Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid October 2016

October 20th. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Woodcock, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 200 Fieldfare, 50 Redwing, a Green Woodpecker and 4 Stonechat. Heading south were a Great Northern Diver, 34 Whooper Swan, 430 Pink-footed Goose, a Pomarine Skua and the usual finches; and north-west 40 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 48 new birds: 14 Goldcrest, a Wren, a Chiffchaff, 10 Robin, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, 3 Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, 10 Blackbird and a Woodcock; and 20 retraps: 7 Robin, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Blackbird, a Wren, 2 Dunnock, a Song Thrush and 4 Long-tailed Tit.

Woodcock, ringed 20th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

October 19th. Around were 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Stonechat, 6 Chiffchaff, a Wheatear, a Ring Ouzel, a Marsh Harrier, 193 Brent Goose, 300 Wigeon, a Grey Wagtail, 18 Brambling and 25 Tree Sparrow. A male Hen Harrier flushed up a Jack Snipe on the Old Saltmarsh. The morning high tide produced 9000 Oystercatcher, 60000 Knot and 4500 Bar-tailed Godwit. Flying south were 21 Whooper Swan, 600 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Swallow, a House Martin, a Lapland Bunting, 8 Yellowhammer and an assortment of finches. In off the sea came a Short-eared Owl.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 39 new birds: 8 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 19 Robin, a Blackcap, 3 Reed Bunting, a Chaffinch, a Dunnock, 3 Redwing, a Song Thrush and a Blackbird; 6 retraps: 2 Robin, a Blackcap, a Song Thrush, a Linnet and a Goldcrest; and a control Robin.

October 18th. Moderately strong southerly wind; spells of rain from mid morning.
A Radde's Warbler was discovered along the Cycle Track near the Yacht Club in the afternoon. The Dusky Warbler remained highly vocal and highly mobile. At least 2 Yellow-browed Warbler still showing well at Sykes Farm. a probable Little Bunting disappeared into the Outer Ridges. Around were a Ruff, 15000 Knot, a Hen Harrier, a Stonechat and a Wheatear. Morning rain made the morning wader count impossible. Going south were a Goosander, a Grey Heron and a Yellowhammer.
A brief, restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 15 new birds: a Wren, 3 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 5 Robin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, a Goldfinch and a Blackbird; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Blackbird, a Dunnock and 2 Robin.

Fieldfare and Redwing, 18th October 2016.
Photo - Mel Hood

October 17th. Fresh south-easterly wind.
The Dusky Warbler was rediscovered in the evening. Birds around, including those trapped, were 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Firecrest, 5 Bearded Tit, 90 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 10 Snipe, a Water Rail, 300 Fieldfare, 5 Ring Ouzel, 6 Stonechat, a Whinchat, a Grey Wagtail, 3 Swallow, 3 Tree Sparrow and 15 Redpoll. Wader movement at high tide involved 70000 birds. Heading south during a good a good day's visible migration were 2 Crossbill, a Twite, 12 Swallow, 4 House Martin, a Buzzard, a Kestrel and many finches, pipits and other species.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 49 new birds: 2 Wren, 28 Goldcrest, a Firecrest, 7 Robin, a Blackcap, a Dunnock, 3 Song Thrush and 6 Blackbird; and 11 retraps: 3 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 5 Goldcrest and a Chaffinch.

Ring Ouzel with Hawthorn haw, 17th October 2016
Photo - Paul Neale

Ring Ouzel (above) and Fieldfare (below), 17th October 2016
Photo - Paul Neale

Fieldfare, 17th October 2016
Photo - Paul Neale

Ring Ouzel, 17th October 2016
Photo - Paul Neale

Firecrest, ringed 17th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

October 16th. Increasing south-easterly wind; rain from mid morning to early afternoon.
Around, including birds trapped, were a Richard's Pipit, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 Bearded Tit, 35 Pink-footed Goose, 250 Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Merlin, 380 Fieldfare, 4 Ring Ouzel, 4 Stonechat, 2 House Sparrow, 10 Redpoll, 15 Siskin, 5 Water Rail, 7 Spotted Redshank and a Woodcock. Flying south were 700 Golden Plover, 5 Swallow, 120 Fieldfare, a Grey Wagtail, 4 House Sparrow, 22 Tree Sparrow, 13 Redpoll, 70 Siskin and 55 Brambling.
A brief morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 27 new birds: 8 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 10 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 4 Blackbird and a Woodcock; and 7 retraps: 4 Robin, a Wren, a Blackbird and a Redwing.
Over at Aylmer Avenue a brief ringing session by Mick Briggs resulted in 61 new birds: 49 Goldcrest, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 2 Chiffchaff and singles of Brambling and Chaffinch; and no retraps.
A return visit by Mick Briggs in the afternoon sun provided a single late Barn Owl pullus from a nest box, probably a second brood for the resident pair.

