Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid April 2020

April 20th. Strong north-easterly wind.
Heading north were 2 Little Tern, 3 Sandwich Tern and 17 Arctic Tern. Birds around included 4 Cuckoo, a Whimbrel, a Spotted Redshank, a Marsh Harrier, a Green Woodpecker, 19 Jay and a Redwing.

April 19th. Strong north-easterly wind.
Around were 2 Cuckoo, 3 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, 39 Jay, a Bearded Tit, a Garden Warbler and 2 Cetti's Warbler.

April 18th. Strong easterly wind.
Going south were 100 Sandwich Tern, an Arctic Tern and a Fulmar. Birds around included a Ruff, a Greenshank, a Cuckoo, a Jay, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a Bullfinch.

Tree Pipit, 18th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

April 17th. In the afternoon 2 Common Crane flew south-west. Around were a Cuckoo, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Jay, 2 Reed Warbler and a Siskin.

April 16th. Birds around included 81 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Cuckoo, 168 Ringed Plover, 40 Black-tailed Godwit, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 17 Jay, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, a Ring Ouzel, a Fieldfare, a Wheatear, a Siskin and a Corn Bunting.

April 15th. In the morning 2 Raven headed south, and a Rough-legged Buzzard frequented Seacroft Golf Course before heading north-west inland. Heading south were 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, a Hooded Crow and a Woodlark. Around were 97 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Cuckoo, 17 Jack Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and a Woodlark.
5 Jack Snipe were flushed out of a small area of dune slack whilst checking the Highland Ponies, This prompted a wider search of adjacent slack and saltmarsh that remained partially flooded after the recent tides. The total of 17 seen was exceptional, although it is not known whether this could be typical spring passage of this secretive species. Also, 25 Snipe were seen during the search.

Hooded Crow, 15th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Woodlark, 15th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Jack Snipe, 15th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

April 14th. Birds around included a Light-bellied Brent Goose, 136 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Great Crested Grebe, a Whimbrel, a Woodcock, a Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, 9 Jay, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldcrest, a Ring Ouzel, a Fieldfare, a Black Redstart, 2 Bullfinch and 3 Siskin. Going south were a Marsh Harrier and a Red Kite.

Ring Ouzel, 14th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Fieldfare, 14th April 2020.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

April 13th. Strong north-easterly wind.
A mobile Serin was discovered in the Plantation, and a Black Redstart was out from Mill Hill.

April 12th. Around were a Whimbrel, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulll, 52 Jay, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, a Ring Ouzel and a Siskin.

April 11th. Flying south were a Goshawk, 16 Sparrowhawk, 9 Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, 18 Buzzard, 6 Kestrel, a Peregrine, 75 Jay, a Red-rumped Swallow, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a Brambling and a Serin. Birds around included a Jack Snipe, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Firecrest, a Ring Ouzel, 2 Redwing, a Black Redsttart, 8 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a Brambling and a Siskin.

Yellow Wagtail, 11th April 2020.

Photo - Ben Ward

Speckled Wood, 11th April 2020.

Photo - Ben Ward