Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early June 2025

June 10th. A mostly cloudy day with occasional sunny breaks in the strong south-westerly wind

Another morning se watch revealed 7 Common Scoter, 7 Little Tern, 2 Common Tern, 42 Sandwich Tern, 1 Razorbill (North), 5 Auk species (North), 1 Black-throated Diver (A summer plumage bird North at 07.08am, multiple observers), 1 Manx Shearwater (North at 07.52am) and 7 Gannet.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 53 Shelduck, 25 Gadwall, 23 Tufted Duck, 93 Avocet, 6 Lapwing, 82 black-tailed Godwits, 6 Redshank, 4 Spoonbill and 7 Little Egret.

Elsewhere on the reserve there were 3 Swift (West), 1 Buzzard, 22 House Martin and x10 Crossbill, again roaming around the North end of the West Dunes and no doubt visiting the North Carpark Pines on and off.

Of interest, the life history of a colour ringed Spoonbill that was on the reserve on the 30th May this year has come to light. The bird was born in the Netherlands in the summer of 2022. It then re-located to France after fledging where it toured around for a couple of years before moving south to Spain in 2024. In February this year it moved to Portugal before deciding that Gibraltar Point was a better bet. Perhaps the weather is better here? or was it just confused whilst looking for the rock of Gibraltar and went the wrong way? Either way it shows the power of reporting colour-ring sightings. Many thanks to Nigel Lound for the incredible report.

Banded Demoiselle Damselfly, 10th June 2025
Photo - Sam Wilson

Green Longhorn Moth, 10th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

June 9th. Cloudy, with light south-westerly wind.

A morning sea watch resulted in 44 Common Scoter (27 North), 9 Little Tern, 7 Common Tern, 110 Sandwich Tern, 450 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Guillemot (North), 6 Auk species, 1 Red-throated Diver (North), 1 Great Northern Diver (Summer plumage bird high North at 7.44am) and 20 Gannet (15 North).

On the water bodies around the reserve were 19 Gadwall, 35 Tufted Duck, 16 Little Grebes, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 91 Avocets, 12 Lapwings, 89 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Redshanks, 3 Cormorant, 4 Spoonbills, 1 Great White Egret, 8 Little Egrets and 1 Grey Heron.

Other birds around included a Barn Owl, 3 Swift (West), 2 Cuckoo, 1 Grey Wagtail (over the Visitor Centre), 12 House Martin, 10 Crossbills (South over Sykes Farm) and a Yellowhammer. A presumed feral Barnacle Goose flew towards Tennyson's Sands during the afternoon.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 10 new birds: 3 Wren, 2 Robin, 3 Linnet, a Blue Tit and a Dunnock; and 2 retraps: a Dunnock and a Wren.

A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling yielded 26 new birds: a Chiffchaff, 5 Blue Tit, 10 Chaffinch, a Goldfinch, 8 Great Tit and a Greenfinch; and 3 retraps: 2 Blue Tit and a Great Tit.

Of interest, the Cornsnake that was sighted and photographed on the East Dunes yesterday was amazingly re-found and captured today by reserve staff thanks to updates on its location from visitors to the reserve. It has been taken to a local wildlife refuge that deals with exotic animals. Another unfortunate example of a reckless release of an exotic animal that may have caused much harm to native wildlife.

Little Egret with what appears to be a Four-spotted Chaser for lunch.
9th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Roe Deer fawn, 9th June 2025
Photo - Mile Watts

A Little Grebe shaking a fish so much that it flies into two pieces! 9th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Oystercatchers on their raised nest! 9th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

June 8th. Clear morning, then fairly cloudy, with freshening north-westerly to westerly wind.

On the water bodies were 70 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret and a Grey Heron. Around were a Red Kite, a Barn Owl and a Cuckoo, whilst flying south were a number of Swifts and Swallows.

An evening sea watch resulted in 1 2CY Eider, 15 Common Scoter, 3 Turnstone, 38 Little Tern, 2 Common Tern (South), 47 Sandwich Tern (North), 8 Kittiwake (North), 308 Herring Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Razorbill, 10 Auk species (mainly north), 1 Red-throated Diver (North), 4 Manx Shearwater (North), 43 Gannet (38 North) and 1 Spoonbill in off the sea at 18.30.

Maddeningly, a Cornsnake was photographed by a visitor in the East Dunes today. This presumed intentional release of an exotic animal into an ecosystem that is not prepared for it is an extremely reckless act, especially when the local scarce and endangered birds are currently breeding with eggs and chicks on the ground all over the reserve! Hopefully this animal can be rounded up back into captivity as soon as possible!

A wind-shortened morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 10 new birds: 2 Robin, a Blackcap, 4 Great Tit, 2 Dunnock and a Blackbird.

Red Kite being chased off by Shelducks and an Avocet, 8th June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Avocet with Colour rings, 8th June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Black-tailed Godwits, 8th June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Jackdaw with a beak full of something? 8th June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

An unusual sighting of a Cornsnake on the East Dunes! 8th June 2025
Photo - Michael Pocklington

June 7th. Mostly cloudy, with occasional persistent rain and fresh south-westerly wind.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 21 Gadwall, 24 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Tern, 73 Avocet, 91 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Redshank, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Spoonbill, 9 Little Egret, 2 Great White Egret and 2 Grey Heron.

Elsewhere on the reserve there were 2 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 8 Reed Warbler.

