Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late December 2018

December 31st. A juvenile Iceland Gull and a Mediterranian Gull flew south late in the afternoon. Around were 49 Whooper Swan, 1200 Pink-footed Goose, 80 Brent Goose, 2 Hooded Crow, a Brambling and 30 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, a Snipe and a Kingfisher; and on Jackson's Marsh 63 Wigeon, 2 Pintail and a Black-tailed Godwit. Offshore were 14 Velvet Scoter, 20 Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Jenni Godber, provided 3 new birds: a Great Tit, a Blue Tit and a Goldfinch; and 4 retraps: 3 Great Tit and a Blue Tit..

Great Tit with unusually brown-tipped remiges, ringed 31st December 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

December 30th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 42 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick's Swan (including 2 adults), 1500 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Velvet Scoter, a Grey Heron, a Buzzard, a Water Rail, 350 Lapwing, 11 Snipe, a Short-eared Owl, a Merlin, 3 Hooded Crow, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Fieldfare and 23 Corn Bunting. Flying south was a Peregrine.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 11 new birds: a Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, a Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and 5 Greenfinch; and 5 retraps: 3 Great Tit and 2 Blue Tit.

December 29th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
A Waxwing was seen at the Hump briefly before flying north. Around were 48 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick's Swan (including 2 adults), 2000 Pink-footed Goose, 150 Brent Goose, 2 Pintail, a Marsh Harrier, 400 Lapwing, 19 Snipe, a Merlin, 2 Hooded Crow, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Rock Pipit, a Bullfinch and 15 Corn Bunting. Going north were 22 Red-throated Diver, a Guillemot, 12 Fieldfare and 15 Redwing; south 20 Red-throated Diver, 8 Ringed Plover, a Kittiwake and 14 Siskin; and west 8 Fieldfare.

Common Snipe, 29th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont.

December 28th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 3200 Pink-footed Goose, 11 Brent Goose, 5 Bewick's Swans, a Hen Harrier, 350 Lapwing, 3 Goldcrest and 2 Coal Tit.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue yielded 3 new birds: a Blue Tit and 2 Greenfinch; and 6 retraps: 4 Blue Tit, a Great Tit and a Coal Tit.

Coal Tit, retrapped 28th December 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

December 27th. Around were 3000 Pink-footed Goose and 400 Lapwing.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 9 new birds: 3 Chaffinch, 2 Blue Tit and 4 Greenfinch; and 10 retraps: 5 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, retrapped 27th December 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

December 26th. Foggy morning.
Birds around included 50 Brent Goose and 300 Pink-footed Goose.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 6 retraps: 3 Goldfinch, a Coal Tit and 2 Great Tit.

December 25th. Around were 150 Pink-footed Goose, 20 Red-throated Diver, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, 110 Eider, a male Hen Harrier, 6000 Oystercatcher, 7000 Knot, a Woodcock and a Merlin. Going south were 120 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing and 3 Brambling. .

December 24th. Soggy start, slowly drying out.
Birds around included 600 Pink-footed Goose, 8 Brent Goose and a Woodcock.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue resulted in 4 new birds: 2 Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and a Chaffinch; and 8 retraps: 3 Blue Tit, a Goldfinch and 4 Great Tit.

December 23rd. Rain for much of day.
Around were 12 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick's Swan (including 2 adults), 600 Pink-footed Goose, 50 Brent Goose, a Sparrowhawk, 7 Redwing and 5 House Sparrow.

December 22nd. A Waxwing was discovered by the roadside next to the Plantation before flying south. Birds around, including those trapped, were 46 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick's Swan, 75 Brent Goose, 1200 Pink-footed Goose, 400 Wigeon, a Pintail, a Grey Heron, 2 Water Rail, 1500 Lapwing, 2 Kingfisher, a Hooded Crow, a Stonechat, a Coal Tit, a Brambling and 45 Corn Bunting, On the sea were 100 Common Scoter, 14 Velvet Scoter, a Great Northern Diver, 20 Red-throated Diver and 10 Red-breasted Merganser. Heading south were 10 Red-throated Diver, 55 Fieldfare, 44 Redwing, 2 Siskin, a Redpoll and a Lapland Bunting.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 7 new birds: a Chaffinch, 4 Goldfinch, a Brambling and a Greenfinch; and 3 retraps: a Coal Tit, a Blue Tit and a Goldfinch.

Waxwing, 22nd December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Brambling, ringed 22nd December 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Ringing Control:
Blackcap ringed GPBO 2 August 2018, controlled Plaisance, Charente-Maritime, France 25 September 2018.

December 21st. Intermittent rain.
5 Bewick's Swan (including 2 adults) were found on the fields west of the River Steeping. Around were 53 Whooper Swan, 70 Brent Goose, 1200 Pink-footed Goose, a Pintail, a Grey Heron, a Sparrowhawk, a Water Rail, 200 Golden Plover, 800 Lapwing, a Merlin, a Goldcrest, 106 Fieldfare, 64 Redwing, 4 Rock Pipit and 40 Corn Bunting. On the sea were 100 Wigeon, 2 Eider, 120 Common Scoter, 11 Velvet Scoter, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and a Slavonian Grebe. Flying south were 83 Wigeon, 30 Shoveler, 3 Red-throated Diver, 128 Fieldfare and 16 Redwing; and west 25 Fieldfare.

Bewick's Swans, 21st December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont.