Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid September 2016

September 20th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Spoonbill, a Marsh Harrier, 10 Pintail, 4 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 27 Ruff, 94 Black-tailed Godwit, a Snipe, 5 Brent Goose, 30 Pink-footed Goose, a Green Woodpecker, a Redstart, 2 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Tree Pipit, a Sedge Warbler and 3 Reed Warbler. Going south were 35 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 11 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, a Goldfinch, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 6 retraps: 5 Dunnock and a Goldcrest.

September 19th. There were 3 Yellow-browed Warbler present: 1 trapped and ringed in East Dunes, and 2 around Beach Car Park. Around, including birds trapped, were 4 Spoonbill, 4 Pink-footed Goose, 5 Brent Goose, 11 Pintail, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 27 Ruff, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, a Redstart, a Spotted Flycatcher, 35 Goldcrest, a Reed Warbler and a Garden Warbler. Heading south were 1500 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and 2 Tree Sparrow; and east 61Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 32 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 2 Willow Warbler, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Robin, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Redstart, 8 Dunnock, 5 Song Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Kingfisher; and 8 retraps: a Robin, 4 Dunnock, a Garden Warbler, a Wren and a Reed Warbler.

Yellow-browed Warbler, ringed 19th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Kingfisher, ringed 19th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

High tide near Bird Observatory, 19th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

September 18th. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Spoonbill, a Lapland Bunting, a Little Stint, 7 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 10 Ruff, 196 Black-tailed Godwit, 5930 Bar-tailed Godwit, 67000 Knot, 2 Snipe, a Scaup, 2 Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, a Redstart, a Wheatear, a Whinchat, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Pied Flycatcher, a Tree Pipit, 2 Garden Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Reed Warbler. Offshore were a Sabine's Gull, a Red-throated Diver and 100 Common Scoter. Flying south were a possible juvenile White-winged Black Tern, 3 Red-throated Diver, 50 Common Scoter, 14 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 7 Arctic Skua, 6 Common Buzzard, 940 Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Siskin, 65 Swallow, 2 Sand Martin and 11 House Martin; north a black Tern; and south-east 10 Pink-footed Goose. In from the north-east came 3 Brent Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 21 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 4 Robin, a Tree Pipit, a Garden Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap, a Great Tit, a Swallow, 3 Dunnock and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps: singles of Wren, Reed Warbler, Great Tit, Robin, Dunnock and Blackbird.
Chris Bottomer found 2 male Willow Emerald Damselflies (see photographs below). As well as being a new species for the reserve, this is almost certainly the most northerly UK record for this species.

Shorebirds, 18th September 2016.
Photo - James Siddle

Tree Pipit, ringed 18th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Sparrowhawk, ringed 18th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Willow Emerald Damselfly, 18th September 2016.
Photo - Chris Bottomer

Comma, 18th September 2016.

Photo - Rob Watson

September 17th. Soggy start. Moderately strong north-easterly wind, gradually decreasing.
Around, including birds trapped, were a Great White Egret, 5 Spoonbill, 55000 Knot, a Hobby, 2 Wheatear, a Rock Pipit (first of autumn), 5 Song Thrush, a Garden Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff and 8 Goldcrest. Sea-watching produced 62 Sooty Shearwater, 16 Manx Shearwater, a Great Skua, 10 Arctic Skua and 14 Fulmar north; 6 Red-throated Diver south; a Slavonian Grebe offshore; and a Pomarine Skua over the beach. South over land went 31 Pink-footed Goose, 26 Swallow, 8 House Martin, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 17 Meadow Pipit.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 11 new birds: a Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, a Meadow Pipit, a Dunnock and 3 Song Thrush; and 2 retraps: a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat.