Spoonbills, Avocets & Shelducks, 7th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Avocet youngster, 7th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Pied Wagtail youngster, 7th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

One of the Spider Wasp species - suggestions welcome! 7th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Meadow Pipit, 7th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Male Linnet, 7th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

June 6th. A soggy start then some mid morning rain, cloudy, with a fresh south-westerly wind.

On the water bodies were 3 Spoonbills, 2 Great White Egrets, 3 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, 2 Little Tern and 1 Mediterranean Gull. Around were a Kestrel and a Cuckoo.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 5 new birds: 4 Great Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 4 retraps: a Dunnock, a Blackcap and 2 Great Tit.

Little Tern, 6th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Shelduck family, 6th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Little Terns, 6th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Common Tern 6th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Kestrel, 6th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Peregrine, 6th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

June 5th. A wet start with light rain on and off for most of the day, with a fresh southerly wind.

The miserable conditions definitely effected the observer coverage today with just the hardest of the hardcore observers out and about! On the water bodies were 1 Common Tern, 2 Little Terns, 17 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, 27 Tufted Duck, 72 Avocet, 46 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Redshank, 3 Spoonbill, 6 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. Other birds around included 14 Swift, a Cuckoo and 40 House Martins.

Little Grebe chick, 5th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Little Terns, 5th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Squabbling Little Egrets, 5th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Little Egret shaking it out! 5th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Swallows getting jiggy with it! 5th June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Little Grebe with chick, 5th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Common Tern, 5th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Little Tern, 5th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Avocet, 5th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

June 4th. A partly cloudy dry day clearing through the day, with fresh south-westerly wind.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 82 Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 26 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, 28 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail, 64 Avocet, 6 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 82 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spoonbill, 1 Great White Egret, 11 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant and 10 Pied Wagtail.

Elsewhere around the reserve were 2 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Cuckoo, 50 Swift (South), 30 House Martin, 2 Red Kite (South) and a Barn Owl.

Amazingly, the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union has the Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis and Oedemera lurida) as its focus species this month, and today, by chance, one of our contributors photographed x2 Oedemera nobilis on the reserve which is great as it has not been recorded on the LNU's distribution map for the species up to this date in the 5km square that the reserve is in.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 10 new birds: a Blackcap, a Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit, a Blue Tit and 4 Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Blue Tit, a Whitethroat and a Chaffinch.

Shelduck family, 4th June 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

A Juvenile Spoonbill taking some stick from 2 Little Egrets, 4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Swift, 4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

The Shelduck family with a patrolling Avocet, 4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Avocet chick, 4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Little Terns and Avocets, 4th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Little Grebe youngster with parent, 4th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Oystercatcher, 4th June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Common Blue Butterfly, 4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

x2 Oedemera nobilis also known as False Oil Beetle or Thick-legged Flower Beetle,
4th June 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

June 3rd. A wet start to the day with the rain heavy at times breaking later on through the day, with broken cloud and a strong southerly wind.

A brief early morning sea watch produced 2 Manx Shearwaters, a Razorbill and 3 Mediterranean Gulls along with several Sandwich and Little Terns. A total of 320 Swifts passed south in 45 minutes during the morning.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 67 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 7 Gadwall, 1 female Pintail, 7 Teal, 28 Tufted Duck, 64 Avocet, 53 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, 2 Little Tern, 4 Spoonbill and 6 Little Egret.

Spoonbill, 3rd June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Little Terns, 3rd June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

A Pochard par, 3rd June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Common Tern, 3rd June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Avocet chick, 3rd June 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

June 2nd. Mostly cloudy, with a fresh westerly wind.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 92 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 41 Gadwall, 32 Tufted Duck, 82 Avocet, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 71 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 2 Little Tern, 1 Common Tern, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Spoonbill, 5 Little Egret and 3 Grey Heron.

A look at the sea resulted in 33 Common Scoter, 25 Little Tern, 8 Sandwich Tern, 1 Razorbill (North) and 3 Gannet. Around were 90 Swift (West and South), a Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove (South), a Buzzard, a Barn Owl, 100 Grey Plover, 50 Bar-tailed Godwits, 550 Sanderling, 50 Dunlin, 30 House Martin.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 2 new birds: a Chaffinch and a Reed Bunting; and 3 retraps: a Reed Bunting and 2 Whitethroat.

Spoonbills, 2nd June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Little Egret, 2nd June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Avocet, 2nd June 2025
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth

Grasshopper Warbler, 2nd June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Southern Migrant Hawker, 1st June 2025.
The occurrence of this teneral individual may indicate successful local breeding by the species. Photo - Mike Watts.

Small Heath Butterfly, 2nd June 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

June 1st. Partly cloudy, with an increasing south-westerly wind.

Birds around included 26 Long-tailed Tits (West Dunes), 32 Swifts (South), 2 Cuckoos, a Barn Owl, a Red Kite (South). On the water bodies were 3 Spoonbill, 7 Redshank, a Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Great White Egrets, a Mediterranean Gull and 2 Little Terns.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 3 new birds: a Chiffchaff, a Meadow Pipit and a Reed Warbler; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Chaffinch.

A 4am start saw the 4th Constant Effort Site Session completed which produced 17 new birds:11 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Song Thrush; and 9 retraps: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Long-tailed Tit. Of interest, after catching and ringing another large family of Long-tailed Tits, the last bird of the day was a juvenile Chiffchaff, also fresh out of the nest.