17 Apr:  Cloudy in the morning with some sunny intervals.  Winds fresh north-westerly.

16 Apr:  Mainly clear skies in the morning with increasing cloud in the afternoon.  Winds moderate north-westerly.

Winds continue to disrupt the ringing effort.

Ringing Totals

Raptor count from the Observatory resulted in two Ospreys, two Griffon Vultures, and Egyptian Vulture,  19 Short-toed Eagles, 42 Booted Eagles, 29 Sparrowhawks, three Marsh Harriers, a Montagu's Harrier,   347 Black Kites. six Kestrels and three Hobbies.  Also seen were ,  10 Swallows, 11 House Martins, six Common Swifts, and 13 Greenfinches.

15 Apr:  Sunny in the morning, with increasing cloud in the afternoon with light showers.  Winds moderate to fresh north-westerly.

Very windy conditions curtailed the ringing effort.

Raptor count from the Observatory resulted in 54 Griffon Vultures, five Short-toed Eagles, 18 Booted Eagles, nine Sparrowhawks, and 354 Black Kites.  Also seen were two Black Storks, 20 Swallows and a House Martin.

A Turnstone, a Wheatear and two Yellow Wagtails were present at Europa foreshore.

14 Apr:  Cloudy with some sunny intervals.  Winds moderate northerly, becoming fresh north-west in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

Small numbers of raptors struggling against the wind.  At least 12 Booted Eagles, 10 Sparrowhawks, four Marsh Harriers and 130 Black Kites.  Also seen were 11 Bee-eaters.

The tamarix bushes at Nun's Well, Europa Point held two Melodious Warblers and an Orphean Warbler.

13 Apr:  Overcast skies with some sunny intervals later in the morning.  Winds light to moderate northerly, becoming westerly with sunny intervals in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

Very windy at the netting site 

A Hoopoe was observed in the Botanic Gardens.

A flurry of raptors in the late morning and afternoon, with two Ospreys, 39 Griffon Vultures, three Egyptian Vultures, 26 Short-toed Eagles, 58 Booted Eagles, 12 Marsh Harriers, 23 Sparrowhawks, a Montagu's Harrier, 120 Black Kites and four Kestrels.  Also seen 11 Black Storks, 20 Swallows, a Red-rumped Swallow and 35 Bee-eaters.

12 Apr:  Overcast skies with thunder storms overnight and early in the morning, with constant rain.  Clearing somewhat to give some sunny intervals in the afternoon.  Winds moderate easterly.

Early morning showers prevented ringing until late morning when rain stopped.  Migrants were flying about proving a good fall of birds.  Phylloscopus warblers were present in the tamarix bushes at Europa Point, while at least five Nightingales were heard above the Observatory.  A Redstart was dazzled at dawn on Engineer road, and a Turtle Dove was flushed from bushes near Jews Gate.

Ringing Totals

Adult male Spectacled Warbler.                               J Yeoman.

Migrants observed at the Botanic Gardens included a Hoopoe, a Bonelli's Warbler, a Willow Warbler, two Whitethroats, a Spectacled Warbler, a Robin and a Goldfinch.

At Western beach there was a Common Sandpiper, six Yellow Wagtails and two White Wagtails.

North Front cemetery held three Woodchat Shrikes, two Melodious Warblers, a Garden Warbler, a Subalpine Warbler, two Whitethroats, two Nightingales, three Redstarts and two Tree Pipit.

Europa Point and foreshore held the following:-

Windmill Hill had spectacular numbers of some migrants:-

11 Apr:  Overcast skies together with levanter cloud over the Rock and town.  Light showers throughout the day.  Winds gale force easterly.

Despite strong winds and showers, ringing activities were mantained as the netting site is in the lee of the Rock, and completely calm.  Light drizzle did not deter the catching rate, as many migrants were trapped.

Ringing Totals

Ringing Totals

Melodious Warbler. M Cutts.

Whinchat. M. Cutts.

