Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late May 2021

May 31st. Around were 2 Cuckoo, 3 Buzzard, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Cetti's Warbler and a Garden Warbler. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh 6 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover, 3 Little Gull and 3 Mediterranean Gull; and on Tennyson's Sands a Pochard, 2 Avocet, 2 Common Tern and a Cetti's Warbler. Heading south were 2 Swift and a Marsh Harrier; and north 2 Gannet.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: a Linnet, a Reed Warbler, 2 Meadow Pipit, a Whitethroat and a Robin; and 4 retraps: a Blue Tit, a Wren, a Meadow Pipit and a Sedge Warbler.

Mediterranean Gulkl, 31 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

Common Tern, 31 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

May 30th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 2 Cuckoo, a Buzzard, a Barn Owl and 2 Bullfinch. On Croftmarsh were 3 Avocet and 2 Little Gull; and on Tennyson's Sands an Avocet and 2 Common Tern.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 7 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Robin, a Linnet, 2 Bullfinch, a Chaffinch and a Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Female Bullfinch, ringed 30 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Male Bullfinch, ringed 30 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

May 29th. Misty start, then sunny.

Around were a Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Swallow. On Croftmarsh were 6 Avocet and 3 Little Gull; and on Tennyson's Sands 3 Avocet.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 2 new birds: a Blue Tit and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Sedge Warbler.

Little Grebe family, 29 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

Grasshopper Warbler, 29 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

May 28th. Birds around included 5 Cuckoo, a Sandwich Tern, 20 Little Tern, 2 Common Tern, a Barn Owl, a Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Wheatear. On Jackson's Marsh were 3 Spoonbill; on Croftmarsh a Pink-footed Goose, 6 Avocet and 4 Little Gull; on Fenland Lagoon an Avocet and a Little Ringed Plover; and on Tennyson's Sands 3 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover, a Mediterranean Gull and a Cetti's Warbler. Flying south were 3 Swift, a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Peregrine and 16 House Martin; and north 3 Gannet.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 6 new birds: 2 Linnet, a Whitethroat, a Swallow, a Reed Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 4 retraps: a Wren, a Goldfinch, a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat.

A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 4 new birds: a Reed Warbler, a Chaffinch, a Sedge Warbler and a Great Tit; and 16 retraps: 5 Great Tit, 7 Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap and 3 Whitethroat.

Spoonbill, 28 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

Spoonbills, 28 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

Swallow nest-building, 28 May 2021.
Photo - Dean Nicholson

Little Gulls, 28 May 2021.
Photo - Jim Shaw

May 27th. Around, including birds trapped, were 2 Cuckoo, a Sparrowhawk, 2300 Sanderling, a Barn Owl, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, a Whinchat and a Tree Pipit. On Croftmarsh were 11 Avocet and 2 Little Gull; on Fenland Lagoon an Avocet; and on Tennyson's Sands 3 Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Common Tern.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes by Keith Collett produced 13 new birds: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Linnet, a Tree Pipit, a Robin, a Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting; and 9 retraps: a Wren, 2 Dunnock, a Robin, a Goldfinch, 2 Whitethroat, a Blue Tit and a Great Tit.

Cuckoo, 27 May 2021.

Sanderling, 27 May 2021.
Photo - Kevin Wilson

Sanderling and Dunlin, 27 May 2021.
Photo - Jim Shaw

Meadow Pipit, 27 May 2021.
Photo - Jim Shaw

Tree Pipit, ringed 27 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Spotted Flycatcher, ringed 27 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

May 26th. A Golden Oriole perched then flew south over East Dunes early morning. Birds around included a Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, 12 Sandwich Tern, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Cetti's Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Redwing and a Spotted Flycatcher. On Croftmarsh were 2 Avocet and 5 Little Gull; on Jackson's Marsh 3 Spoonbill; on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover; and on Tennyson's Sands 2 Avocet and a Cetti's Warbler. Heading south were a Red Kite, 15 Swift, 2 Turtle Dove and a Hobby; and north 18 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 9 Common Scoter,10 Fulmar, 4 Razorbill, 3 Red-throated Diver and a Grey Wagtail.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 3 new birds: a Wren, a Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: 2 Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock, a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting.

Golden Oriole, 26 May 2021.
Photo Nige Lound

Golden Oriole, 26 May 2021.
Photo - Nige Lound

Spotted Flycatcher, 26 May 2021.
Photo - Nige Lound

May 25th. Around were a Cuckoo and a Grasshopper Warbler. On Tennyson's Sands were 8 Avocet and a Little Gull; and on Croftmarsh 4 Avocet. Flying south were a Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, a Hen Harrier, 5 Buzzard, 2 Spoonbill (early morning), hirundines and Swift.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 7 new birds: a Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, a Swallow, a Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and a Mallard (in the Heligoland Trap); and a retrap Whitethroat.

A check of a nest site revealed an adult Barn Owl with 4 chicks.

Mallard, ringed 25 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Barn Owl, ringed 25 May 2021.
Photo - George Gregory

Ringing Control: Whitethroat, ringed Kilnsea, Yorkshire 6 August 2018, controlled GPBO 20 May 2021.

May 24th. Soggy start.

Birds around were 10 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Swift, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Red-throated Diver, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl and a Cetti's Warbler. On Tennyson's Sands were 21 Avocet; on Jackson's Marsh 3 Spoonbill; on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover and 3 Avocet, and on Croftmarsh a Pink-footed Goose, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Avocet, 4 Little Gull and a Yellow Wagtail. Going south were a Red Kite and 3 Red-throated Diver.

A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, including the third session of CES, produced 21 new birds: 2 Wren, 4 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, a Linnet, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, a Robin, 3 Sedge Warbler, a Dunnock and a House Sparrow; and 23 retraps: 2 Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Dunnock and 2 Robin.

May 23rd. Around were 2 Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier, 8 Swallow, 35 House Martin and a Cetti's Warbler. On Croftmarsh were 4 Avocet and 2 Little Gull; on Fenland Lagoon a Little Ringed Plover; and on Tennyson's Sands 8 Avocet and a Greenshank. Heading south were 20 Swift, 2 Gannet, 2 Marsh Harrier, a Turtle Dove, a Hobby and 8 House Martin..

A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 3 new birds: 2 Blackcap and a Chaffinch; and a retrap Whitethroat.

Below is a photo of the bony remains from Barn Owl pellets collected here recently and analysed by Nige Lound. The species involved were 20 Field Vole, 8 Common Shrew and a Pygmy Shrew.

Bony remains from Barn Owl pellets, 23 May 2021.
Photo - Nige Lound

May 22nd. Moderately strong westerly wind; soggy start.

Birds around included 9 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 12 Common Scoter, 2 Swift, a Cuckoo, a Cetti's Warbler, 20 Swallow and a Goldcrest. On Croftmarsh were a Pink-footed Goose, 2 Avocet, 5 Little Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and a Buzzard; and on Tennyson's Sands 12 Avocet, 2 Little Ringed Plover. Flying south were a Marsh Harrier, 67 Gannet, 47 Fulmar, a Red-throated Diver, 8 Kittiwake, an Arctic Skua and 2 Barnacle Geese; and west a Swift and 2 Hobby.

A wind-restricted morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 4 new birds: a Wren, 2 Linnet and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

May 21st. Strong south-westerly wind, with prolonged rainy spells.

Around were 2 Cuckoo, 5 Swallow and 3 House Martin. On Croftmarsh were 7 Avocet and 2 Little Gull; on Jackson's Marsh an Avocet; and on Tennyson's Sands 11 Avocet. Going south were 2 Swift.