Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early July 2017

July 10th. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill and 25 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included a Common Buzzard, 6 Greenshank, an adult Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Ruff, 40 Sanderling, 2 Kingfisher, a Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtail. The first juvenile Little Egret of the year appeared. Flying north were 2 Gannet.

Gatekeeper, 10th July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson

Black-tailed Skimmer, 10th July 2017.

Dune Robberfly (Philonicus albiceps) 10th July 2017.This species is to be expected in numbers on open sand, with eggs laid among Marram Grass roots.

Juvenile Robin, 10th July 2017.

Juvenile Wheatear, 10th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Spoonbills, 10th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Spoonbill, 10th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

July 9th. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill and 43 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Fenland Lagoon 3 Greenshank, 2 Ruff and 3 Little Ringed Plover. Around were a first-summer Little Gull, 187 Curlew, a Green Sandpiper, a female Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail. Going south were 120 Swift, 2 Sand Martin and a Grey Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: 3 Chiffchaff, a Long-tailed Tit, a Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat; and 7 retraps: 2 Dunnock, 2 Wren, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Song Thrush.

July 8th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill and 49 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Jackson's Marsh a Grey Wagtail. Birds around included a Golden Plover, 350 Curlew, a Whimbrel, 2 Ruff, 4 Greenshank, 300 Dunlin, 200 Sandwich Tern, 5 Arctic Tern, a Marsh Harrier, a Cuckoo and a Green Woodpecker. Flying south were a Golden Plover, 4 Whimbrel, a Hobby, a Swift, 20 Sand Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Grey Wagtail.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 30 new birds: 7 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 7 Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, 8 Linnet, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Robin, a Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 5 retraps: 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Dunnock and a Whitethroat.
A White-letter Hairstreak was seen again in the West Dunes.

White-letter Hairstreak, 8th July 2017
Photo - Richard Doan

July 7th. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 2 Common Tern and a Common Sandpiper. Hunting the fields beyond the scrapes were 2 Barn Owl. Around, including birds trapped, were 300 Redshank, 200 Curlew, a Grey Heron, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 26 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, an adult Cuckoo, a Green Woodpecker, a Bullfinch and a House Sparrow. Going south were a Whimbrel, 7 Swift and a Sand Martin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 17 new birds: 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, a Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Chaffinch, a Meadow Pipit, a Bullfinch, 3 Dunnock, a Starling and a Woodpigeon; and 4 retraps: a Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and a Chaffinch.
A Silver-washed Fritillary was present on the reserve.

Juvenile Bullfinch, ringed 7th July 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

Silver-washed Fritillary, 7th July 2017.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

July 6th. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill, 3 Wigeon, a Great Crested Grebe, a Spotted Redshank and 26 Black-tailed Godwit. Birds around, including those trapped, were a Grey Heron, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 37 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, a Treecreeper, 1700 Starling and 35 Swallow. Heading south were 2 Whimbrel and 19 Swift; and north a Razorbill, a Gannet and 950 Common Scoter.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 11 new birds: a Wren, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Linnet and a Goldfinch; and 12 retraps: a Linnet, 4 Dunnock, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Great Tit, a Wren and 3 Whitethroat.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 10 new birds: 2 Wren, a Treecreeper, 4 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Wren and a Chiffchaff.
A Banded Demoiselle flew across Tennyson's Sands.

July 5th. A Spoonbill was near Millennium Ridge. On Tennyson's Sands were a male Pochard and a Black-tailed Godwit. Around were 2 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler, a Little Ringed Plover, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 300 Starling and a Yellow Wagtail. Offshore were 20 Sandwich Tern and 8 Common Tern. Flying south were 10 Black-tailed Godwit, a Hobby, 300 Starling, 17 Sand Martin and 2 Yellow Wagtail; and north an Arctic Skua, 5 Gannet and 8 Eider.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 28 new birds: 4 Wren, a Chiffchaff, 8 Whitethroat, 7 Linnet, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Wren, a Linnet, 2 Dunnock and a Whitethroat.

Swallow, 5th July 2017.

Black-tailed Godwits, 5th July 2017.

Lapwing, 5th July 2017.

July 4th. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Spoonbill and 14 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Croftmarsh a Grey Heron. Offshore were 350 Common Scoter. Birds around included 2 Wigeon, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Snipe, a Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail, 50 Swallow, 10 Mistle Thrush and a Grasshopper Warbler. Going north was a Whimbrel; and south were 19 Redshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 50 Swift, 26 Sand Martin and 32 Swallow.
The seventh session of CES was done this morning. The 29 new birds were 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Wren, 3 Willow Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 3 Robin, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Dunnock and 2 Blackbird. The 9 retraps were 2 Whitethroat, 2 Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Blue Tit, a Dunnock, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.

Grasshopper Warbler, 4th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Roe Deer, 4th July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

July 3rd. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill. Later, 4 Spoonbill were on Millennium Ridge. A juvenile Wheatear was near the Shorebird Hut. Around, including birds trapped, were 17 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 300 Common Scoter, 3 Little Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, 50 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, a Kingfisher, a Cuckoo and 40 Swift. Heading south were 31 Gannet, 24 Curlew, 2 Grey Heron, 350 Swift, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 37 Sand Martin and 14 Swallow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 18 new birds: 5 Wren, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, a Blackcap, a Robin, 3 Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Dunnock, a Kingfisher and a Woodpigeon; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Wren and a Whitethroat.
Butterflies included 2 White-letter Hairstreaks; and mammals 2 Water Voles.

Essex Skippers, 3rd July 2017
Photo - Rob Watson

Six-Spotted Burnett, 3rd July 2017
Photo - Rob Watson

Comma, 3rd July 2017
Photo - Rob Watson

Black-tailed Godwit, 3rd July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Black-tailed Godwits, 3rd July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Avocet, 3rd July 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Kingfisher, ringed 3rd July 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

July 2nd. On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Spoonbill, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Barnacle Goose; and on Fenland Lagoon 3 Little Ringed Plover. Birds around included 26 Teal, 3 Marsh Harrier, 80 Curlew, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Goldcrest, 7 Sand Martin, 45 Swallow and 3 House Sparrow. Offshore were 400 Common Scoter. Going south were 110 Starling and a Bullfinch.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 23 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, a Linnet, 5 Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Dunnock and 2 Song Thrush; and 10 retraps: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock and 2 Wren.
In Beach (North) Car Park were 2 Hummingbird Hawkmoths.

Essex Skippers, 2nd July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson

Comma, 2nd July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson

Six-spot Burnet, 2nd July 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson

July 1st. Flying south was a Honey Buzzard. On Tennyson's Sands were 2 Spoonbill. Offshore were 300 Sandwich Tern, an Arctic Tern, 4 Common Tern, 70 Little Tern, 500 Common Scoter and 10 Gannet. Around were 174 Shelduck, 150 Curlew, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, 3 Turnstone, a Little Gull, 2 Sand Martin, a Grasshopper Warbler, 60 Starling and a Crossbill.
Dragonflies included a Red-veined Darter.