30 Nov:  

Ringing Totals

An active Blackbirds nest with eggs was found in a Ficus tree by the Airport terminal .

A Little Owl was heard from the cliffs above Catalan Bay, and the Owl sp. was seen again at St. Michael's Cave area.

29 Nov:  A Buzzard was seen above Rock Gun, and an Owl sp. was observed again around the St. Michael's cave area.

A Grey Heron was resting on the new boat berths at Watergardens.

28 Nov:  Only four Blackcaps , a Black Redstart and a retrap Robin were ringed at the Observatory.

26 Nov: Clear skies with a light variable to light westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

 The east side of the Rock held a four Barbary Partridges,  Kestrel, two Blue Tits, four Chiffchaffs, a Sardinian Warbler, and 10 Black Redstarts.

 The Seven Sisters beach and the South Mole held seven a Grey Heron, seven Cormorants, eight Shags, two Turnstones, two Razorbills, two Sandwich Terns, a Blue Tit, six Spotless Starlings and a Blue Rock Thrush.

The area around Centre Pavilion Road held six Collard Doves, two Chiffchaffs, two Blackbirds, a Robin, two Black Redstarts, two Chaffinches and two Greenfinches.  A total of 14 Turnstones were observed at Europa foreshore.

25 Nov:  Clear skies with a moderate to fresh north-westerly wind.

Too windy for the ringing campaign.

A Short-toed Eagle was observed over Catalan Bay in the afternoon.

A visit to Princess Caroline's Battery area produced two Barbary Partridges, two Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a Wren, a Robin and two Chaffinches.

Inglis Way produced a Peregrine, three Blue Tits, eight Chiffchaffs, nine Blackcaps, 13 Sardinian Warblers, seven Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes, three Wrens, three Robins, three Black Redstarts, 11 Chaffinches, a Greenfinch and four Siskins.

There were single Sandwich Tern, Black Redstart and Grey Wagtail at Rosia Bay.

Off Nuffield Pool area there were single Peregrine, a Razorbill, a Common Sandpiper, eight Sandwich Terns, two Black Redstarts and three Siskins.

The area above the Mosque at Europa Point held two Barbary Partridges, 20 Crag Martins, two Chiffchaffs, three Sardinian Warblers, two Black Redstarts and a Blue Rock Thrush. A Sandwich Tern was seen offshore.

The Europa foreshore held a Common Sandpiper, a Sardinian Warbler, two Black Redstarts, a Stonechat, a Blue Rock Thrush, a Meadow Pipit and two Goldfinches.  Offshore three Gannets.

 A mid afternoon watch from Europa point produced 12 Gannets, a Common Sandpiper, an Audouin's Gull, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 85 Black-headed Gulls, four Sandwich Terns, a Robin and two Serins.

24 Nov:  Clear skies with a light variable breeze.

Sand Martins depart to their African wintering quarters in late July and August, with late birds in early September, but this bird at the end of November was unusually late.

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Two Grey Herons, a Common Sandpiper and three Ringed Plovers were observed along the western arm of the runway, and the Osprey was seen perched on an aerial by Western Beach.

23 Nov:  Levanter cloud over the Rock, breaking up by midday.  Winds moderate to light easterly.

Ringing Totals

A Red-rumped Swallow was seen flying at Jews' Gate, and probably the one that got caught and ringed.  a Sparrowhawk was seen over Windmill Hill.

22 Nov:  Clear skies with a light north-westerly breeze becoming light to moderate in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

Two Sparrowhawks were observed in the Middle Hill area. At Western Beach there were single Sanderling, Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff and Black Redstart.

The Osprey was perched on a pylon off Eastern beach.

21 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with some westerly cloud increasing.  Winds moderate to fresh north-westerly.

No ringing as winds were quite strong at the ringing site. A Long-tailed Tit was heard along Queen's Road.

20 Nov: Clear skies with a light to moderate westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

Razorbills were present at Western Beach and Camp Bay.

 19 Nov:  Overcast skies with levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour.  Some sunny intervals away from the Rock.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

There was a Kingfisher, a Shag, three Sandwich terns and three Black Redstarts at Rosia bay and six Sandwich Terns flying south off Little Bay.  Also two Grey Herons, Razorbill and a Whimbrel off the Nuffield Pool.

A flock of 24 Black Storks were seen over the Rock heading south.

