Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late November 2025

November 30th. Partly cloudy, with fresh westerly to south-westerly wind.

Early visible migration involved small numbers of Finches again, 12 Whooper Swans, a Merlin, a Marsh Harrier and a Mistle Thrush. Offshore, a Black-throated Diver and several Red-throated Divers went north with small numbers of Common Scoter, Eider and Red--breasted Merganser. 11 Barnacle Geese headed north.

The male Black Redstart was again at the Visitor Centre and 2 Bearded Tits were new arrivals on Tennyson's Sands. Other birds around included male Hen Harrier and 5 Stonechats.

November 29th. A miserable day with rain from before first light for most of day in a moderate south-westerly wind.

Brent Geese, 25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Greylag Geese, 25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Sanderling and Oystercatchers feeding on the beach, 25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Goldcrest, 25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Still plenty of Blackbirds about around the reserve, 25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

November 28th. Partly cloudy, with increasing south-westerly wind.

Linnet, 28th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Waders over the Wash, 28th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Pheasant, 28th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

November 27th. A soggy start after overnight rain, warmer and cloudy, with increasing south-westerly wind.

Recent thoughts that visible migration had just about ceased were proved wrong today when 73 Siskin and 47 Chaffinch moved south in under an hour with several groups of Starlings, 14 Rock Pipit and the highlight being a single Waxwing. Passage over the sea remained somewhat slow but did include 3 southbound Pochard, a Shoveler and several Teal and unusually a party of three small Grebes (Slavonian/Black-necked).

The Purple Sandpiper remained distant with other waders on Greenshanks Creek. A Bullfinch was again vocal around the East Dunes and 2 Chiffchaffs were in regular haunts with several Goldcrests. The male Black Redstart showed well around the Visitor Centre but only for a brief period and 5 Corn Buntings were a welcome sight around Rock Ridge, although representing a further decline in a wintering flock that used to number 50.

Black Redstart, 27th November 2025
Photo - Rob Watson

Corn Buntings, 27th November 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Gadwall, 26th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Black-tailed Godwit, 26th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Black Redstart, 26th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Stonechat, 27th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Muntjac Deer, 26th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

November 26th. Freezing, clear start, gradually warming up and becoming cloudy, with an increasing south-westerly wind.

The male Black Redstart remained around the Visitor Centre. 5 Stonechats were in typical locations and several Woodcocks were present.

Black Redstart, 26th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

November 25th. Partly cloudy, with some afternoon rain and fresh north-westerly wind.

A juvenile Pomarine Skua was the highlight of an otherwise quiet sea-watch early morning. Also on the sea were 15 Eider, 20 Common Scoter and 9 Red-throated Diver, whilst on the beach were 200 Oystercatcher, 7 Turnstone, 193 Cormorant and a Peregrine. Highlight on the beach was a highly unusual for the reserve, Purple Sandpiper feeding with other waders on the beach wrack washed up after the recent rough weather.

Tennyson's Sands held 74 Brent Geese, 47 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 150 Wigeon, 600+ Teal and 1 Tufted Duck whilst over Croft Marsh a Marsh Harrier was hunting. Just a few Finches, Pipits and Skylarks were moving south and 2 Black Redstarts around the Visitor Centre were new arrivals. A Woodcock was in the East Dunes in the afternoon, a Kingfisher on Fenland Lagoon and 50+ Goldcrest and 5 Stonechat were around the reserve.

Black Redstart, 25th November 2025
Photo - Nige Lound

Purple Sandpiper (To the left of the Redshank), 25th November 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Waders galore and gulls feeding on the masses of seaweed and beach wrack washed up recently.
A result of the recent rough weather. 25th November 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Teal, 25th November 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Shoveler, 25th November 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Female Shoveler in the rain, 25th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Shoveler, 25th November 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Gadwall, 25th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Fieldfare, 25th November 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Blackbirds still clearing the berries from the Hawthorns around the reserve.
25th November 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Goldcrest, 25th November 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

November 24th. Mostly cloudy, with occasional rain and light to moderate north-westerly wind.

On the water bodies around the reserve there were 2000+ Teal, 58 Shoveler, 35 Gadwall, 150 Wigeon, 32 Mallard, 1 Water Rail, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Redshank. Elsewhere there were 7 Whooper Swan, 100+ Shelduck (on the estuary), a Woodcock, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard, 1 Cetti's Warbler (Tennyson's Sands from North Hide), 45 Blackbird, 1 Stonechat (West Dunes near Mere Hide), 32 Goldfinch and 18 Siskin.

Goldfinch's enjoying a sunshine lunch break, 24th November 2025
Photo - Nige Lound

Woodcock (Centre of picture!), 24th November 2025
Photo - Nige Lound
Buzzard over the Plantation, 24th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale
Rock Pipit on Fenland Lagoon, 24th November 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

November 23rd. Cloudy with rain on and off all day, feeling cold in a fresh south-westerly wind.

Due to the constant rain again we received no records today. No birders on site!

Greenshanks Creek outlet, up near the sleeper track now.
Note the WW2 defences, now exposed for 100's of yards.
25th November 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Tennyson's Sands slowly refilling with water with the heavy rains.
25th November 2025.
Photo - David Nutt

November 22nd. Cloudy and cold with rain for most of day and fresh south-westerly to southerly wind.

Constant rain for most of the day meant very few observers on site today. However one very good one was present and had a look in all the hides! The Mere held 14 Mallard and 1 Snipe with 1 Marsh Harrier over Freshwater Marsh. Jackson's Marsh held 84 Teal. Tennyson's Sands though was where all the action was with an incredible clicker count of 2712 Teal, (Making at least 2796 on the reserve for the day!), 46 Shoveler, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Water Rail, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Cetti's Warbler (North Hide) and 1 Water Pipit showing well just to the left of Harvey's Hide.

A wet day produced several rainbows through the day, 25th November 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

November 21st. A hard frost started the day with increasing cloud and a still bitterly cold south-westerly wind.

Today there were 1300+ Teal, 60+ Mallard, 88 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Stonechat on Tennyson's Sands. On Jackson's Marsh were 6 Whooper Swans and 3 Gadwall. The Mere was home to 11 Gadwall, 33 Mallard and 52 Teal. Another Stonechat was on Fenland Lagoon and another was around the boats on the river. Also around were 220 Pink-footed Geese, 11 Turnstone, 270 Sanderling, 1 Woodcock, 1 Snipe, 2900 Herring Gull, 42 Cormorant, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Blackcap and 70 Blackbird.