Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early March 2019

March 10th. Rain until early afternoon.
A Woodlark was again in East Dunes; and 4 Hooded Crow were on the beach out from Mill Hill. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 White-fronted Goose, 40 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a Snipe. Also around were a Treecreeper, 31 Redwing and a Siskin.

Eurasian White-fronted Geese, 10th March 2019.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

March 9th. Strong south-westerly wind.
An exceptional morning for Merlin passage with 6 birds south through the reserve. Also heading south were 2 Red Kite, a Purple Sandpiper, 4 Kittiwake, and a Crossbill. On Croftmarsh were 8 White-fronted Goose. Around were a 160 Brent Goose (including a Pale-bellied Brent Goose), a Pintail, 12 Eider, a Grey Heron, 3 Hen Harrier (a male and 2 ringtail), a Sparrowhawk, 30 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, a Snipe, a Peregrine, a Merlin, 2 Hooded Crow and 8 Redwing. In off the sea came a Marsh Harrier.

Common Snipe, 9th March 2019.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

March 8th. A Raven flew south over Croftmarsh in the late afternoon. Birds around included 2 Pink-footed Goose, 8 White-fronted Goose, 85 Brent Goose (including a Pale-bellied Brent Goose), a Pintail, 2 Eider, a Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, a Sparrowhawk, a Water Rail, 36 Avocet, 300 Golden Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, a Woodcock, 2 Peregrine, a Hooded Crow, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 880 Starling, a Fieldfare, 12 Redwing, a Stonechat, a White Wagtail, 3 Yellowhammer and 25 Corn Bunting. Heading south a were a Red Kite, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Black-throated Diver and 6 Crossbill. From The Wash Viewpoint in the evening were a Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier (a male and 2 ringtails) and 2 Merlin.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 13 new birds: 4 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 5 Great Tit and 2 Blue Tit; and 9 retraps: 7 Goldfinch and 2 Great Tit.

Avocets, 8th March 2019.
Photo - Paul Neale

Long-tailed Tit, 8th March 2019.

Stonechat, 8th March 2019.

Song Thrush, 8th March 2019.

March 7th. A Woodlark was in the East Dunes, and a second bird flew south over the West Dunes mid-morning. A Red Kite flew south over Croftmarsh where there were 8 White-fronted Goose. Around were 80 Brent Goose, a Pintail, 2 Eider, a Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, a Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Water Rail, 25 Avocet, 7 Snipe, a Hooded Crow (North End), 16 Redwing and a Yellowhammer
Further signs of Spring:

Ringing Control:
Blackbird ringed GPBO 7 October 2016, controlled Wieringerwerf, Netherlands 2 March 2019.

March 6th. Fairly strong southerly wind, with rain in morning and again in the afternoon.
On Croftmash was a Water Pipit; and on Tennyson's Sands were 27 Avocet and 8 Black-tailed Godwit. Birds around included 80 Brent Goose, a Goldeneye, 2 Hen Harrier, 3 Sparrowhawk, 19 Stock Dove, a Tawny Owl, a Merlin, a Hooded Crow, 2 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, 2 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, 4 Yellowhammer and 22 Corn Bunting. North-west of the reserve was another Hooded Crow. Flying south was a Woodlark.
More signs of Spring:

Ringtail Hen Harrier, 6th March 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw

March 5th. Frosty start, gradually warming up.
A Woodlark was briefly in East Dunes. On Croftmarsh were 8 White-fronted Goose and a Pink-footed Goose; and on Jackson's Marsh a Water Pipit. Birds around included 90 Brent Goose, a Pintail, 90 Eider, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Grey Partridge, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Harrier (a male and a ringtail), 2 Buzzard, 29 Avocet, 52 Ringed Plover, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Turnstone, 2 Woodcock, 7 Stock Dove, 3 Tawny Owl, a Merlin, a Hooded Crow, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Treecreeper, 9 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing, 12 Rock Pipit, a Yellowhammer and 34 Corn Bunting. Heading south were 6 Rook, 27 Chaffinch, 8 Crossbill and 12 Siskin.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 10 new birds: 2 Blue Tit, 6 Goldfinch, a Great Tit and a Greenfinch; and 11 retraps: 6 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 3 Great Tit and a Blue Tit.

Ringtail Hen Harrier, 5th March 2019.

Little Egret, 5th March 2019.

Avocet, 5th March 2019.

