Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late May 2017

May 31st. On Tennyson's Sands were a Spoonbill and a Mediterranean Gull. Birds around included a Greenshank, a Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo and a Hobby.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 6 Blue Tit, a Blackcap, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Blue Tit.

Hobby, 31st May 2017.

Sedge Warbler, 31st May 2017.

May 30th. Soggy start, gradually drying out.
On Tennyson's Sands were a Spoonbill, a Great Crested Grebe and a Ruff; and on Fenland Lagoon 2 Little Ringed Plover. Around were a Short-eared Owl, 3 Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, a Green Woodpecker (North End) and a Garden Warbler. Heading south were 3 Barnacle Goose, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, a Red Kite, a Greenshank, 32 Swift, 44 Swallow and 18 House Martin; and north 2 Gannet.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: 3 Linnet, a Reed Bunting and 3 Dunnock; and 5 retraps: 3 Whitethroat and 2 Dunnock.

May 29th. Rainy spells in early morning and in afternoon.
The Spoonbill remained on Tennyson's Sands. Birds around included 3 Turtle Dove, 3 Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl.

Roe Deer in West Dunes, 29th May 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Feeding Station, 29th May 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Turtle Dove in West Dunes, 29th May 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Short-eared Owl, 29th May 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Short-eared Owl, 29th May 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale.

May 28th. Flying south were a first-summer male Red-footed Falcon, an Alpine Swift, 31 Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Hobby, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 260 Swift, 15 Swallow, 30 House Martin and a Siskin. A Black Stork circled before heading south. Around were a Short-eared Owl, a Turtle Dove and 2 Cuckoo. On Fenland Lagoon were 2 Little Ringed Plover; and on Tennyson's Sands a Spoonbill and a Great Crested Grebe.

Red Kite, 28th May 2017.
Photo - James Siddle

3 Red Kites over Gibraltar Point, 28th May 2017.
Photo - James Siddle

Red Kite over Old Saltmarsh, 28th May 2017.
Photo - James Siddle

Young Rabbit in West Dunes, 28th May 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Red-footed Falcon, 28th May 2017.
Photo - James Siddle

May 27th. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill and a Great Crested Grebe. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Short-eared Owl, a Turtle Dove (East Dunes) and 2 Cuckoo. Heading south were a Black Tern and 150 Swift.
A brief morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 2 new birds: a Whitethroat and a Cuckoo; and no retraps.

Spoonbills on Tennyson Sands, 27th May 2017.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Broad-bodied Chaser, 27th May 2017.
Photo - Paul Johnson

Turtle Dove, East Dunes 27th May 2017.
Photo - James Siddle

First-summer female Cuckoo showing retained juvenile feathers, ringed 27th May 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

May 26th. The Spoonbill remained on Tennyson's Sands, where was also a Common Sandpiper. On Fenland Lagoon were 2 Little Ringed Plover and a Grey Plover. Around were a Turtle Dove, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Cuckoo and a Grasshopper Warbler. Going south was a Grey Wagtail.

Grey Plover (with lunch), 26th May 2017.

Grey Plover, 26th May 2017.

Selection of Butterflies around the Reserve, 26th May 2017.
Photo - Philip Millns

May 25th. An adult male Red-footed Falcon drifted south early afternoon. Birds around included a Short-eared Owl, 2 Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo and a Redwing. On Tennyson's Sands were a Spoonbill, a Mediterranean Gull and 2 Little Ringed Plover.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, resulted in 2 new birds: a Whitethroat and a Blackcap; and 10 retraps: 3 Whitethroat, a Dunnock, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Sedge Warbler, a Blue Tit and a Reed Bunting.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 11 new birds: 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: 2 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, a Wren and a Blackbird.
A check of nest boxes revealed a Barn Owl nest with 5 warm eggs; a Stock Dove nest with 2 warm eggs: 6 Jackdaw pulli ringed; and several Great Tit nests with small pulli or sitting adults, but also several failed clutches, probably the result of recent rains.

Barn Owl, 25th May 2017.
Photo - Paul Johnson

Linnet, 25th May 2017.
Photo - Paul Johnson

May 24th. Around, including birds trapped. were a Mediterranean Gull, a Short-eared Owl, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Turtle Dove and a Redwing. On Tennyson's Sands was a Spoonbill; and on Fenland Lagoon a Common Sandpiper.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Chaffinch, a Blackcap and a Redwing; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat.

Redwing, ringed 24th May 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

May 23rd. Flying south in the morning were a Bee-eater, a Red Kite and a Yellow Wagtail; and north 53 Brent Goose. Birds around included 2 Brent Goose, a Short-eared Owl, 3 Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Little Ringed Plover.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 4 new birds: a Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Meadow Pipit; and a retrap Lesser Whitethroat.

Reed Warbler, Tennyson Sands.
Photo - Paul Neale

Little Egret, Tennyson Sands.
Photo - Paul Neale

Little Ringed Plover, Tennyson Sands.
Photo - Paul Neale

May 22nd. Around were a Red Kite, a Short-eared Owl, 3 Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, 2 Hobby and a Spotted Flycatcher.

The third session of CES was done this morning. The 20 new birds were a Willow Warbler, a Wren, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler and 2 Dunnock. The 17 retraps were 3 Dunnock, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, a Robin, 2 Whitethroat, a Wren, 3 Blackbird, a Chaffinch, a Song Thrush and a Sedge Warbler.

Spotted Flycatcher, 22nd May 2017.
Photo - Kev Wilson

Red Kite, 22nd May 2017.
Photo - Phil Hyde

Short-eared Owl, 22nd May 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Little Egret, Tennyson Sands, 22nd May 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Common Terns, Tennyson Sands, 22nd May 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Turtle Dove, 22nd May 2017.

May 21st. On Tennyson's Sands was a Spoonbill. Flying north were 2 more Spoonbill; and south a Hobby, 3 Swift, 12 Swallow, 5 House Martin and a Grey Wagtail. Birds around were a Marsh Harrier, 4 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 3 Cuckoo, 4 Turtle Dove, a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded just 4 retraps: a Willow Warbler, 2 Dunnock and a Sedge Warbler.