Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: November 2014

Late November 2014

November 30th. Birds around included 10000 Golden Plover, 2500 Lapwing, a Hen Harrier, a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, 3 Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Yellowhammer, 5 Fieldfare, a Chiffchaff, 2 Redpoll, a Siskin and 14 Goldcrest. On Tennyson Sands were a Kingfisher, 2 Water Rail, 80 Shoveler and 2 Pintail. On the Millennium Ridge tip were 3 Snow Bunting. Flying south were 630 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mick Briggs produced 8 new birds: a Goldfinch, a Great Tit, a Robin, a Song Thrush and 4 Blackbird; and 24 retraps: 8 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch, a Wren, 6 Great Tit, a Greenfinch and a Coal Tit.

November 29th. Around were a Lapland Bunting, a Snow Bunting, a Woodcock and a Hen Harrier. Flying south offshore were 3 Pomarine Skua.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mick Briggs resulted in 8 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch and a Blackbird; and 6 retraps: a Robin, 3 Blue Tit, a Greenfinch and a Great Tit.

November 28th. At sea 3 juvenile Pomarine Skua went south. Birds around included a Hen Harrier, 2 Woodcock, a Bullfinch and 7000 Golden Plover.

November 27th. Light rain early morning and early afternoon, then soggy.
Around were a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Hen Harrier, 6 Twite, 1000 Lapwing and a Fieldfare.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 12 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Blue Tit, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch and 5 Blackbird; and 17 retraps: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Dunnock, 4 Great Tit, 2 Greenfinch and a Chaffinch.

November 26th. Rain most of morning, then soggy.
Birds around included a Merlin. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Pochard, and on Tennyson Sands a Goldeneye and a Water Rail.

November 25th. Frozen, then foggy, then sunny, then cloudy.
Around were 3000 Pink-footed Goose, the European White-fronted Goose and a Bullfinch. On Tennyson Sands were 3 Water Rail and 96 Shoveler.

November 24th. Frosty start, then sunny.
Birds around included a Water Pipit, 6 Twite, 21 Snow Bunting, a Short-eared Owl, a Chiffchaff, 3 Hen Harrier, a Kingfisher and 22 Corn Bunting. An adult European White-fronted Goose was found with the Pink-footed Goose flock, which numbered 3000 birds. On the sea was a Goosander. Flying south were 25 Whooper Swan, 1000 Lapwing, 3 Barnacle Goose (with 58 Pink-footed Goose), 1147 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Snow Bunting and a Lapland Bunting.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 19 new birds: a Goldcrest, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, a Song Thrush, 6 Blackbird and a Snipe; and 7 retraps: a Wren, 2 Blackbird, a Greenfinch, 2 Great Tit and a Goldfinch.

Snipe, ringed 24th November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

November 23rd. Rain most of day.
Heading south were 517 Pink-footed Goose and 8 Whooper Swan. Around were 6 Hen Harrier, 3 Merlin, 2 Short-eared Owl, a Barn Owl, a Grey Partridge, a Woodcock, a Mediterranean Gull, 3000 Pink-footed Goose, 300 Blackbird, 50 Redwing, a late House Martin and 8 Fieldfare. On the sea were 2 Red-throated Diver and a Shag.

November 22nd. Occasional light rain.
Birds around included a Hen Harrier, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Woodcock, 18 Corn Bunting, a Brambling and 3 Chiffchaff.
A ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 35 new birds and 10 retraps. The highlight of the session was a Siberian type Chiffchaff, subspecies Phylloscopus collybita tristis, showing almost no green apart from on the edges of the primaries, secondaries and tail feathers, very black legs, a ridiculous amount of white below and a long white supercilium - see photos below. The bird did not call upon release though a tristis-like call was heard some half hour later.
The new birds were 16 Goldfinch, 7 Blackbird, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Greenfinch, and singles of Chaffinch, Sparrowhawk and Siberian type Chiffchaff. The retraps were 4 Goldcrest, 2 Great Tit and singles of Wren, Blue Tit, Blackbird and Dunnock.

Siberian type Chiffchaff, ringed 22nd November 2014.
Photo - Mick Briggs.

November 21st. Around were 2 Snow Bunting, 2 Hen Harrier, a Common Buzzard, a Woodcock, a Brambling and a Bullfinch. On Tennyson Sands were 109 Shoveler (a reserve record). Flying south were 3 Velvet Scoter, 4 Shoveler and 5 Pintail.

