Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Late July 2025

July 31st. A mainly cloudy day, with occasional breaks, and brief early morning rain, in a light westerly breeze.

Between 9am and 10.50am, 1800+ Swallows went South along with 350 House Martins, 18 Sand Martins and just 1 Swift, mostly along the foreshore but lots getting up onto the dunes in their southerly travel. Many birds built up around the east side of the West Dunes during the late morning sitting up on the fence next to the path from Mill Hill to the beach. There were also several Yellow Wagtails and a Merlin caught up in this movement.

A Marsh Harrier arrived off the sea with another one over the River Steeping bank. The Sandwich Tern roost involved some 400 birds, whilst 5 Gannet went North over the sea, as did 300 Knot.

On the water bodies around the reserve during the day were 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, 28 Lapwing, 4 Dunlin, 153 Avocet, 542 Black-tailed Godwit, 66 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 10 Greenshank, 7 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 20 Spoonbill, 2 Great White Egret and 11 Cormorant.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 13 new birds: 8 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: a Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, a Dunnock and 2 Willow Warbler.

Moth news involved an overnight trapping of a Flame Carpet Moth which is a new first for the reserve courtesy of Nigel Lound.

Wood Sandpipers, 31st July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Snipe with Black-tailed Godwits, 31st July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Green Sandpiper and Avocet, 31st July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Kestrel, 31st July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

A new first for the reserve - Flame Carpet Moth, 31st July 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

Water levels on Tennyson's Sands are about as low as they have ever been!
31st July 2025, Photo - Nigel Lound

July 30th. A nearly clear blue sky start slowly clouding over through the day with a hint of a westerly breeze.

On the water bodies around the reserve were 350 Black-headed Gull, 2 Water Rail, a dis-orientated Turnstone, 160 Avocet, 34 Lapwing, 300 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 104 Redshank, 9 Greenshank 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 30 Spoonbill and most surprising, a young Cuckoo fresh out of presumably a Reed Warbler nest.

Other birds around included a Grasshopper Warbler reeling along Mill Pond Road, 40 Willow Warbler and a Barn Owl. Four Tree Pipit went South over Mill Hill along with 50 Swallow and a Marsh Harrier. On the sea were 18 Common Scoter.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 11 new birds: 7 Willow Warbler, a Wren, a Reed Warbler, a Robin and a Lesser Whitethroat; and 5 retraps: a Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, a Chiffchaff and a Wren.

A check of a Barn Owl box revealed 3 chicks, which were ringed.

1 of 3 Barn Owl chicks, ringed 30 July 2025.
Photo - George Gregory

Turnstone on Tennyson's Sands! 30th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker
Water Rail, 30th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker
Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Teal, 30th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker
Greenshank with Black-tailed Godwits, 30th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker
Young Cuckoo on Tennyson's Sands, 30th July 2025
Photo - Jason Virgin

Juvenile Cuckoo on Tennyson's Sands, 30th July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Black-tailed Godwit, 30th July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Great Tit, 30th July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Migrant Hawker, 30th July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Red-eyed Damselflies, 30th July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Leptotarsus, exact species unknown - True Crane Fly, 30th July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

July 29th. A cloudy day with the odd sunny break in a light westerly breeze.

Early news involved 4 Arctic Skuas south together down the beach whilst a Tree Pipit and small groups of Crossbills were moving south over the West Dunes. Then a Turtle Dove was purring around Mill Hill before five more Crossbills headed south over the Sleeper Track. In East Dunes were a Redstart (re-trapped) and a Pied Flycatcher.

On the water bodies through the day were 1 Water Rail (Mere), 138 Avocet, 47 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 184 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Dunlin, 4 Common Sandpiper, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 156 Redshank, 9 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 10 Cormorant and 35 Spoonbill.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 24 new birds: 15 Willow Warbler, 2 Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, a Whitethroat and a Dunnock; and 7 retraps: 2 Dunnock, 3 Whitethroat, a Redstart and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Colour-ring Sighting Control: We have had details back on a colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit that was present on the 21st and 22nd July 2025. It was first ringed back on the 1st of September 2019 at Snettisham, the Wash estuary, Norfolk. It first visited Gibraltar Point in Aug 2020 and then again in 2021 and 2022. It was seen in the Netherlands in 2023 and 2024 and again in 2025, this spring. It has also been sighted at several sites in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and also on the Isle of Tiree, Argyll, West Scotland for four days in April 2021. Many thanks for the sighting report by Michael Briggs and to Nigel Lound, our Colour-Ring Co-ordinator for the retrieval of the information on the birds history from Professor Jenny Gill.

