Recent Sightings July 2021
31 Jul: Clear skies with a fresh south-westerly wind. A morning watch at Europa Point produced nine Oystercatchers, four Common Sandpipers, 47 Audouin's Gulls, 125 Black Kites, a Short-toed Eagle heading north, a Booted Eagle hunting over Windmill Hill, a Kestrel, a Zitting Cisticola and a Swallow.
Oystercatchers R. Perez
Oystercatchers C. Perez
The afternoon was a little quieter at Europa Point, with 12 Cory's Shearwaters, a Gannet, two Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Audouin's Gulls, 3 Oystercatchers, three Shags, and two Kestrels. A Short-toed Eagle did not make it and was seen drowned off the Point. Overhead at least 500 Black Kites.
Plenty of Black Kites on the move now with this one returning north at Europa Point. C. Perez
In the evening another 19 Cory's Shearwaters, two Gannets, a Black-headed Gull, eight Shags, 28 Audouin's Gulls and two Black Kites were observed from Europa Point.
30 Jul: Fog at dawn covering most of the airfield, beaches and town but clearing by mid morning when a few Black Kites begun to head south. Black Kites again passed over the town and Rock mid afternoon for a total of approximately 500 birds.
An afternoon seawatch produced 50 Cory's Shearwaters, 17 Shags heading east, an Oystercatcher, a Black-headed Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and 34 Audouin's Gulls. Also seen were hundreds of Common Swifts and a female Eleonora's Falcon.
Spotted Flycatchers are still at the Botanic Gardens. An Iberian Chifffchaff was seen in the Nature Reserve.
Spotted Flycatcher feeding young. F. J. Odinius.
29 Jul: Overcast skies with a fresh easterly wind. At least 100 Black Kites flew in over the harbour towards the Rock at around midday. A few more flocks followed early afternoon for approximately 200 birds. A Roller was observed at Europa Point having hitched a ride on a ship from Turkey. A birder onboard reported that the bird had travelled with the ship until arriving at Gibraltar.
Juvenile Roller at Europa Point. J. Bujega
A first -summer Eleonora's Falcon was photographed in the Nature Reserve. Also seen there was an Iberian Chiffchaff.
First-summer Eleonora's Falcon. T. Finlayson.
27 Jul: Cloudy skies with a very low levanter cloud over the Rock. Winds moderate easterly. A White Stork and a Booted Eagle were seen over Camp Bay. A Jackdaw was reported from the upper town area.
A watch from Europa Point in the late afternoon produced 13 Cory's Shearwaters, 38 Balearic Shearwaters, eight Gannets, five Shags, two Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, and three Audouin's Gulls.
A Glossy Ibis was filmed feeding on the lawn of Atlantic Suites. This is the first time one has been seen on the ground in Gibraltar, all the rest have been flybys.
26 Jul: Clear skies with a moderate south-westerly wind. At least 2500 Black Kites, a Short-toed Eagle and a Sparrowhawk were seen heading south, with some flocks returning north low over Europa point. passage picked up at around midday but increased steadily mid afternoon with several hundreds over the Rock in the evening and many returning north. Also seen over the Rock were large flocks of Common Swifts wheeling up towards the top Cable Car Station and then heading south. Several Audouin's Gulls were also seen from Europa Point together with a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and four Oystercatchers.
One of many Black Kites heading south today. R. Perez
two of the four Oystercatchers seen heading west at Europa Point. R. Perez
A Booted Eagle was hunting pigeons over the Rock.
25 Jul: Clear skies with a very fresh westerly to south-westerly. Good passage of birds in the morning from Europa Point with a Grey Heron, a Turnstone, two Common Sandpiper, a Black-headed Gull, five Mediterranean Gulls and 22 Audouin's Gulls. Also seen two Kestrels heading north. Also seen were 48 Black Kites.
One of many Audouin's Gulls heading out of the Mediterranean this morning. R. Perez.
Note the three new inner primaries, with the fourth growing. All other plumage rather worn.
In the afternoon passage was steady at Europa Point until winds turned to north-west at 18:00hrs onwards. Totals for the afternoon were 65 Cory's Shearwaters, three Balearic Shearwaters, a Gannet, Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, four Shags, eight Black-headed Gulls, 17 Mediterranean Gulls, 100 Audouin's Gulls and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Also seen were 200 Black Kites and four Kestrels and a Swallow.