Mid November 2014

November 20th. Birds around included a Cetti's Warbler, 1350 Pink-footed Goose, 7 Water Rail, a Merlin, a Hen Harrier, a Brambling and a Chiffchaff. On Jackson's Marsh was a Green Sandpiper, and on Tennyson Sands were 104 Shoveler (a reserve record). On the sea was a Great Northern Diver.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 16 new birds: a Wren, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Chaffinch, a Reed Bunting, a Dunnock, 3 Greenfinch, a Song Thrush and 2 Blackbird; and 23 retraps: 7 Blue Tit, 3 Robin, 6 Great Tit, 2 Blackbird, a Goldcrest, a Dunnock, a Long-tailed Tit, a Greenfinch and a Coal Tit.

November 19th. Around were 2 Ring Ouzel, 2 Chiffchaff, a Bullfinch, a Stonechat, a Jack Snipe, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, 16 Corn Bunting, a Swallow and 22 Goldcrest. Heading north were 5 Whooper Swan.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 9 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Wren, 4 Robin, a Siskin and 2 Greenfinch; and 14 retraps: 3 Robin, 6 Dunnock, 2 Blue Tit, a Great Tit, a Wren and a Coal Tit.

Ring Ouzel, 19 November 2014.
Photo - Chris Greene

Siskin, ringed 19 November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

November 18th. Rain early morning.
Birds around included 2 Merlin, a Hen Harrier, a Chiffchaff, a Stonechat, a Brambling and 4 Snow Bunting. Sea-watching produced 2 Great Skua, 2 Pomarine Skua north, a Little Auk south, 2 Red-throated Diver, 5 Eider south and 2 Little Gull. Also flying south were 7 Whooper Swan.
A rain-delayed morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Anthony Bentley, produced just 4 new birds: a Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch and a Tree Sparrow; and 5 retraps: 2 Dunnock, a Blue Tit, a Greenfinch and a Great Tit.

Snow Bunting, 18th November 2014
Photo - Nige Lound

November 17th. Around, including birds trapped, were a Snow Bunting, a Ring Ouzel, a Chiffchaff, 700 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, 4 Woodcock, a Peregrine, a Buzzard, 25+ Redwing and 50 Fieldfare. At sea 2 Pomarine Skua, 4 Great Skua, 9 Little Gull and 7 Whooper Swan went south, and a Pomarine Skua, 2 Kittiwake and 2 Great Skua north; and over land 120 Fieldfare and a Rook south. Later, north-east out of the Wash came 79 Little Gull.
The final ringing session for the year in East Dunes was done this morning. The 6 new birds were singles of Goldcrest, Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Fieldfare and Woodcock; and there were no retraps.

Fieldfare, ringed 17 November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

November 16th. Birds around included 2000 Pink-footed Goose, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, a Fieldfare and 2 Bullfinch. On Tennyson Sands were a Water Rail and a Goldeneye. Flying south were 350 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Whooper Swan, 8 Eider and a Crossbill.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 5 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Robin and a Blackbird; and 4 retraps: a Blackbird, a Robin and 2 Greenfinch.
A longer ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David and Liv Vincent resulted in 33 new birds and 52 retraps. The new birds were 10 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 7 Blackbird, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch and singles of Dunnock, Blackcap and Woodcock. The retraps were 17 Great Tit, 11 Blue Tit, 6 Goldcrest, 5 Dunnock, 5 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Wren, a Greenfinch and a Blackbird.

November 15th. On Tennyson Sands were a Cetti's Warbler and a Water Rail. Around were 3 Snow Bunting, 3 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, 800 Pink-footed Goose and 2 Merlin. At Aylmer Avenue there were a Tawny Owl calling at first light and a Jay moving south mid morning.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Georgina Scott, provided just 2 new birds: a Dunnock and a Redwing; and 3 retraps: singles of Reed Bunting, Song Thrush and Robin.
Meanwhile at Aylmer Avenue a longer session resulted in 61 new birds ringed. Although the ringing conditions were good, the long hoped for easterlies on a weekend didn't really materialise a fall - rather a slow drizzle of newly arriving thrushes. The new birds were 21 Greenfinch, 15 Blackbird, 10 Goldfinch, 4 Goldcrest, 4 Robin, 2 Redwing, 2 Chaffinch and singles of Wren, Brambling and Great Tit. The 24 retraps were 5 Blackbird, 5 Great Tit, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Wren, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch and singles of Goldcrest, Robin and Dunnock.

November 14th. Strong but decreasing southerly wind, rainy morning.
Birds around included 3 Water Pipit, a Swallow, 6 Goldcrest and a Stonechat.
No ringing was attempted.