March 4th. Strong but slowly decreasing south-westerly wind.
A Great White Egret was on the saltmarsh south of the Wash Viewpoint in the early evening. On Croftmarsh were 8 White-fronted Goose; and on Tennyson's Sands were 255 Brent Goose (including 2 Pale-bellied), 9 Black-tailed Godwit and 21 Avocet. Birds around included a Pink-footed Goose, 2 Pintail, 72 Eider, a Goldeneye, 7 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Crested Grebe, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier (from the Wash Viewpoint), 2 Buzzard, 5 Stock Dove, 3 Tawny Owl, a Short-eared Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, a Hooded Crow (at the North End), 2 Goldcrest, 12 Redwing, a Crossbill (Beach Car Park), 6 Siskin, 2 Yellowhammer and 44 Corn Bunting. Heading south were a Goosander and 4 Red Kite.

March 3rd. Decreasing then increasing south-westerly wind, with rain in afternoon.
Birds around were 317 Brent Goose, 80 Shelduck, a Pintail, 121 Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Crested Grebe, a Marsh Harrier, a Hen Harrier, 20 Avocet, 5 Woodcock, 9 Snipe, a Glaucous Gull (along the beach and from the Wash Viewpoint), a Tawny Owl, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Merlin, 2 Hooded Crow (East Dunes), a Chiffchaff, 10 Redwing and 11 Corn Bunting. In off the sea came a Woodcock; and heading south was a Marsh Harrier.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 6 new birds: 4 Goldfinch, a Great Tit and a Blue Tit; and 2 retraps: a Great Tit and a Goldfinch.
Signs of Spring:

Redwing, 3rd March 2019.
Photo - Jim Shaw

March 2nd. Birds around, including those trapped, were 8 White-fronted Goose, a Pintail, a Goldeneye, 2 Grey Partridge, 9 Common Scoter, 9 Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Great Crested Grebe, a Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Avocet, 10 Turnstone, 2 Woodcock, a Mediterranean Gull, a Glaucous Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Hooded Crow, 2 Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler, 185 Starling, a Fieldfare, 12 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Stonechat, a Lesser Redpoll, 29 Siskin and 36 Corn Bunting. Heading south were 2 Buzzard.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 16 new birds: a Goldcrest, 4 Great Tit, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Siskin and a Chaffinch; and 8 retraps: 4 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit and a Goldfinch.

Eurasian White-fronted Geese, 2nd March 2019.

Photo - Owen Beaumont

Avocets, 2nd March 2019.

Photo - Owen Beaumont

Glaucous Gull, in the evening roost, 2nd March 2019.

Photo - Ben Ward

Mute Swan, 2nd March 2019.

Photo - Owen Beaumont

Siskin, ringed 2nd March 2019.
Photo - George Gregory

March 1st. A Water Rail, 20 Avocet and 3 Snipe were on Tennyson's Sands; on Jackson's Marsh was a drake Pintail; and on the Mere was a Water Rail. Around were 220 Brent Goose, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Snipe, a Glaucous Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Peregrine, a Coal Tit, 40 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Rock Pipit, 4 Siskin, a Yellowhammer and 40 Corn Bunting. From The Wash Viewpoint in the evening were a ringtail Hen Harrier and a Short-eared Owl; and offshore were 29 Red-throated Diver and 5 Great Crested Grebe. Going south were 3 Common Crossbill and 24 Siskin.

Siskin, 1st March 2019.

Goldfinch, 1st March 2019.

Chaffinch, 1st March 2019.

Ringing Controls and Recoveries:
Reed Bunting ringed Cottam, Nottinghamshire 20 August 2018, controlled GPBO 4 October 2018.
Goldfinch ringed Benington, Lincolnshire 6 February 2018, controlled GPBO 20 December 2018.
Blackbird ringed GPBO 6 December 2017, controlled New Marske, Redcar & Cleveland 11 January 2019.
Starling ringed Ventes Ragas, Lithuania 19 June 2018, controlled GPBO 29 October 2018.
Blackbird ringed GPBO 1 November 2018, controlled East Corton, North Yorkshire 18 January 2019.
Goldfinch ringed GPBO 3 October 2018, controlled La Neuville, France 31 October 2018.
Blue Tit ringed GPBO 7 October 2018, found dead Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire 17 January 2019.
Blackbird ringed Parnassiaweg, Netherlands 25 October 2018, controlled GPBO 5 November 2018.
Song Thrush ringed GPBO 27 October 2018, found dead Aldeia do Minhocal, Portugal 7 February 2019.