18 Nov:  Heavy fog throughout the night lifting at dawn, but low levanter cloud remaining over the Rock.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

A Common Sandpiper was present at Western beach. Two other Common Sandpipers were observed on the rocks at Westview Promenade together with a Kingfisher.  There was a Shag, two Razorbills and three Sandwich Terns at Camp bay.

Two Crested Larks were observed again around the airfield area.

Common Sandpiper at Western beach.              C. Fortuna

17 Nov:  Clear skies with a light variable to a light easterly breeze.

Ringing Totals

16 Nov:  Clear skies with a light easterly breeze, with fog banks in the Strait and creeping around Europa Point in the morning.

Ringing Totals

There was a Kingfisher present at the GSLA pools in the morning. The Buzzard was seen over Catalan Bay.

Four Razorbills were present off Camp Bay, with one dead on the beach. A very late Pied Flycatcher was seen in the Nature Reserve.

In the Lathbury Barracks area there were five Black Redstarts, a Blue Rock Thrush and six Goldfinches.

A boat trip around the harbour and airfield areas produced a Little Egret by the Small Boats Marina, a Kingfisher at the Bathing Pavilion, a Grey Heron, eight Cormorants, two Ringed Plovers, a Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper and a Razorbill in the western beach/airfield area, and a Grey Heron, two Little Egrets and five Sandwich Terns inside the harbour area.

Little Egret J. Sanchez

Ringed Plover J. Sanchez

A Sparrowhawk was seen below Bruce's farm.

15 Nov:  Clear skies with a light variable to light easterly breeze.

Ringing Totals

One of the Chiffchaffs retrapped was ringed in February this year.

There were four Turnstones and a Common Sandpiper at Europa foreshore, plus a Razorbill offshore.  Four Gannets, a Shag and 50+Black-headed Gulls were also in the vicinity.

A Little Egret was present at the North Mole, and two Common Sandpipers were present at Catalan Bay.

14 Nov:  Clear skies with some high cloud.  Winds light easterly.

Ringing Totals

 At North Front Cemetery there were seven Black Redstarts and a very late Melodious Warbler.

A mid afternoon watch around Europa Point produced two Gannets, five Turnstones, two Shags, two Chiffchaffs, two Black Redstarts, a Stonechat and a Blue Rock Thrush.  A Tawny Owl was heard calling from the vicinity of the Mount Gardens.

13 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with high cloud increasing in the afternoon.  Winds light variable to light easterly by mid morning. Very warm for the time of the year.

Ringing Totals

A very late Willow Warbler, the latest date on record, was ringed today. A flock of 12 Siskins were seen perched on a Tamarix tree at Westview promenade. A European Starling was seen at Europa Point.

12 Nov:  Clear skies in a moderate westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

A Yellow-browed Warbler was heard calling from trees along Humphreys Estate.

A mid afternoon watch at Europa Point produced 16 Gannets, a Cormorant, four Shags, a Common Sandpiper, two Turnstones, an adult Sabine's Gull*, 42 Black-headed Gulls, four Sandwich Terns,  a Peregrine, two Black Redstarts two Goldfinches and a Serin.

Adult Sabine's Gull below Europa Point for a few minutes before heading east.                        R. Perez

A walk along Inglis Way produced a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, two Ravens, three Blue Tits, seven Chiffchaffs,  five Sardinian Warblers, a Song Thrush, two Wrens, three Chaffinches, a Greenfinch, and four Siskins.

There were three Crested Larks around the airfield.

Crested Lark, one of three in the area of the airfield.                                     C. Fortuna

11 Nov: Mainly clear skies with a moderate to fresh north-westerly.

Ringing Total

Three Griffon Vultures were observed heading south over Windmill Hill.  At least one returned north.  Aslo seen from O'Hara's Battery were three House Martins, two Red-rumped Swallows and 18 Linnets.

A morning watch at Europa Point produced two Gannets west, a flock of 34 Flamingoes heading into the Bay, two Cormorants, a Shag, 45 Black-headed Gulls, two Black Redstarts, a White Wagtail, a Linnet and two Siskins

The Bullfinch, a rare migrant, is only the 27^th recorded in recent years.

10 Nov:  Clear skies in the morning, with some high cloud in the afternoon. Winds light to moderate north-westerly.

Ringing Totals

In the early morning a flock of 30 Griffon Vultures were observed over the Rock, remaining till mid morning.