November 13th. Increasing south-easterly wind.
On Tennyson Sands were a Cetti's Warbler, 3 Water Rail and 103 Shoveler (a new reserve record), and on Jackson's Marsh a Goldeneye. Around were 2000 Pink-footed Goose, a Merlin and 2 Stonechat. Offshore were 3 Little Gull, a Red-breasted Merganser, 15 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gannet and 10 Red-throated Diver.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Anthony Bentley, produced 16 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Robin, 3 Song Thrush and 9 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: 3 Blackbird and 2 Robin.

November 12th. Fairly strong southerly wind.
Birds around included a Hen Harrier, a Stonechat and a Brambling.
No ringing was attempted.

November 11th. Quite strong south-easterly wind.
Around were a Cetti's Warbler, 2000 Pink-footed Goose, 6000 Golden Plover, a Mediterranran Gull, 2 Hen Harrier, 2 Stonechat, 8 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin and 2 Brambling. On Tennyson Sands was a Greenshank. Offshore was a Great Skua.
No ringing was attempted.

Early November 2014

November 10th. Around were a Brambling, a Woodcock, 3500 Golden Plover and 2000 Pink-footed Goose. On the water bodies were 3 Goldeneye and 3 Pochard. Heading south were 4 Siskin.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 20 new birds: 5 Long-tailed Tit, a Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, 2 Goldfinch, a Dunnock, 7 Blackbird and a Starling; and a retrap Blackbird.

November 9th. Birds present, including those trapped, were 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Snow Bunting, 12 Twite, 2 Bullfinch, a Stonechat, a Kingfisher, a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, 4 Woodcock and 1800 Pink-footed Goose. On Tennyson Sands were 2 Water Rail and a Greenshank. Flying south were 12 Whooper Swan, 2 Siskin and a Brambling. In off the sea came a Woodcock. There were 2 Tawnny Owls calling at Aylmer at first light and one calling from Sykes Farm whilst a Barn Owl was at the back of the Mere hunting nearly all day.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 36 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Wren, 3 Robin, a Blackcap, 3 Song Thrush, 25 Blackbird, a Woodcock and a Sparrowhawk; and 8 retraps: 2 Robin, 3 Blackbird, a Dunnock, a Goldfinch and a Great Tit.
Meanwhile at Aylmer Avenue a long ringing session was underway, taking advantage of the near perfect ringing conditions with no wind and thick cloud for most of the morning. The result was very good with 80 new birds ringed including a new species for the year for the Observatory in the shape of a Cetti's Warbler, whether this was the bird seen at Shovelers Pool remains a mystery as this bird was captured in a net within 10 yards of the road near North Car park. The new birds were 30 Blackbird, 15 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 6 Goldcrest, 5 Robin, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Dunnock, 2 Blackcap, 2 Sparrowhawk and singles of Starling, Woodcock and Cetti's Warbler. The 64 retraps were 11 Great Tit, 10 Blue Tit, 7 Greenfinch, 6 Dunnock, 6 Robin, 6 Long Tailed Tit, 5 Goldcrest, 4 Wren, 2 Blackbird, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Blackcap and a single Coal Tit.

Cetti's Warbler, ringed 9th November 2014
Photo - Mick Briggs.

November 8th. Quite strong south-westerly wind.
Going south were 5 Whooper Swan. At Aylmer Avenue there was a single Tree Sparrow.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Georgina Scott, produced 8 new birds: a Song Thrush and 7 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: singles of Redwing, Dunnock and Robin.
Meanwhile at Aylmer Avenue the strong wind curtailed a planned long ringing session, resulting in just 26 new birds being ringed. They were 12 Blackbird, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch and singles of Dunnock and Song Thrush. The 20 retraps were 4 Great Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blackbird and singles of Goldfinch, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Robin and Blackcap.

November 7th. Strong southerly wind, rainy spells.
Around were a Goldcrest, 3 Peregrine, 2 Merlin, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 4000 Golden Plover, 6 Redwing and 12 Fieldfare. Flying south offshore were 144 Common Scoter, 243 Wigeon, 331 Teal, 18 Pintail, 10 Great Skua, 27 Eider, 7 Goldeneye, 47 Mallard, 8 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Shoveler and 2 Bewick's Swan.
No ringing was attempted.

