Recent Sightings December 2023
31 Dec: Clear skies with a moderate westerly wind.
Two Starlings were seen around the airfield.
30 Dec: Some westerly cloud in the morning clearing to give a sunny afternoon. Winds light north-westerly.
Four Cormorants flew over Rock Gun. Little Bay held four Shags, two Cormorants, and a Grey Heron. At Europa Point there were 60 Black-headed Gulls and a Little Egret at Europa foreshore.
Two Ravens were seen over Jews' Gate. Little Owl calling on cliff above Catalan Bay.
29 Dec: Levanter cloud diminishing as winds turned to a light westerly mid morning.
A Booted Eagle was seen over town. There were 29 Cormorants at the Gorham's Cave roost.
A Buzzard was observed over Rock Gun. Tawny Owl around St. Michael's Cave area.
28 Dec: Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour in a moderate easterly wind.
A Kingfisher was observed at the GSLA Pavilion, and a Common Sandpiper, White Wagtail and a Goldfinch were seen at Western Beach.
A Cormorant and a Grey Heron were seen at the southern end of Sandy Bay.
27 Dec: Mainly clear skies with a moderate westerly wind.
Little Bay held two Cormorants, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret and a Razorbill. A total of 70 Black-headed Gulls were present at Europa Point.
26 Dec: Clear skies with some high cloud. Winds light north-westerly.
Birds seen along Signal Station road included a Blue Tit, three Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, two Sardinian Warblers, a Wren, three Robins , a Black Redstart and three Chaffinches.
At Spur battery there were seven Crag Martins, two Sardinian Warblers, three Black Redstarts and a Serin.
Nine Shags and two Cormorants and two Sandwich Terns were seen at Little Bay.
A Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper were present at Rosia Bay. A Short-toed Eagle was seen over Catalan Bay.
25 Dec: Clear skies with a light variable to light westerly wind.
Happy Christmas.
In the Princess Caroline's Battery area there were two Barbary Partridges, two Wrens, a Robin, two Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs and two Chaffinches.
A walk along the Nature Reserve produced a Peregrine, three Blue Tits, eight Chiffchaffs, 13 Sardinian Warblers, nine Blackcaps, seven Blackbirds, two Song Thrushes, three Wrens, three Robins, three Black Redstarts, four Siskins, a Greenfinch and 11 Chaffinches.
There were single Grey Wagtail at Rosia Bay and 10 Sandwich Terns at Camp Bay.
Dead female Sparrowhawk at Ocean Village, possibly crashed into window.
Two Eagle Owls were observed on the Rock.
24 Dec: Clear skies with a light variable wind to light westerly.
A Common Sandpiper was seen at Western Beach. Three Ringed Plovers and two Grey Herons were seen along the western end of the runway. The Osprey was also seen there.
A Crested Lark and three Goldfinch were seen around the airfield.
23 Dec: Clear skies with a light variable to light westerly breeze.
An afternoon visit to Europa foreshore produced three Gannets, four Cormorants, two Shags, a Common Sandpiper, 78 Black-headed Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
There were single Grey Heron, Cormorant, Kingfisher and Sandwich Tern at Rosia Bay. A Razorbill was observed off Camp Bay, and the Aloes at Europa point held six Chiffchaffs, three Sardinian Warblers and five Goldfinches.
At The Botanic gardens there were eight Chiffchaffs, a Sardinian Warbler, two Blackbirds, a Black Redstart and a Chaffinch.
A Sparrowhawk was seen over Windmill, and a Red-rumped Swallow and two Ravens over Jews' Gate.
22 Dec: Clear skies with a light west to north-west wind.
A morning visit to Europa foreshore produced 12 Turnstones, single Shag, Black-headed Gull, Chiffchaff and Sardinian Warbler, two Stonechats, seven Goldfinches and 10 Spotless Starlings.
The Osprey was seen at Eastern Beach. Single Sanderling and Pied Wagtail at Western Beach.
21 Dec: Clear skies with a light to moderate westerly.
There were three Sanderlings at Western beach.
20 Dec: Clear skies in the morning with cloud increasing from the west to give some light rain in the evening. Winds moderate to fresh north-westerly to westerly in the afternoon.
