Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Mid December 2018

December 20th. A Waxwing was around the Plantation in the morning. Birds around included 48 Whooper Swan, 2500 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Pintail, a Marsh Harrier, a ringtail Hen Harrier, 300 Lapwing, 500 Golden Plover, a Woodcock, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 3 Hooded Crow, a Coal Tit, a Water Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit and 22 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were 40 Snipe. Going south were 175 Wigeon, a Goosander, 20 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 375 Fieldfare and 29 Redwing. On the sea were 3 Eider, 140 Common Scoter, 8 Velvet Scoter, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and a Razorbill.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 5 new birds: 3 Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and a Blackbird; 2 retraps: a Blue Tit and a Goldfinch; and a control Goldfinch.

Blackbird, 20th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Great Black-backed Gull, 20th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

December 19th. Some rain in morning,
Around were 46 Whooper Swan, 1200 Pink-footed Goose, 150 Brent Goose, a Sparrowhawk, 1000 Golden Plover, 800 Lapwing, a Hooded Crow, 25 Fieldfare, 2 Rock Pipit and 20 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were a Grey Heron and a Water Rail. Heading west were 62 Fieldfare.

December 18th. Moderately strong south-easterly wind, with rain in afternoon.
Birds around included 51 Whooper Swan, a Grey Heron, 80 Golden Plover, a Woodcock, a Hooded Crow, a Coal Tit, 11 Redwing, 3 Water Pipit, a Bullfinch and a Corn Bunting. Flying south were 2 Brent Goose, 5 Eider, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 3 Common Scoter.

December 17th. Around, including birds trapped, were 57 Whooper Swan, 2600 Pink-footed Goose, 150 Brent Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a male Hen Harrier, a Buzzard, 4500 Golden Plover, 250 Lapwing, a Green Woodpecker, a Peregrine, 2 Merlin, 3 Hooded Crow, 4 Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Tree Sparrow, 3 Rock Pipit, a Bullfinch, 6 Brambling and 45 Corn Bunting. Over Tennyson's Sands was a Water Pipit; on the Mere was a Kingfisher; and offshore were 40 Wigeon, 120 Common Scoter, 8 Velvet Scoter, a Guillemot and a Great Crested Grebe. Going south were 25 Chaffinch and 7 Brambling.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 4 new birds: a Goldfinch, a Tree Sparrow, a Blue Tit and a Chaffinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Great Tit and a Blue Tit,.

Long-tailed Tit, 17th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Tree Sparrow, ringed 17th December 2018.
Photo - George Gregory

Honeycomb in the West Dunes, 17th December 2018.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

December 16th. Birds around included 54 Whooper Swan, 70 Brent Goose, 850 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Pintail, a Goosander, a Grey Heron, a Marsh Harrier, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, 600 Golden Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Woodcock, a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher, a Merlin, 3 Hooded Crow, 5 Goldcrest, a Mistle Thrush, a Stonechat, a Tree Sparrow, 9 Rock Pipit and 60 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands was a Cetti's Warbler; and on the sea were an Eider, 150 Common Scoter, 4 Velvet Scoter, a Slavonian Grebe and 2 Guillemots. Heading south were 50 Teal, 11 Shoveler, a Brambling and 5 Siskin.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue yielded a new Chaffinch; and 4 retraps: 3 Blue Tit and a Great Tit.

Corn Bunting, 16th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Stonechat, 16th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Coot, 16th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

December 15th. Increasing south-easterly wind.
Around were 44 Whooper Swan, 100 Brent Goose, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Pintail, 150 Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, a Hooded Crow, and 35 Fieldfare.

December 14th. Birds around included 26 Whooper Swan, 90 Brent Goose, 1720 Pink-footed Goose, a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, a Barn Owl, 2 Hooded Crow, a Chiffchaff, 145 Fieldfare, 26 Redwing and 56 Corn Bunting. On the Mere were 2 Water Rail and 6 Snipe; and on the sea were an Eider, 200 Common Scoter and a Velvet Scoter. Flying north were 8 Red-throated Diver and a Snipe; and south 4 Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Great Crested Grebe and 5 Red-throated Diver.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 4 new birds: a Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and 2 Greenfinch; and 6 retraps: 5 Great Tit and a Blue Tit.

Common Snipe, 14th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

December 13th. Moderately strong south-easterly wind.
Around were 25 Whooper Swan, 500 Pink-footed Goose, 90 Brent Goose, 150 Common Scoter, a Velvet Scoter, a male Hen Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Woodcock, 2 Chiffchaff, 70 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing and 32 Corn Bunting. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Pintail, a Grey Heron and 2 Black-tailed Godwit.

Blackbird, 13th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Chiffchaff, 13th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

December 12th. Birds around included 50 Whooper Swan, 2000 Pink-footed Goose, 16 White-fronted Goose, a male Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, 900 Golden Plover, 450 Lapwing, a Woodcock, a Kingfisher, a Peregrine, 2 Rock Pipit, and 2 Corn Bunting.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced a new Greenfinch; and a retrap Blue Tit.

Pink-footed Geese, 12th December 2018.
Photo - Owen Beaumont

Ringing Recovery: Marsh Tit ringed Cottam PS, Nottinghamshire 11 July 2018, found dead GPNNR 25 September 2018.

December 11th. Around were 3 Tundra Bean Goose, 2500 Pink-footed Goose, a Shag, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail, a Merlin and 2 Yellowhammer. On the Mere was a Kingfisher. Going north was a Pomarine Skua; and south were 2 Great Northern Diver.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling resulted in 4 new birds: a Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch and a Greenfinch; and 5 retraps: 2 Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Coal Tit and a Dunnock.

Shag seen on Cowbank Drain, 11th December 2018.
Photo - Kev Wilson