Recent Sightings June 2024
22 Jun: Clear skies with a light to moderate south-easterly wind becoming easterly.
An adult Egyptian Vulture and a light morph Booted Eagle, together with five Ravens were seen over the Nature Reserve.
21 Jun: Clear skies with a light westerly breeze becoming light and variable.
A half-hour watch at Europa Point produced three Gannets, 10 Cory's Shearwaters, 20 Balearic Shearwaters and two Gull-billed Terns all heading west.
20 Jun: Mainly clear skies with some westerly cloud. Winds moderate north-westerly.
There was a Pied flycatcher in the trees outside the air terminal.
Seventy Cory's Shearwaters and two Audouin's Gulls were heading west at Europa Point.
19 Jun: Mainly clear skies with some cloud in the afternoon. Winds a moderate northerly in the morning, changing to fresh westerly in the afternoon.
A morning and early afternoon visit to Europa Point produced 120 Cory's Shearwaters, six Gannets, six Mediterranean Gulls, five Audouin's Gulls, a Honey Buzzard, a Black Kite and 10 Griffon Vultures.
18 Jun: Clear skies with a moderate northerly in the morning, changing to fresh westerly in the afternoon.
The two Gannets, adult and 1st/yr flew out of the Bay in the morning and headed east. At Europa Point in the afternoon there were 10 Cory's Shearwaters and three Mediterranean Gulls heading west. Also seen were a 1st/yr Egyptian Vulture, a Short-toed Eagle and two Booted Eagles. In the evening there were a further 15 Cory's Shearwaters, four Gannets and eight Mediterranean Gulls, all heading west.
Two Robins are present at Commonwealth Park.
17 Jun: Clear skies with a light northerly breeze, but becoming fresh south-westerly in the Strait after midday.
A morning watch at Europa Point produced two Gannets, (adult, and 2nd/yr), 10 Cory's Shearwaters west, a Balearic Shearwater east, four Shags and 26 adult Mediterranean Gulls.
At Europa Point in the afternoon there were three Griffon Vultures, two Short-toed Eagles and a Honey Buzzard. Also seen were 245 Cory's Shearwaters 36 Balearic Shearwaters, an adult Gannet, three Mediterranean Gulls and three Audouin's Gulls all west.
16 Jun: Clear skies with a fresh westerly wind.
Some raptors crossed after midday and consisted of five Griffon Vultures, a Short-toed Eagle and a Booted Eagle.
An afternoon watch at Europa Point produced 30 adult Mediterranean Gulls heading west, including a flock of 20 birds. The Tawny Owl was again heard above South Barracks Road at dawn.
Some of the twenty adult Mediterranean Gulls at Europa Point. R. Mor
15 Jun: Clear skies with a strong westerly wind.
A morning watch at Europa Point produced a steady passage of Cory's Shearwaters west, two 1st/yr Gannets, a Honey Buzzard, four Audouin's Gulls (1 ad, 2 1st/yr, 1 2nd/yr) a Swallow and two Serins. Another Honey Buzzard and a Black Kite were seen in the afternoon. Also an adult Mediterranean Gull.
A Tawny Owl was heard above South Barracks road at dawn.
12 Jun: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh north-westerly.
A two hour watch in the morning from Europa Point produced 25 Cory's Shearwaters, two Gannets, three Shags, two second summer Audouin's Gulls and two Honey Buzzards.
11 Jun: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh westerly.
There was a spate of raptors around 13:00hrs with a Honey Buzzard, 12 Black Kites, 74 Griffon Vultures, an adult Egyptian Vulture and a Booted Eagle.
Another Griffon Vulture was rescued from the sea off Sandy bay. The Raptor Rehabilitation Centre is now full of recovering raptors.
10 Jun: Cloudy morning with sunny intervals, but clearing to give a sunny afternoon. Winds fresh westerly.
Just a few raptors crossing today with only three Honey Buzzards, 13 Black Kites, a Short-toed Eagle, and a Booted Eagle.
A Short-toed Eagle was recovered from the airfield and taken into care.
A second year Audouin's Gull was heading west off Europa Point. In the afternoon there was a single Audouin's Gull, two Sandwich Terns and two Black Kites.
09 Jun: Overcast skies with only a few sunny intervals. Winds moderate westerly turning to west-north-west by midday.
A busy morning raptor wise with16 Honey Buzzards, 15 Black Kites, 167 Griffon Vultures, 11 Short-toed Eagles, 10 Booted Eagles and a Hobby.
Unfortunately at least five Griffon Vultures ditched into the sea with one rescued by the Environment vessel, with another swimming and reaching Europa foreshore, whilst the others may have succumbed.
At Europa Point there were 20 Balearic Shearwaters, two Cory's Shearwaters and two Audouin's Gulls, all heading west. In the afternoon there were 10 Cory's Shearwaters and a Mediterranean Gull.
Robert Azopardi rescuing a wet Griffon Vulture at Europa foreshore.
08 Jun: Cloudy with sunny intervals throughout the day. Winds moderate north-westerly with fresh south-westerly in the Strait, becoming fresh westerly in the afternoon.
A morning count of 60 Honey Buzzards, 117 Griffon Vultures, two Short-toed Eagles, 60 Black Kites, a Marsh Harrier, seven Booted Eagles and a Hobby. A flock of 43 Glossy Ibises flew east over Europa Point.
One of many Griffon Vultures that crossed the Strait. C. Perez
The flock of 43 Glossy Ibises. C. Perez
07 Jun: Hazy skies with high cloud and some Saharan dust in the morning, clearing in the afternoon. Winds light north-west but moderate to fresh south-west in the Strait.
Some raptors crossed the Strait in the morning and mid afternoon for a total of 22 Honey Buzzards, 15 Black Kites, two st/yr Egyptian Vultures, four Griffon Vultures and 10 Booted Eagles. A Black Stork was also observed.
05 Jun: Clear skies in a light easterly wind.
Five Ravens over Spur Battery.
04 Jun: Light levanter cloud over the Rock, and town with sunny intervals. Clear in the afternoon in a moderate easterly wind.
Hooded Crows still at Europa Point. Six Ravens seen in the Nature Reserve, possibly young just fledged.
03 Jun: Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, with sunny intervals in the afternoon. Winds fresh easterly.
A Nightjar sp. was seen at Europa Point together with the Hooded Crows.
02 Jun: Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, with sunny intervals in the afternoon. Winds fresh easterly.
The Hooded Crows are still present at Europa Point.
01 Jun: Overcast skies and heavy levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour. Winds fresh easterly.
There are now two Hooded Crows at Europa Point. Several family parties of Barbary Partridges seen with chicks in the Nature Reserve in the last few days.