The Jackdaw was again seen at Varyl Begg Estate. A Griffon Vulture was observed over Windmill Hill.
19 Dec: Clear skies with a light easterly becoming light and variable and turning to westerly in the late afternoon.
Two Sanderlings, six Black-headed Gulls, a Pied Wagtail and a Goldfinch were present at Western beach. Two Cormorants and a Common Sandpiper were seen at Camp Bay, with a Razorbill at Little Bay.
The Jackdaw was again seen at Varyl Begg Estate.
18 Dec: Some levanter cloud in the morning clearing by midday. Winds fresh easterly becoming moderate in the late afternoon.
A late morning visit to Europa Point produced a Cormorant, two Shags, three Turnstones, six Black-headed Gulls and a Sandwich Tern. In the vicinity there were three Black Redstarts, two Meadow Pipits a Blue Rock Thrush and five Goldfinches.
There were single Pied Wagtail and two Goldfinches at Western beach with six more on the airfield fence.
An afternoon visit to Windmill Hill produced 22 Barbary Partridges, a Kestrel, six Chiffchaffs, 18 Sardinian Warblers, 14 Blackbirds, 11 Spotless Starlings, five Robins, 17 Black Redstarts, four Blue Rock Thrushes, three Stonechats, 19 Meadow Pipits, a Chaffinch, two Serins and five Goldfinches. Two Cormorants flew overhead.
A Jackdaw was observed around Varyl Begg Estate, and a Buzzard was seen over the Sand Slopes.
At the GSLA Pavilion there were single Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern and a Black Redstart.
17 Dec: Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour throughout the day. Winds fresh easterly with strong gusts.
An early morning visit to Western beach produced a Common Sandpiper, two Sanderlings and 12 Black-headed Gulls including the colour ringed RKSF.
Colour-ringed Black-headed Gull RKSF once again wintering in Gibraltar. C Fortuna.
Data from RKSF Black-headed Gull .
A visit to Eastern Beach produced six Gannets and a total of seven Sanderlings.
The Nuffield Pool area held six Barbary Partridges and three Chiffchaffs, and offshore there were single Grey Heron, Razorbill, Sandwich Tern and four Shags.
In the morning at Europa Point there were three Gannets, a Cormorant, a Shag and 16 Black-headed Gulls. In the afternoon there were nine Gannets, 13 Balearic Shearwaters heading west, three Cormorants, two Shags and 23 Black-headed Gulls. A Dartford Warbler was seen in the area.
Two Kestrels were seen over the Sand Slopes and a Sparrowhawk was observed at Signal Station road.
16 Dec: Some levanter cloud over the Rock in the morning clearing in the afternoon. Winds gale force easterly in the morning decreasing after midday to a strong easterly.
A first winter Little Gull was observed at Europa Point.
First-winter Little Gull at Europa Point. P. Ferrary.
Two Razorbills were observed flying south opposite parson's Lodge Battery.
Common
14 Dec: Clear skies with a moderate to light westerly wind.
A Jackdaw was seen above a roof at Westside, and a Sparrowhawk was observed over Windmill Hill and over Little Bay. It is apparent that a wintering Sparrowhawk is active in the south side of the Rock.
12 Dec: Clear skies with a moderate west to north-westerly wind.
Two Ravens were observed above the top Cable car Station. The Eagle Owl was again observed in the same site.
11 Dec: Clear skies with a moderate westerly wind.
A Sparrowhawk was observed over Windmill Hill. An Eagle Owl was seen in the vicinity of Windmill Hill, carrying prey.
10 Dec: Clear skies with a light to moderate westerly.
Single Grey Herons were present at Little Bay and on the cliff by the Mosque. At Little Bay there were two Cormorants, three Shags, a Robin and four Black Redstarts, and at Europa Point 17 Gannets, four Shags, a Cormorant, two Chiffchaffs, a Serin and three Goldfinches.
A Buzzard was seen in the Nature Reserve.
09 Dec: Clear skies with some high cloud. Winds light to moderate westerly.
A Short-toed Eagle was observed over Windmill Hill.
08 Dec: Overcast skies in the morning with a light shower, clearing by mid morning to give sunny intervals. Winds light variable becoming light westerly.