I think you will agree, a well travelled bird especially when you think it may have been to the shores of West Africa at least 6 times for its winter holidays, a round trip of 8000 miles each winter. Having said that it was present at Frieston Shore, the Wash estuary in mid November 2019 and then it was at Ballummerbocht, Ameland, Freisland, N Netherlands in mid November 2023 and lastly, it was then at Ameland, Freisland, N Netherlands on the 23rd December 2024. So maybe this is an individual that overwinters in Europe rather than going all the way to West Africa.

A colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit, 21st and 22nd July 2025
Historic picture from 13th August 2021 by Nigel Lound

Turtle Dove 29th July 2025.
Photo - Kev Wilson

x9 Greenshanks, 1 Redshank and 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 29th July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Spotted Redshank, 29th July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

July 28th. Clear start, gradually clouding over, with light north-westerly wind.

A good arrival of Willow Warblers was apparent in the areas of dune scrub covered today. The first Pied Flycatcher of the autumn was recorded. Roosting waders on the high tide included over 3000 Sanderling, 3000 Knot, 3500 Dunlin and 800 Oystercatcher. Another Green Woodpecker was trapped and ringed in East Dunes whilst another was in the Plantation. Five more Crossbills headed south as did a Peregrine. On the sea were 25 Common Scoter (North), 2 Gannet and 600 Sandwich Terns.

On the water bodies through the day there were 21 Shelduck, 86 Mallard, 53 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 27 Little Grebe, 157 Avocet, 39 Lapwing, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 396 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 350 Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Cormorant, 36 Spoonbill, 47 Little Egret and 1 Great White Egret.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Mike Polling, provided 42 new birds: 5 Willow Warbler, a Robin, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, 4 Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 21 Swallow, 2 Greenfinch and a Green Woodpecker; and 4 retraps: a Great Tit, a Linnet, a Robin and a Dunnock.

'5 Knots and 800 Oystercatchers' - good to see the Inshore Lifeboat passing slowly without disturbing the Oystercatcher roost. 27th July 2025. Photo - Kev Wilson
Green Woodpecker ringed 28 July 2025.
Photo - George Gregory

Turnstone, 28th July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Green Sandpiper with Black-tailed Godwits, 28th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Greenshanks, 28th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Dunlin with Redshanks, 28th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Shoveler, 28th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

July 27th. Mostly cloudy, with light north-westerly wind.

Early news involved a group of 6 Crossbills heading generally south over North Carpark followed a while later by a larger group of 11. Two Greenshank also went south early morning while an early morning build up of Swallows totalled 200 with 100 House Martins for company around the entrance to the reserve and over the water bodies.

Also around were a Marsh Harrier, 2 Stonechat and 2 Green Woodpecker (including 1 ringed). On the sea was an Eider, and 12 Common Scoter went south. On the high tide there were 360 Oystercatcher, 89 Grey Plover, 86 Curlew, 8 Whimbrel, 2600 Knot and 500 Sandwich Tern.

On Tennyson's Sands were 4 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 1 Curlew Sandpiper. On Jackson's Marsh there were 2 Green Sandpiper and a Greenshank. On the Mere were a Kingfisher, a Green Sandpiper and 86 Black-tailed Godwit.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 18 new birds: 8 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 2 Chiffchaff, a Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler and 5 Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Dunnock, a Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat.

The ninth session of the Constant Effort Site for the year was done this morning with 38 new birds: 11 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Wren, 3 Dunnock, 2 Robin, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Swallow, 2 Blackbird, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Green Woodpecker; and 6 retraps: 1 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin, 1 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Dunnock.

Also in the West Dunes, the feeding station nets were operated with 16 new birds: 7 Chaffinch, 3 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Willow Warbler and 1 Chiffchaff; and 10 retraps: 5 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit and 1 Coal Tit.

