Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid July 2016

July 20th. On Jackson's Marsh were 6 Spoonbill, and on Tennyson's Sands a Ruff, 29 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Birds around included 3 Whimbrel and a Goldcrest. Flying south were 6 Swift, 2 House Martin and 17 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 8 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, a Linnet and a Kestrel; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Kestrel, ringed 20th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

July 19th. Around were 2 Spoonbill, a Merlin, 2 reeling Grasshopper Warbler, a Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel. Going south were 2 Swift and 45 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 13 new birds: 4 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, a Robin, a Great Tit, a Swallow and 3 Dunnock; and 3 retraps: a Dunnock and 2 Whitethroat.

July 18th. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Kingfisher, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Goldcrest, a juvenile Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker, a Collared Dove and a Cuckoo. On Tennyson's Sands was a juvenile Little Ringed Plover. Heading south were 2 Yellow Wagtail, 43 Swallow and 9 Sand Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 3 Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 5 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Swallow, a Dunnock and a Kingfisher; and 4 retraps: singles of Wren, Lesser Whitethroat, Great Tit and Whitethroat.

Juvenile Stonechat, 18th July 2016.

Kingfisher performing head-turning defensive display, ringed 18th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Small Tortoiseshell, 18th July 2016.

Common Sandpiper, 18th July 2016.

July 17th. Flying south were 5 Spoonbill, 350 Swallow and 6 Sand Martin. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel and a Cuckoo.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a Blackcap, a Chaffinch, 2 Whitethroat, a Swallow, a Dunnock, a Blackbird and a Cuckoo; and 8 retraps: a Robin, 3 Wren, 2 Dunnock, a Blue Tit and a Great Tit.

Juvenile Cuckoo, ringed 17th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

July 16th. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Spoonbill. Birds around included 21 Swallow (mostly juveniles), 2 Greenshank and 6 Whimbrel. Going south were a Peregrine, 3 Sanderling, 109 Swift and 11 Sand Martin; north 5 Gannet; and west a Marsh Harrier.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 14 new birds: 6 Wren, a Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Linnet, a Reed Bunting, a Goldfinch, a Whitethroat, a Swallow and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: singles of Dunnock, Wren and Whitethroat.

Juvenile Swallow, ringed 16th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

July 15th. Around were a juvenile Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel, 600 Sanderling and a Green Woodpecker. Offshore were 57 Gannet and 850 Sandwich Tern. On Tennyson's Sands were 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 111 Avocet. Flying south were a Golden Plover and a Swift.
The 8th session of CES was done this morning, providing 30 new birds: 5 Wren, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 17 Whitethroat, a Goldfinch and 2 Dunnock; and 14 retraps: a Wren, a Robin, a Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroat, a Dunnock, a Willow Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Goldfinch and a Chaffinch.

July 14th. Birds around included a Green Sandpiper, a Cuckoo, 4 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, a Goldcrest and 17 Swallow (mostly juveniles). Offshore were a Yellow-legged Gull, 70 Common Scoter, 35 Gannet and 2 Arctic Skua. On Tennyson's Sands were a Kingfisher, 87 Avocet and 7 Black-tailed Godwit, and on Jackson's Marsh a Little Ringed Plover. Heading north were 10 Eider, and south 5 Golden Plover and 17 Whimbrel.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 6 new birds: 2 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Reed Bunting and 2 Woodpigeon; and a retrap Whitethroat.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 33 new birds: 3 Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 7 Blue Tit, 6 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Sedge Warbler, a Linnet, a Whitethroat, 3 Great Tit, 4 Dunnock and a Greenfinch; and 20 retraps: 3 Great Tit, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, 5 Blue Tit, a Willow Warbler, 3 Chaffinch and 2 Dunnock.

Reed Bunting, ringed 14th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

July 13th. Around were a Spoonbill, a Short-eared Owl, a Marsh Harrier, 70 Common Scoter, 300 Sandwich Tern, 6 Whimbrel, 76 Avocet, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Greenshank, a Turtle Dove and 2 Grasshopper Warbler (including 1 reeling). Going south was a Little Gull. In from the north came 34 juvenile Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 12 new birds: 4 Wren, a Robin, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap; and 6 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock and a Blue Tit.

July 12th. Birds around included a Buzzard, 144 Sandwich Tern, a Common Sandpiper, 7 Greenshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, a Cuckoo and a Turtle Dove. Heading south were a Wood Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew, 3 Sand Martin and a Swift.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 23 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 3 Wren, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, a Linnet, 5 Blackcap, a Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blue Tit and 4 Dunnock; 10 retraps: 4 Dunnock, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blue Tit and a Great Tit; and a control mouting adult female Blackcap with a MUS JERSEY CI ring. At a nest 3 pullus Swallow were ringed.

Jersey ring on Blackcap, controlled 12th July 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

July 11th. Quite strong south-westerly wind.
On Jackson's Marsh, then on Tennyson's Sands, were 2 Wood Sandpiper. Around were 5 Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 101 Sandwich Tern, a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull. Flying south were 2 Manx Shearwater, 900+ Swift, 56 Sand Martin, 13 Swallow, 6 Curlew and 2 Whimbrel.