November 6th. Birds around included 1800 Pink-footed Goose.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 26 new birds: a Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, a Goldfinch, a Greenfinch, a Redwing, 19 Blackbird and a Woodcock; and 6 retraps: 2 Dunnock, 2 Robin, a Blackbird and a Wren. One of the Blackbirds ringed was partially leucistic.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 59 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 11 Goldfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 4 Robin, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Blackcap, 20 Greenfinch, a Song Thrush and 14 Blackbird; 43 retraps: 16 Great Tit,10 Blue Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Dunnock, 2 Chaffinch, a Wren, 4 Blackbird, 3 Greenfinch and 2 Robin; and a control (ringed elsewhere) Greenfinch.

Woodcock, ringed 6 November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

Partially leucistic female Blackbird, ringed 6 November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

November 5th. A Yellow-browed Warbler was trapped and ringed in East Dunes. Around were 1800 Pink-footed Goose, a Bullfinch, 2 Hen Harrier and a late Pied Flycatcher. Flying south were 17 Whooper Swan. In off the sea came a probable Rough-legged Buzzard, a Short-eared Owl, a Sparrowhawk, 1189 Starling, 2 Woodcock and 2 Little Auk. A dawn till dusk sea-watching session provided 94 Little Auk, 14 Pomarine Skua, an Arctic Skua, 3 Skua Sp, 2 Great Northern Diver, 897 Kittiwake, 367 Gannet, 8 Great Skua, 2 Sooty Shearwater, a Manx Shearwater, 4 Velvet Scoter, 8 Goosander, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Little Gull, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Goldeneye and 100 Common Scoter.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 16 new birds: a Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Robin, a Reed Bunting, a Chaffinch, a Song Thrush and 5 Blackbird; and 2 retraps: singles of Dunnock and Goldcrest.

Yellow-browed Warbler, ringed 5 November 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

November 4th. Fog until burnt off late morning.
Birds around included 1500 Pink-footed Goose, a Hen Harrier and 2 Peregrine. On the Mere, then later on Tennyson Sands, were 2 Bearded Tit. Going south were 12 Whooper Swan and a Snow Bunting. Sea-watching provided 2 Little Auk, on the beach before flying off, and 9 Red-throated Diver.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 14 new birds: 4 Goldcrest, a Robin, 3 Reed Bunting, a Song Thrush and 5 Blackbird; 5 retraps: a Goldcrest, a Blackbird, a Redwing and 2 Dunnock; and a Control (ringed elsewhere) Robin.
A Pectoral Sandpiper on the beach on 18 October was identified later from a photograph, which can be seen on the blog entry for that date.

Little Auk, 4 November 2014.
Photo - Mel Thorn

November 3rd. Fairly strong but decreasing south-westerly wind.
Around were a Black Redstart, 2 Bullfinch, a Hen Harrier, a Common Buzzard and 500 Pink-footed Goose. Heading south over land were 9 Whooper Swan and 2 Brambling, south over sea 5 Eider, 9 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Red-throated Diver, a Kittiwake, a Goldeneye and a Little Gull, and north over sea a Great Skua.
A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 11 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Goldfinch and 5 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: singles of Robin, Redwing and Wren.

November 2nd. Strong but gradually decreasing south-westerly wind, prolonged rainy spells.
The Spoonbill remained on Tennyson Sands. Also there were a Kingfisher, 2 Water Rail, 3 Greenshank and 114 Black-tailed Godwit. On Jackson's Marsh was a Goldeneye. Birds around included 45 Redwing and a Bullfinch. A Grey Phalarope and a Black-throated Diver flew south at sea.
No ringing was attempted.

November 1st. Around were a Cetti's Warbler, 3 Stonechat, a Black Redstart and a Merlin. At Aylmer Avenue were 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Bullfinch, 6 Brambling and 10 Siskin. On Tennyson Sands were a Spoonbill and 6 Greenshank. Offshore were 7 Little Gull. Flying south were 30 Whooper Swan, 250 Pink-footed Goose and 20 Tree Sparrow.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Georgina Scott and Jenni Godber, provided 20 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, a Blackcap, a Robin, a Dunnock, 2 Song Thrush, 11 Blackbird and a Sparrowhawk; and 5 retraps: 3 Dunnock, a Goldcrest and a Robin.
At Aylmer Avenue Mick Briggs was ringing and the result was 91 new birds and 28 retraps. The new birds were 39 Greenfinch, 19 Goldfinch, 10 Chaffinch, 8 Goldcrest, 5 Blackbird, 5 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock and singles of Robin, Chiffchaff and Bullfinch. The retraps were 10 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Greenfinch, 3 Dunnock, 2 Chaffinch and single of Goldfinch and Wren.