Willow Warbler ringed 27th July 2025
Photo - Michael Briggs

Juvenile Green Woodpecker ringed 27th July 2025
Photo - Michael Briggs

Wood Sandpiper with x3 Redshanks, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Curlew Sandpiper with a Redshank, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Spotted Redshank, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Greenshank, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Great White Egret (on right) with Little Egret (on left), 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Roeseliana roeselii - Roesel's Bush Cricket, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Volucella zonaria - the Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

Macroglossum stellatarum - the Hummingbird Hawkmoth, 27th July 2025
Photo - Paul Neale

July 26th. Cloudy, with some afternoon rain and light south-westerly wind.

On Tennyson's Sands were 1 Water Rail, 3 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 110 Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great White Egrets and 34 Spoonbills. On Jackson's Marsh were 7 Green Sandpipers and 1 Common Sandpiper. Another Wood Sandpiper was on the Mere along with a Green Sandpiper.

Also around the reserve were 2 Marsh Harriers which headed south. On Greenshanks Creek, the Sandwich Tern roost numbered 800+ and there were 2 Greenshank and 3 Common Sandpiper there also.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes yielded 10 new birds: a Wren, 4 Willow Warbler and 5 Whitethroat; and 2 retraps: a Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

Moth trapping at Sykes Farm overnight revealed another first for the reserve - a Raspberry Clearwing attracted to a pheromone lure.

Spotted Redshanks, 26th July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Spoonbills, 26th July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Green Veined White Butterfly, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Gatekeeper Butterfly, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Common Blue, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Common Brimstone, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Common Blue, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Raspberry Clearwing Moth, 26th July 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

July 25th. Mostly clear, with light south-westerly wind.

Early news involved the Crane that was still present now in Army Swathe in the East Dunes viewable from Mill Hill, and a male Redstart in post-juvenile moult trapped and ringed in East Dunes. After yesterdays arrival, there was a further increase of Willow Warblers this morning with 41 counted, mostly along Mill Pond Road and in the East Dunes. A male Marsh Harrier and a Hobby were over the Saltmarsh out from the Wash Viewpoint mid afternoon.

Then late evening on Tennyson's Sands there were 5 Gadwall, 125 Avocet, 22 Lapwing, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 7 Black-tailed Godwit (The rest having presumably gone to feed in the Wash). Over 3000 each of Sanderling and Sandwich Tern were at roost over the high tide.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 9 new birds: a Wren, a Linnet, a Redstart, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, a Sedge Warbler and a Dunnock; and 5 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Wren and 2 Lesser Whitethroat.

Moth trapping overnight at Sykes Farm revealed a first for the reserve - a Clay Triple-lines.

Male Redstart in Post-Juvenile moult, ringed 25 July 2025.
Photo - George Gregory

Crane, 25th July 2025
Photo - Kev Wilson

Ringed Plover and Sanderling, 25th July 2025.

Photo - Kev Wilson

Common Sandpiper, 24th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Shelducks, 24th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Black-tailed Godwit, 25th July 2025
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons

Clay Triple-lines Moth, 25th July 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

July 24th. A cloudy start to the day with light rain developing in a fresh north-westerly wind.

Early news involved a Crane and a Roseate Tern present with Sandwich Terns on Greenshanks Creek out from Mill Hill. A modest arrival of Willow Warblers was noted today with 9 just along Mill Pond Road. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, a Snipe, a Knot, 4 Green Sandpiper and 27 Spoonbill. A Crossbill was around North Car Park during the late afternoon.

Ringing Recovery Report: The original ringing details have come back on a Sandwich Tern that was found dead on the strandline on the 22nd July 2025, possibly a victim of the latest outbreak of Bird Flu which is taking so many seabirds again this summer. It had been dead for more than a week. Incredibly it was originally ringed as a 1st year bird on the 29th Aug 2016! by the Tay Ringing Group at Wigeon Hide Pools, Montrose Basin, Angus, UK.

The bird has travelled 441km from original ringing site in 3249 days or in other words nearly 9 years!. Obviously in between the original ringing and being found dead it has travelled all the way to the coasts of West and Southern Africa for its winter holidays every year. So that's a round trip of at least 8000 miles a year on migration eight times. What a well travelled bird!

Crane, 24th July 2025.

