Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog

July 12th.

July 11th. Cloudy, with lower temperatures than recently, and increasing north-easterly wind.

A large feeding flock offshore involved over 1300 large gulls and 800 Sandwich Terns and several Gannets with further gulls and terns roosting on the beach, including 8 Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Arctic Terns. Sandwich Terns, arriving from as far afield as the Dutch coast, typically occur here in internationally important numbers from mid July into early Autumn, with pairs bringing their young over to fish in these important offshore waters and roost on the Haven. We are thankful that trawling pressure has been very low this year. It is thought that the seabed benthic communities are in recovery as a result and there is clearly a good volume of prey for the terns etc.

Highlights from the lagoons were 13 Spoonbills, 270 Black-tailed Godwit, 80 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull.

Flying south were 35 Curlew and a Great White Egret. Around was a Barn Owl.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 3 new birds: a Wren, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Part of the feeding flock of Terns and Gulls offshore. 11th July 2026.
Video - Kev Wilson
Sea Lavender is currently at peak flowering on the Saltmarsh, 11th July 2026
Photo - Kev Wilson

July 10th. A clear sunny day again all day with a light south-easterly breeze allowing the temperatures to get up to the low thirties for the 5th day on the trot! A proper Heatwave!

Around the water bodies were 5 Common Sandpipers, 4 Green Sandpipers, 6 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Great White Egrets and 11 Spoonbill. Flying south were 6 Curlews.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: a Wren, 7 Whitethroat, 3 Dunnock and a Song Thrush; and 4 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Whitethroat and a Robin.

Black-tailed Godwits, 10th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Dunlin, 10th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Mediterranean Gull, 10th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Great White Egrets, 10th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Sedge Warbler, 10th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Frodo's Nightmare! 10th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Large White Butterfly, 10th July 2026
Photo - David Nutt

Painted Lady Butterfly, 10th July 2026
Photo - David Nutt

July 9th. Wall to wall sunshine in a clear blue sky all day taking temperatures up into the low thirties with just a hint of a south easterly breeze.

A look at the sea revealed 6 Eider, 4 Common Tern and 500 Sandwich Tern. On the water bodies around the reserve were 4 Curlew (Fly overs), 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatchers, a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 1 Little Gull, 400+ Black-headed Gulls, 8 Spoonbill and 2 Great White Egrets.

A Humming Bird Hawkmoth was feeding along the cycle track.

Curlews flying over Tennyson's Sands, 9th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Avocets - watch out! 9th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Gatekeeper Butterflies, 9th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

July 8th. A sunny day from the start to the finish with temperatures up in the low thirties, held off slightly by the light wind which switched from a westerly early morning around to a cooling easterly.

On the water bodies there were 250 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Oystercatcher, 150 Avocets, 1 Greenshank, 15 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Great White Egret, 7 Spoonbill and a Mediterranean Gull.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 7 new birds: a Wren, a Whitethroat, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit and 3 Dunnock; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Wren and a Long-tailed Tit.

Black-tailed Godwit, 8th July 2026
Photo - David Nutt

Mediterranean Gull with Avocets, 8th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Black-headed Gull juveniles, 8th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

The first flight-worthy Little Tern in the Sanctuary area (Photo taken under license)
7th July 2026, Photo - Mike Watts

Home Grown Little Egrets getting a meal from a parent, 8th July 2026
Photo - David Nutt

Spoonbills, 8th July 2026
Photo - David Nutt

Great White Egrets, 8th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Painted Lady Butterfly, 8th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

Black-tailed Skimmer, 8th July 2026
Photo - Tom Baker

July 7th. A cloudy start to the day quickly breaking into a sunny day with broken cloud allowing the temperatures up to the low thirties very quickly with a light then increasing westerly breeze.

A large flock of 500 mixed Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows was feeding over the Saltmarsh during the morning. A Corn Bunting was singing on the River Steeping Bank.

Around the water bodies during the day were 147 Avocets, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, 89 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Great White Egrets, 12 Little Egrets and 8 Spoonbills.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: 2 Wren, a Willow Warbler and a Magpie; and 3 retraps: a Whitethroat, a Wren and a Dunnock. A check of a nest box revealed a Stock Dove nestling.

Sand Martins etc feeding over the Dune edges and Saltmarsh during the morning, 7th July 2026
Photo - Mike Watts

Juvenile Sand Martin on the wing, 7th July 2026
Photo - Mike Watts

Curlew, 7th July 2026
Photo - Mike Watts

X3 Great White Egrets, 7th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Juvenile Grey Heron, 7th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

July 6th. A cloudy start to the day, quickly breaking up in a light then increasing westerly wind making the temperatures start to pick up and reaching the low thirties late afternoon.

