Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid September 2025

September 14th. Clear start, gradually clouding over, with slowly increasing south-westerly to south-easterly wind.

Another good day for visible migration passage with passerines heading south including 3573 Meadow Pipit, 174 Swallow, 23 Sand Martin, 5 Swift, 67 Linnet, 39 Chaffinch, 62 Siskin, 1 Tree Pipit, 5 Grey Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Skylark, 2 Wheatear and the highlight, an Osprey.

Also around were 6 Spoonbill. Tennyson's Sands held 2 Shoveler and a Greenshank. Two more Greenshank were on Jackson's Marsh and another 6 Shoveler flew over.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 43 new birds: 13 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 16 Robin, a Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, a Meadow Pipit, a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock; and 3 retraps: 2 Dunnock and a Goldcrest.

A morning ringing session in the West Dunes resulted in 20 new birds: 5 Robin, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Wren, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap and 1 Greenfinch; and 2 retraps: 1 Dunnock and 1 Long-tailed Tit.

Willow Warbler, 14th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Great Tit, 14th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

A shy Wheatear, 14th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Shoveler, 14th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

September 13th. Another clear start to the day, clouding over with occasional rain in the strong south-south-westerly.

The morning high tide counts for waders today were 4530 Oystercatcher, 1500 Grey Plover, 110 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 60,000 Knot, 233 Ringed Plover, 710 Sanderling, 3100 Dunlin, and 64 Sandwich Terns. Also heading south over the sea were 4 Pintail and 2 Gannet. A lone Eider was sat on the sea.

Other southward bound visible migration included 432 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit, 40 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 24 Swift, 56 Linnet, 15 Siskin, 12 Chaffinch, 4 Buzzard, 1 Red Kite. Also around the reserve were 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and 8 Stonechat and 3 Spoonbill. It was clear that there had been an overnight arrival of Robins and Goldcrests in small numbers.

A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided just 2 retraps: a Robin and a Goldcrest.

A check of the owl boxes revealed an adult flying off and a newly fledged young Barn Owl retrap, having been ringed there as a chick earlier.

First-year Barn Owl, re-trapped 13 September 2025.
Photo - George Gregory

Spotted Flycatcher, 13th September 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Sanderling and Dunlin moving over the high tide, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Grey Plovers moving over the high tide, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Knot moving over the high tide, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Sandwich Terns on the move, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Knot on the move over the high tide, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Sandwich Terns on the move, 12th September 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

September 12th. Clear, soggy start, becoming cloudier, with increasing south-westerly wind.

A very busy morning for visible migration and waders at the roost. Many Meadow Pipits and Hirundines were heading south with 3 Swifts, 4 Grey Wagtails, 14 Buzzards, 8 Kestrels, 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Red Kites and an Osprey. Over 100,000 waders came up to roost on the morning tide and included at least 6 Curlew Sandpipers.

A few miles inland an introduced female White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of Wight which is satellite tagged showed well.

Tennyson's Sands held 21 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 93 Mallard, 224 Teal, 1 Common Sandpiper, 240 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Greenshank, 2 Redshank and 3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Spoonbill. Also around the reserve were a Whinchat, 2 Yellowhammer and 1 Cattle Egret were in Field 10,

A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 8 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap, 2 Robin and a Whitethroat; and a retrap Wren.

Female White Tailed Eagle at Middle Marsh, 12th September 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

Pair of Gadwall, 12th September 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Greenshank, 11th September 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Buzzard, 11th September 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Little Egret with food, 11th September 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Chiffchaff, 12th September 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Willow Warbler, 12th September 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Long-tailed Tit, 12th September 2025
Photo - Paul Neale
Meadow Pipit, 12th September 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

September 11th. Partly cloudy, with increasing south-westerly wind and thunder and rain in afternoon.

All the action was still on the beach today with wader movement over the high tides. Unfortunately the wet conditions in the afternoon meant no records were received.

A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 2 new birds: a Blackcap and a Robin; and a retrap Robin.