Video - Kev Wilson

Avocets, 24th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Snipe, 24th July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Sanderlings, 24th July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Sanderling, 24th July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Black-tailed Godwit, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Essex Skipper Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Meadow Brown Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Tenthredinidae - a type of Sawfly with over 500 species in the UK!
23rd July 2025, Photo - David Nutt

July 23rd. A mostly cloudy day but staying dry in a light north-westerly breeze.

Early news concerned a drake Scaup on the sea off the Millennium Ridge whilst a Barn Owl was hunting over the East Dunes.

Through the course of the day Tennyson's Sands at one time or another held 23 Little Grebe, 563 Black-headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 99 Mallard, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Water Rail, 140 Avocet, 42 Lapwing, 1 Knot, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 491 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Great White Egret, and 32 Spoonbill.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 2 Willow Warbler, a Wren, 5 Linnet, a Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock and a Blackbird; and 4 retraps: a Robin, 2 Whitethroat and a Dunnock.

An immigration of dragonflies was noted along the outer dunes involving several each of Emperor and Migrant Hawker with 22 Willow Emerald and 8 Small Red-eyed Damselflies.

Colour-ring sighting Control: A colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit was recorded on Tennyson's Sands on the 21st July 2025. We have just had details back on this bird courtesy of Professor Jenny Gill and of course Nigel Lound, our colour-ring record co-ordinator. The individual which was wearing Orange on right leg above the knee and White below knee and two Lime-coloured rings on the left leg above the knee.

The bird was originally ringed at Terrington, the Wash, on the 5th Oct 2024. It has subsequently been recorded as a colour-ring observation in the field in Poole Harbour, Dorset, on the 18th February 2025 and then at Frampton Marsh, the Wash, on the 8th July 2025 and then at Gibraltar Point on Tennyson's Sands on the 21st July 2025. A short life history but hopefully more to come in the coming years. If you see a colour-ringed bird, get the details and report it!

Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit, 21st July 2025
Photo - Nigel Lound

Knot with Spotted Redshank and x3 Black-tailed Godwits, 23.07.2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Wood Sandpiper, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Snipe, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Wood Sandpiper, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Sanderling on the beach, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Willow Emerald Damselfly, 23rd July 2025.
Photo - Kev Wilson
Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 23rd July 2025.
Photo - Kev Wilson

Common Darter Dragonfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Tom Baker

Ruddy Darter, 23rd July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Common Blue Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - David Nutt

Peacock Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Painted Lady Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Gatekeeper Butterfly, 23rd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

July 22nd. Clear start, cloudy later with a moderate westerly wind and some light rain in the afternoon.

There was a good migration of Swallows and Sand Martins early morning, with several Yellow and Alba wagtails also passing though. A Hobby paused briefly on the beach before continuing south and an Arctic Skua was offshore. Swifts were moving south in small numbers during the late afternoon in front of squally rain fronts.

On the water bodies through the day were 138 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 24 Teal, 39 Little Grebe, 150 Avocet, 34 Lapwings, 541 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 25 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 635 Black-headed Gull, 32 Spoonbill and 1 Kingfisher.

A morning ringing session in East Dunes resulted in 15 new birds: 5 Wren, 4 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff, a Great Tit, 2 Linnet and a Song Thrush; and 4 retraps: a Dunnock, a Blackcap and 2 Whitethroat.

A male Southern Migrant Hawker dragonfly was at Shoveler's Pool.

Spotted Redshank, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Spotted Redshank, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Adult Ringed Plover, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Ringed Plover chick, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Kingfisher, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Mike Watts

Southern Migrant Hawker, 22nd July 2025.
Photo - Kev Wilson

Gatekeeper Butterfly, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

Common Blue Butterfly, 22nd July 2025
Photo - Jack Hood

July 21st. Cloudy, with occasional rain and light south-easterly wind.

Early news included a mobile Wood Sandpiper flying around on Tennyson's Sands, there were also 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 69 Little Egret, 4 Great White Egrets and 33 Spoonbills whilst at lunchtime there was a Spotted Redshank.

During the late afternoon Tennyson's Sands still held 103 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Shoveler, 42 Little Grebe, 156 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Water Rail, 51 Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 544 Black-tailed Godwit, 134 Avocet, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 54 Lapwing whilst the Spoonbills had increased to 29.

On Fenland there were 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Greenshank whilst on the Mere there was a single Gadwall, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Green Sandpiper flew over heading south. On Mill Pond, there were 2 Kingfishers showing well at times.