Bearded Tits, 16th October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

Bearded Tit, 16th October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

Peregrine, 16th October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

October 15th. A Pallas's Leaf Warbler was discovered in East Dunes, and a Dusky Warbler was trrapped and ringed at Aylmer Avenue. Birds around, including those trapped, were 200 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Bean Goose, 25 White-fronted Goose, a Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, a Grey Wagtail, 300 Fieldfare, 400 Redwing, 200 Robin, 150 Goldcrest, 4 Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat, 2 Stonechat and 150 Brambling. On Tennyson's Sands were a Spoonbill, 2 Bearded Tit, 2 Ruff, 60 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Water Rail. A Hawfinch was perched up briefly in the West Dunes before heading south.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 70 new birds: 2 Wren, 21 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 17 Robin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Dunnock, 8 Song Thrush, 4 Redwing and 6 Blackbird; and 10 retraps: 3 Robin, a Great Tit, 2 Blackbird, 3 Goldcrest and a Dunnock.
Over at Aylmer Avenue an all day ringing session including a full roost catch by Team Briggs, (but only operating half of the nets available) resulted in 412 new birds: 122 Goldcrest, 68 Brambling, 61 Robin, 54 Goldfinch, 36 Redwing, 16 Song Thrush, 14 Blackbird, 12 Chaffinch, 6 Blackcap, 6 Greenfinch, 4 Blue Tit, 4 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, and singles of Dusky Warbler, Reed Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Great Tit and Fieldfare. The were also 2 retraps: a Robin and a Blue Tit.
The Dusky Warbler was a real surprise and is just the 2nd ever ringed by the Bird Observatory.

Pallas's Warbler in the East Dunes, 15th October
Photo - James Siddle

Dusky Warbler, ringed 15th October 2016,
Photo - Richard Doan

Dusky Warbler, ringed 15th October 2016.
Photo - Richard Doan

Cetti's Warbler, ringed 15th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

Bearded Tit, 15th October 2016.
Photo - Russell Hayes

Magpie, 15th October 2016.
Photo - Paul Johnson

Water Vole, 15th Ocyober 2016.
Photo - Paul Johnson

October 14th. The Red-flanked Bluetail remained in West Dunes. Around, including birds trapped, were 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Firecrest, 8 Ring Ouzel, 300 Fieldfare, 200 Redwing, 2 Ruff, 2 Greenshank, a Woodcock, a Kingfisher, a Merlin and 5 White-fronted Goose. Going south were 205 Pink-footed Goose, 6 Sandwich Tern, a Lapland Bunting, 12 Redpoll, a Bullfinch and 105 Brambling; and north a Mediterranean Gull. In from the east came 2 Egyptian Goose with a Greytlag Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 86 new birds: 14 Goldcrest, a Wren, 35 Robin, 4 Blackcap, 2 Reed Bunting, a Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Dunnock, 4 Greenfinch, 6 Redwing, 11 Song Thrush, 4 Blackbird and a Ring Ouzel; and 22 retraps: 2 Wren, 11 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 4 Goldcrest, a Song Thrush and a Dunnock.

Ring Ouzel, ringed 14th October 2016.
Photo - George Gregory

October 13th. Fresh south-easterly wind with showers.
The Red-flanked Bluetail was still present in West Dunes. Birds around included a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Spoonbill, a Great Grey Shrike, 3 Spotted Redshank, 5 Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Tree Pipit, 5 Stonechat, 2 Whinchat, a Hawfinch, 114 Brambling, a Mealy Redpoll, a Lapland Bunting and 22 Ring Ouzel. Heading south were 11 Brambling.

October 12th. A Red-flanked Bluetail was discovered in West Dunes in the morning. Around were a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Great Grey Shrike, a Long-eared Owl, a male Hen Harrier, a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, 65 Pink-footed Goose, 7 Ring Ouzel, 200 Redwing, a Whinchat, 20 Redpoll, 20 Siskin, 30 Brambling and 3 House Martin. Flying south were 70 Siskin; south-east 70 Pink-footed Goose; and north a Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 71 new birds: 8 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 19 Long-tailed Tit, 18 Robin, 2 Blackcap, a Chaffinch, a Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, a Reed Bunting, a Dunnock, 6 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, a Fieldfare and a Blackbird; and 8 retraps: 3 Robin, 2 Wren, a Song Thrush and 2 Goldcrest.

Long-eared Owl, 12th October 2016
Photo - Bryony Baxter

Red-flanked Bluetail, 12th October 2016.
Photo - Russell Hayes

Red-flanked Bluetail, 12th October 2016.
Photo - Paul Neale

October 11th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, a Great Grey Shrike, 90 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 3 Woodcock, a Swallow, 10 Ring Ouzel, 12 Stonechat, a Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, a Redstart, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Siskin and 52 Brambling.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 86 new birds: 4 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, 30 Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 16 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blackcap, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Tree Sparrow, a Blue Tit, a Lesser Redpoll, 4 Dunnock, 6 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; 11 retraps: 4 Robin, 2 Wren, a Dunnock, 2 Goldcrest, a Blackcap and a Long-tailed Tit; and a control Goldcrest with a STAVANGER MUS NORWAY ring.