24 Jul: Mainly clear skies with some westerly cloud. Winds moderate westerly. A seawatch from Europa Point produced 32 Cory's Shearwaters, nine Gannet, 15 Shags including 10 juveniles, a Grey Heron, two Oystercatchers, five Black-headed Gulls, two Mediterranean Gulls and 45 Audouin's Gulls. Also seen there were 15 Black Kites, two Kestrels.
Another 35 Black Kites seen early morning and late evening. A Short-toed Eagle seen over Catalan Bay in the morning was probably heading north. A Booted Eagle was also seen over the Rock.
23 Jul: Misty skies with Saharan dust and a light easterly wind. A two hour watch at Europa Point produced two Cory's Shearwaters, two Gannets, 10 Shags with two juveniles all heading east and 16 Audouin's Gulls including five juveniles.
21 Jul: Clear skies with a light easterly wind. Seabirds improved at Europa Point in the late afternoon with totals of 4 Cory's Shearwaters, four Gannets, 11 Shags, single juvenile Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls, 18 Audouin's Gulls and three Common Sandpipers at the foreshore.
20 Jul: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh westerly, but north-westerly in the Bay. An afternoon watch at Europa Point was poor with only a few Cory's Shearwaters feeding, an adult Gannet, a Mediterranean Gull, three Audouin's Gulls; two of them juveniles and a Common Sandpiper. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the Convent Gardens.
19 Jul: Clear skies with a fresh westerly wind. A seawatch at Europa point produced, eight Cory's Shearwaters, three Shags, three Black-headed Gulls, five Mediterranean Gulls, 38 Audouin's Gulls including four juvenile birds, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a Sandwich Tern. Also seen were two Black Kites and two Kestrels.
18 Jul: Clear skies with a light westerly becoming moderate south westerly in the afternoon. Totals for Europa Point were as follows, 12 Cory's Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters, eight Shags, 11 Mediterranean Gulls and14 Audouin's Gulls. Also seen were four Black Kites heading south, although two returned north, a Kestrel and a very late Honey Buzzard heading north. Two Zitting Cisticolas were seen at Europa Point.
A light phase Booted Eagle was seen hunting over Middle Hill.
14 Jul: Thirty Cory's Shearwaters and three Balearic Shearwaters and a Gannet were seen off Europa Point. At dawn, a Cuckoo flew out from tamarix bushes at Europa Point.
13 Jul: Four Black Kites were seen over the old Casino, probably going south. A dark phase Booted Eagle made a kill at Windmill Hill.
11 Jul: At least three pairs of Spotted Flycatchers at the Botanic gardens and another pair at Trafalgar Cemetery.
10 Jul: Three Shags, an adult and two juvenile birds, were observed resting on rocks at Seven Sisters.
08 Jul: Off Europa Point, an adult and three first summer Gannets together with several Cory's and Balearic Shearwaters.
07 Jul: Clear skies with a fresh westerly wind. A Booted Eagle was seen over the Botanic Gardens, and three Black Kites arrived at Europa Point and headed north.
06 Jul: Clear skies with a fresh south-westerly, but turning to northerly mid afternoon. A visit to Europa Point produced several Cory's Shearwaters heading west to feed, a single Balearic Shearwater, five Mediterranean Gulls, five Audouin's Gulls and an adult Gannet. Also seen were a Black Kite, three Honey Buzzards, and three Short-toed Eagles all heading north.
04 Jul: A Booted Eagle was seen over Douglas Path.
03 Jul: A two hour visit to Europa Point produced a Mediterranean Gull, and 34 Audouin's Gulls. Also seen was a light phase Eleonora's Falcon and five Fin Whales.
02 Jul: Two Robins were recorded at Commonwealth Park, and a Serin was heard singing at the Botanic Gardens. Four Shags, two adults and two juveniles were seen off the east side of the Rock. Also seen were four Fin Whales heading south.
01 Jul: A Booted Eagle was seen over Camp bay. Three Ravens, two adults and a possible juvenile bird, were observed over the Rock. They were seen harassing a Short-toed Eagle as it flew north. One of the Spotted Flycatchers at the Botanic Gardens was seen by the Open Air Theatre. At least six Barbary Partridge chicks together with an adult bird, were observed crossing the road on the Upper Rock.
A juvenile Nightingale waas found at St. Martin's School and handed in to the Wildlife Park.
Juvenile Nightingale found at St. Martin's School.