Great White Egret, 17th September 2016.
Photo - Garry Wright

A link to video of waders, by Stuart Ainsworth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa6NIthitbo&feature=youtu.be

September 16th. A Honey Buzzard flew south-east over the East Dunes at 1054hrs. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, 2 Whinchat, 3 Chiffchaff, a Garden Warbler and a Reed Warbler. Heading south were 50 House Martin and 17 Swallow. Sea-watching produced an adult Pomarine Skua, 80 Common Scoter, 11 Red-throated Diver, 100 Gannet, 120 Teal, 25 Wigeon and a Pintail south; and a Black Tern and a Great Skua north. A skein of 26 Pink-footed Goose, the first of the autumn, flew east.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 14 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Robin, a Reed Warbler, 2 Whinchat, a Reed Bunting, a Dunnock and 2 Mistle Thrush; and 5 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap and a Dunnock.

Whinchat, ringed 16th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Mistle Thrush, ringed 16th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

September 15th. Fog until late morning.
Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 7 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 3 Snipe, a Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatear, a Whinchat, a Garden Warbler and 4 Willow Warbler. Flying south were 24 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 4 new birds: a Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Blackcap; and 2 retrap Dunnock.

Yellow-browed Warbler, 15th September 2016.
Photo - Dave Roberts

Pied Flycatcher, 15th September 2016
Photo - Dave Roberts

September 14th. Fresh north-easterly wind.
Birds around included 8 Spoonbill, 7 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 9 Ruff, 3 Water Rail, a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher, 6 Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat and a Garden Warbler. Going south were 9 Swallow.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 4 new birds: singles of Goldcrest, Whitethroat, Chaffinch and Blackcap; and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Dunnock.

September 13th. In the Plantation were 15 Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler. On Jackson's Marsh were a Spoonbill, 4 Ruff, 3 Pintail and a Little Stint; and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank. Around were 4 Spoonbill, a Pomarine Skua, 193 Golden Plover, a Marsh Harrier, a Greenshank, a Tree Pipit, a Pied Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler and 2 Wheatear. Heading south were 5 Black Tern, a Fulmar, 300 Sandwich Tern, a Mediterranean Gull, a Great Skua, 20 Arctic Skua, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 40 House Martin, 35 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 8 Black Tern and a Hobby; and north a Manx Shearwater.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, a Whitethroat, a Robin, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 8 retraps: a Blackbird, a Robin, a Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, a Blackcap, a Wren and a Blue Tit.

Sanderling, 13th September 2016.

Arctic Skua, 13th September 2016.

September 12th. Around, including birds trapped, were 8 Spoonbill, a Merlin, 10 Arctic Skua, 2 Greenshank, 5 Spotted Redshank, 7 Ruff, 148 Black-tailed Godwit, a Water Rail, a Yellow Wagtail, 5 Goldcrest, a Garden Warbler and 2 Sedge Warbler. Flying south were 13 Black Tern, 5 Pintail, 800 Meadow Pipit and 6 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 3 Robin, 2 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Sedge Warbler; and 2 retraps: singles of Whitethroat and Blackcap.

September 11th. Soggy start, gradually drying out.
Birds around, including those trapped, were 12 Spoonbill, 3 Manx Shearwater, a Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, 7 Spotted Redshank, 10 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Ruff, 3 Snipe, 223 Black-tailed Godwit, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Water Rail, 32 Little Grebe, 2 Pintail, 44 Shoveler, a juvenile Peregrine, a Merlin, a Hobby, 3 Common Buzzard, a Jay, 2 Kingfisher, 7 Wheatear, 2 Siskin, 5 Yellow Wagtail, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler and 2 Goldcrest. Going south were 100 Swallow, 10 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin and 11 Dunnock.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 24 new birds; 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Whitethroat, a Greenland Wheatear, 2 Robin, 2 Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcap and 7 Dunnock; and 10 retraps: a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Robin, a Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock, a Blue Tit, a Woodpigeon and a Wren.

Speckled Wood, 11th September 2016.
Photo - Rob Watson

Wheatear, 11th September 2016.
Photo - Rob Watson

Greenland Wheatear, ringed 11th September 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Hunting Peregrine, 11th September 2016.