Pre-nuptial Ringing Campaign 2026

The 2026 pre-nuptial ringing campaign began at the Strait of Gibraltar Bird Observatory at Jews’ Gate on the 15^th January and ended on the 4^th May.
2602 new birds, and 200 retraps, brought the total of birds processed to 2802 individuals of 50 species, two fewer than in 2025.  There were 1046 more birds ringed than last year, but fewer retraps.

A number of species ringed this year that were absent last year included Lesser Kestrel, Sedge Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Goldcrest, Stonechat and Bullfinch.

Goldcrests ringed on March 19^th.

The start of the season was much worse than last year, due to a spate of Atlantic depressions that affected southern Europe, and especially Iberia during late January and February, with strong to gale force westerlies and heavy rain that hampered the ringing effort.  The team only achieved 25 ringing days in two months. By mid-February, the weather improved, although the period was dominated by westerly winds that affected the netting area. There were lower than expected numbers of Common Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Robins and Black Redstarts, totalling 229 new birds ringed; 255 fewer than last year.  Blackcaps totalled 93 birds; 346 fewer than last year! A Dartford Warbler was ringed on the 18^th February, and the first trans-Saharan migrant, a Hoopoe, appeared on the 19^th February with two more the following day.  Iberian Chiffchaffs were trapped from the 20^th February, for a total of 12 birds until the end of the month.

The weather changed in March and easterlies dominated the spring season until the beginning of May, with only a few days of westerly winds during this period.  This resulted in excellent ringing conditions that culminated in a total 661 new birds and 71 retraps for the month.  Exceptional numbers of Phylloscopus warblers were trapped with 96 Willow Warblers, 68 Bonelli’s Warblers, 220 Common Chiffchaffs and 47 Iberian Chiffchaffs.  Highlights included 15 Hoopoes, two Wrynecks on the 21^st and 23^rd, 20 Western Subalpine Warblers and 19 Woodchat Shrikes.  Singles included a Sedge Warbler on the 2^nd, with a control on the 20^th, a Stonechat on the 13^th, two Goldcrests and a Bullfinch on the 19^th,  a Tree Pipit the following day and a Scops Owl and a Bee-eater on the 26^th.

Western Subalpine Warbler.

Easterly winds continued throughout April for a memorable ringing experience, with a total of 1654 new birds and 54 retraps. Some species totals were exceptional with 23 Woodchat Shrikes, 96 Melodious Warblers, 152 Bonelli’s Warblers, 693 Willow Warblers, 25 Western Orphean Warblers, 30 Western Subalpine Warblers, 80 Common Whitethroats and 130 Pied Flycatchers.  A large fall of migrants on the 27^th produced 22 Melodious Warblers, 143 Willow Warblers, 17 Wood Warblers, 22 Garden Warblers, 24 Whitethroats and 34 Nightingales for a total of 265 birds ringed.  Other scarcer species included Black Redstart and Song Thrush on the 2^nd, Lesser Kestrel and Bee-eater on the 10^th, Tawny Pipit on the 17^th, Whinchat on the 18th and 27^th, Ortolan Bunting on the 21^st and 27^th, and Sedge Warbler on the 27^th and 29^th.

Record number of Wood Warblers.

Only the first four days in May were attempted, after which clear skies accompanied by fresh westerly winds made it impossible to continue that ringing effort and also catching rate was reduced to single figures.  In total 58 new birds and 8 retraps were processed, including 14 Melodious Warblers, 13 Willow Warblers and five Bonelli’s Warblers.

A special thanks to our resident ringers in charge: Mark Cutts (mid January until mid April), Chrissi Twitchen (mid-April until early May), as well as to all our visiting ringers.

Ringing Totals