A look at the sea produced 21 Common Scoter (13 on the sea and 8 North) and 1 Fulmar. On the water bodies today were 50 Avocet, 200 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Spotted Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Heron and 8 Spoonbill.

July 5th. A broken cloud start to the day, becoming warm (Low twenties) in an increasing south-westerly wind.

Heading south between 10.15am and 11.45am were 250 Sand Martins over the beach and East Dunes along with 27 Swallows and 4 Swifts. Also flying south early morning were 16 Curlew. Around today were 35 Little Terns, 39 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and 2 Gannets (Over the beach and the sea). On the beach were 2 Mediterranean Gulls whilst also recorded was a Grasshopper Warbler.

On the water bodies were 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Buzzard.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 9 new birds: 2 Wren, 3 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat and a Blue Tit; and 8 retraps: 3 Dunnock, a Blue Tit, a Whitethroat, 2 Long-tailed Tit and a Great Tit.

The seventh session of CES was dine this morning by Mike Polling. The 16 new birds were 2 Wren, a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Whitethroat, a Chaffinch and 2 Dunnock; and the 6 retraps were a Robin, a Sedge Warbler, a Wren, a Whitethroat, a Long-tailed Tit and a Chiffchaff.

Spotted Redshank No1, 5th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Spotted Redshank No2, 5th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Spotted Redshank No3, 5th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Greenshanks, 5th July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

July 4th. Very warm again with plenty of sunshine all day accompanied by a fresh south-westerly wind.

Highlight of the day was a singing Quail just to the North of the sleeper track in the East Dunes. Another highlight of the day was not "Tickable" as it was from a local cage! A white Budgerigar was seen flying over East Dunes. Heading south were 62 Sand Martin, 65 Swift and 36 Swallow whilst over the sea were 30 Common Scoter (South) and 4 Gannet.

On the water bodies were 200 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 64 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret and 2 Mediterranean Gulls on Tennyson's Sands from North Hide. A ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting over Croft Marsh late morning.

The foreshore looking North, 30th June 2026
Photo - David Nutt

Greenshanks Creek at Low Tide looking North, 30th June 2026
Photo - David Nutt

July 3rd. Very warm from early on with a much lighter westerly breeze than yesterday.

Little movement overland this morning save for a few parties of Swifts and Sand Martins and an early Tree Pipit but no coverage of the sea. Two Quails were calling early morning, with one at the north end of the Old Saltmarsh, audible from Mill Hill, and the other on the New Saltmarsh again, south of the Bird Observatory platform. Around was a Barn Owl. A Cattle Egret was a new arrival today on the lagoons.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in a new Robin; and a retrap Whitethroat.

We have received some great photos of the hepatic Cuckoo that was around in late May.

"Hepatic" Cuckoo, 23rd May 2026
Photo - Danny Kelly

Cattle Egret, 3rd June 2026
Photo - Jack Hood
July 2nd. Sunny and warm again from early on with a strong westerly wind.

The big feature of the morning was the constant stream of southbound Swifts, most intense between 0745 and 0815hrs when 2060 passed in 10 minutes and 2400 in 15 minutes. Over 8000 had passed through prior to 0900hrs. Typically a Hobby was also mixed in with the movement.

On the water bodies were 1 Wood Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Spotted Redshanks, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Gull, 3 Grey Herons, 14 Spoonbills and 1 Great White Egret.

Black-tailed Godwit and Spotted Redshank, 2nd July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Spoonbills on Tennyson's Sands, 2nd July 2026
Photo - Jack Hood

Little Tern carrying food, 1st July 2026
Photo - Mike Watts

Little Tern, 1st July 2026
Photo - Mike Watts

July 1st. A sunny start to the day, clouding over by mid afternoon in a light westerly breeze.

News from the shorebird sanctuary today was that hatched to date in the protected area are 30 Little Terns, 44 Ringed Plovers and 14 Oystercatchers.

Heading south were 120 Swift, 30 Sand Martin and a Red Kite. Offshore there were 9 Eider, 80 Common Scoter (north) and an Arctic Tern (south) with evidence of more returning waders and small groups of Teal heading into the Wash.

On the water bodies were 17 Teal, 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 60 Avocet, 300 Black-tailed Godwit, 84 Redshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Little Gull, 11 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 19 new birds: 3 Wren, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, 2 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, a Blackcap and 5 Dunnock; and 11 retraps: 3 Great Tit, 3 Dunnock, 3 Long-tailed Tit, a Chaffinch and a Robin.

Hummingbird Hawk Moths were recorded today around Mill Hill and North Car Park today.