A visit to North Front Cemetery produced six Chiffchaffs, nine Black Redstarts, a Blue Rock Thrush, a White Wagtail and 27 House Sparrows. A Buzzard was seen over the Galleries in the afternoon.
07 Dec: Overcast skies in the morning with heavy levanter cloud covering half of the Rock, clearing mid morning to give sunny intervals. Winds light easterly to light variable.
There were seven Sandwich Terns in the harbour in the morning, with a Little Egret at the GSLA Pavilion and two more at Mid harbours breakwater. Eight Cormorants were observed at Western end of the runway with four more at the Mid Harbour Marina. A Meadow Pipit was present around the Lathbury Sports Centre.
Little Egret at New Harbours Marina. J. Sanchez
06 Dec: Overcast skies and heavy levanter cloud with light rain throughout the day.
No ringing due to wet conditions.
05 Dec: Overcast skies with alto stratus clouds and developing levanter cloud over the Rock in the morning. Winds light to moderate easterly.
Ringing Totals
| Species | New | Retrap | Totals |
| Blue Tit | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Chiffchaff | 2 | 2 | |
| Blackcap | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Sardinian Warbler | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Robin | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| Blackbird | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Black Redstart | 15 | 2 | 17 |
| Chaffinch | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Greenfinch | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Serin | 9 | 9 | |
| Siskin | 4 | 4 | |
| Totals | 51 | 21 | 72 |
04 Dec: Overcast skies with alto stratus clouds that produced a couple of light showers over town in the morning and at midday. Winds light and variable.
Ringing Totals
| Species | New | Retrap | Totals |
| Chiffchaff | 3 | 3 | |
| Blackcap | 4 | 4 | |
| Sardinian Warbler | 2 | 2 | |
| Robin | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Black Redstart | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| Serin | 2 | 2 | |
| Siskin | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | 23 | 10 | 33 |
03 Dec: Mainly clear skies with some high cloud. Winds moderate westerly.
Ringing Totals
| Species | New | Retrap | Totals |
| Blue Tit | 1 | 1 | |
| Chiffchaff | 4 | 4 | |
| Blackcap | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| Sardinian Warbler | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Robin | 6 | 8 1C | 15 |
| Blackbird | 1 | 1 | |
| Black Redstart | 5 | 5 | |
| Chaffinch | 1 | 1 | |
| Greenfinch | 1 | 1 | |
| Serin | 4 | 4 | |
| Goldfinch | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | 33 | 14 | 47 |
A Blackcap with an Italian ring was controlled at the Observatory.
Two White Wagtails were present at Eastern Beach and two Common Sandpipers were seen on the rocks by the reclamation north of Catalan Bay. A Tawny Owl, probably the Owl species seen along St. Michael's cave area, came to rest on the netting poles at the Observatory.
02 Dec: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh north-westerly wind.
Ringing Totals
| Species | New | Retrap | Totals |
| Blue Tit | 1 | 1 | |
| Blackcap | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Sardinian Warbler | 3 | 3 | |
| Robin | 2 | 2 | |
| Black Redstart | 8 | 8 | |
| Stonechat | 2 | 2 | |
| Chaffinch | 2 | 2 | |
| Brambling | 1 | 1 | |
| Serin | 1 | 1 | |
| Goldfinch | 3 | 3 | |
| Greenfinch | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | 23 | 5 | 28 |
Brambling trapped and ringed at Jews' gate Observatory. R. Geary.
A Grey Wagtail was seen over Transport Lane, and a Razorbill was present at Little Bay.
At Europa Point there were single Gannet, two Razorbills, five Turnstones, six Shags, a Blue Rock Thrush, two Stonechats and two Black Redstarts.
01 Dec: Overcast skies with some rain showers. Winds moderate westerly.
A flock of approximately 100 White Storks were seen by the Environmental Protection and Research Unit.
There were at least 30 Gannets feeding off Blackstrap Cove. Two Sanderlings and a Pied Wagtail were observed at Western Beach.
Sanderlings at Western Beach. T. Finlayson.
Two Meadow Pipits and two Turnstones were present at Europa foreshore. Offshore eight Gannets were seen.