A walk along Inglis Way in the morning produced 24 Griffon Vultures, a Buzzard, three Sparrowhawks, a Kestrel, a Blue Tit, 11 Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, 13 Sardinian Warblers, two Blackbirds, two Wrens, seven Robins, three Chaffinches, five Greenfinches, seven Goldfinches and three Siskins.

There were four Sandwich Terns at Queensway Quay.  North Front Cemetery held two Black Redstarts, a Stonechat and a Goldfinch.

09 Nov: Clear skies in the morning becoming cloudy by mid afternoon.  Winds light westerly becoming moderate to fresh by mid afternoon.

Ringing Totals.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

08 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with some high cloud mid afternoon.  Winds light westerly.

Ringing Totals

07 Nov:  Clear skies with a light variable to light north-westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

There were 40 Gannets heading west in 30mins at Europa Point.  Also seen there were 36 Black-headed Gulls. A Common Sandpiper was observed at Camp Bay.

At North Front Cemetery there were six Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, four Black Redstart and a very late Pied Flycatcher.  A Buzzard was observed over Catalan Bay.

 A Ringed Plover was seen at Western Beach.

06 Nov:  Clear skìes in a light to moderate north-westerly wind.

Ringing Totals 

One of the two Sardinian Warblers a male trapped and ringed on the 7th of October 2014,  was 9 years and 30 days old, a new longevity record. 

There was a Wheatear at Europa foreshore, and a Sparrowhawk on Windmill Hill.  In the afternoon a Black Stork was seen high over Buena Vista.

There were three Blue Tits, two Chiffchaffs, three Blackbirds and four Chaffinches in the Nature Reserve.

Along Green Lane several wintering and resident birds were seen with two Ravens, four Blue Tits, three Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps, nine Sardinian Warblers, 11 Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes, three Robins, five Chaffinches, seven Goldfinches and three Siskins.

Also observed in the Botanic Gardens there were single Peregrine, a Collared Dove, 13 Blue Tits, a Great Tit, three Chiffchaffs, 115 Blackcaps, 11 Sardinian Warblers, a Robin, 17 Blackbirds, a Song Thrush, a Robin, two Chaffinches and three Greenfinches, and along Witham's Road there were four Collared Doves, two Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff and 15 House Sparrows.

 05 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with  a  moderate to fresh westerly wind.

 A Short-toed Eagle was observed over Spur Battery, and finches were seen heading south over the Rock, with Goldfinches and Siskins involved.

A Cormorant and two Shags were observed on the rocks by Little Bay.  Two Jackdaws were observed over Casemates.

Along the top of Signal Station Road and Inglis Way there were two Peregrines,  a Sparrowhawk,  Kestrel, four Sardinian Warblers,  two Blackbirds, a Wren, four Robins, five Chaffinches, 55 Goldfinches and 34 Siskins

04 Nov:  Overcast  skies with strong westerly winds and some rain showers.

At North Front Cemetery there was a single Barbary Partridge, the first time this species has been recorded at this site, and two Black Redstarts and 30 Goldfinches.

 Two Sparrowhawks were seen high over Bruce's Farm, and small flocks of finches crossed south over the airfield.

 Along Inglis Way there were three Sparrowhawks, two Sardinian Warblers, a Wren and five Chaffinches.

03 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with some westerly cloud and sunny intervals.  Winds moderate westerly.

A flock of 36 Flamingoes flew over the airfield justbefore the BA flight landed.  A Sparrowhawk was hunting along Devil's Tongue, and a Buzzard was observed over the Botanic Gardens in the morning.

A flock of 100 White Storks were seen heading south over the Observatory.  There was a Pallid Swift among feeding Crag Martins in the evening.

Finch flocks, composed mainly of Chaffinches and Siskins, were seen heading south over the Rock.  In the Botanic Gardens there were six Collared Doves, two Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff, two Sardinian Warblers,  nine Blackbirds, three Robins, four Chaffinches and a Greenfinch.

02 Nov:  Mainly clear skies with some high cloud and sunny intervals.  Winds moderate westerly.

01 Nov:  Clear skies in a moderate westerly wind.

Around Europa Point there were six Chiffchaffs, a Black Redstart and 16 Goldfinches.

Flocks of finches constantly flying south over the Rock.  Two Booted Eagles were seen over the Observatory.