 new birds: 2 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, 6 Blackcap, a Robin, a Blue Tit, a Great Tit, 2 Greenfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 6 retraps: a Wren, a Robin, a Blackcap and 3 Great Tit.

Red-footed Falcon, 26th September 2015.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Wasp Spider, 26th September 2015.
Photo - Jim Shaw

September 25th. The Red-footed Falcon reappeared around Aylmer Avenue from mid morning. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank. Birds around included a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel and 2 Stonechat. Another Marsh Harrier went south.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 10 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, a Linnet, 3 Robin and 3 Dunnock; and a retrap Dunnock.

Red-footed Falcon, 25th September 2015.
Photo - Steven Humphreys

Red-footed Falcon, 25th September 2015.
Photo - Philip Millns

September 24th. A first calendar year Red-footed Falcon was discovered around Aylmer Avenue about 1.30 pm, and after flitting up and down the West Dunes for 30 minutes it moved north to the old decoy pond site north of Aylmer Avenue. There it found and abundance of dragonflies to hawk, and it showed very well until at least 4 pm, after which it is thought that there were no observers present.
Around was a Green Woodpecker. Offshore were a Pomarine Skua and 5 Arctic Skua.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 10 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Linnet, 3 Reed Bunting, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Robin and a Blackcap; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Wren.

First calendar year Red-footed Falcon, 24th September 2015
Photo - Mick Widdowson

First calendar year Red-footed Falcon, 24th September 2015.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

September 23rd. Around were a Green Woodpecker and 5 Greenshank. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff and 2 Greenshank. Heading south were a Red Kite, a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, 18 Siskin, 3 Redpoll and a Snipe.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 7 new birds: 3 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff and a Linnet; and 5 retraps: 2 Blackcap, a Robin, a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff.

September 22nd. The Barred Warbler was retrapped in East Dunes. Other birds around, including those trapped, were a Grasshopper Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spotted Redshank. Flying south was a Snipe.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 22 new birds: 3 Wren, 4 Goldcrest, a Linnet, 4 Lesser Redpoll, a Robin, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, a Great Tit and a Dunnock; and 8 retraps: a Linnet, a Barred Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Dunnock, a Wren and 2 Robin.

Grasshopper Warbler, ringed 21st September 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

Pintail, 22nd September 2015.

September 21st. Around were a Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Treecreeper, 70 Sandwich Tern, a Spotted Redshank and a Kingfisher. Flying south were 40 Sandwich Tern, 120 Gannet, 22 Arctic Skua, a Pomarine Skua, 400 Meadow Pipit, 150 House Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Brent Goose, 11 Common Tern, 5 Pintail, 116 Teal, 17 Wigeon, 14 Red-throated Diver and 25 Kittiwake, and west a Hobby. In off the sea came 4 Snipe.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 13 new birds: 11 Goldcrest, a Linnet and a Dunnock; and a retrap Blackcap.