Overhead at the Observatory, four Swallows, four Yellow Wagtails , a Tree Pipit and two Goldfinches managed to fly into the lee of the Rock to find shelter.

At the Botanic Gardens there was a Hoopoe, nine Blue Tits, three Great Tits, a Melodious Warbler, a Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaffs and 19 Blackcaps.

At North Front cemetery there were single Woodchat Shrike,  Melodious Warbler,  Blackcap,  Whitethroat, and two Spotless Starlings, two Nightingales and a Corn Bunting.

Windmill Hill held the following:-

 An evening walk along Europa foreshore revealed a Sandwich Tern, three Gannets, two Cormorants, four Melodious Warblers, four Willow Warbler, three Sardinian Warblers, a Spectacled Warbler, a Robin, two Whinchats and five Yellow Wagtails.

10 Apr:  Overcast skies with a levanter cloud over the Rock.  Winds moderate to fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals

Europa foreshore held two Common Sandpipers, a Willow Warbler, two Blackbirds, six Spotless Starling and a Robin.

A Hoopoe and a Robin were observed at the Botanic Gardens.

Three Spanish Sparrows flew across the Strait and landed by Europa Point.

Spanish Sparrow at Europa Point.                                                  C. Finlayson.

09 Apr:  Hazy skies with high cloud increasing.  Winds moderate to fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals

First Wood Warbler of the Spring.                                       M. Cutts.

At North Front cemetery there were single Collared Dove, Woodchat Shrike, Bonelli's Warbler, Chiffchaff, six Blackcaps, five Sardinian Warblers, 12 Blackbirds and 27 House Sparrows.

Commonwealth Park held a selection of migrants, with a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Subalpine Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. apart from the regular local Blue Tits, Blackcaps, Blackbirds, Robins and House Sparrows.

There was a Yellow Wagtail at Western beach, and a Willow Warbler,  Spectacled Warbler and a Robin at Europa foreshore. 

08 Apr:  Hazy skies with a moderate easterly wind.

Ringing Totals

Orphean Warbler ringed at the Observatory.      M. Cutts.

A Hoopoe was present in the Botanic Gardens and a Robin was observed at Witham's cemetery.

At North Front cemetery there were two Blackcaps, two Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, a Whitethroat, seven Spotless Starlings, 10 Blackbirds, a Nightingale, a Redstart and 47 House Sparrows.

At the Botanic Gardens there were 17 Collared Doves, a Red-necked Nightjar, a Hoopoe, a Wryneck, nine Blue Tits, two Great Tits, 17 Blackcaps, three Sardinian Warblers, a Whitethroat, 21 Blackbirds, nine House Sparrows and seven Greenfinches.

Along Signal Station road teher were four Blue Tits, two Bonelli's Warblers and a Subalpine Warbler.

07 Apr.  Mainly clear skies with a warm westerly sea breeze, becoming light south-westerly.

Ringing Totals

This morning there was a flock of 30 Flamingoes heading south past Sandy Bay.

A Whitethroat and a Robin were present at the Convent gardens, and a Hoopoe was observed in the Lathbury area.

Seven Shags and a Cormorant on rocks at Little Bay, where a Nightingale was also seen.  A Gannet, a White Wagtail and a Goldfinch observed at Europa Point.

A Common Sandpiper and a Subalpine Warbler present at Western beach, and at Europa foreshore a flock of five Turnstones,  a Subalpine Warbler and a Wheatear.

North Front Cemetery held a Woodchat Shrike, a Blackcap, an Orphean Warbler, two Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, and a Wheatear, and the Botanic Gardens held nine Collared Doves, a Hoopoe, 21 Blue Tits, five Great Tits, 19 Blackcaps, two Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Wren, 31 Blackbirds, a Robin, a Nightingale, 23 House Sparrows and 16 Greenfinches.

Two White Storks flew by the Observatory at 12:45hrs.

06 Apr:  Mainly clear skies with a light westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

Alpine Swifts were present at the North Face colony.  A Robin was present at Little Bay while a Shag was on the rocks.

The Orphean Warbler was still present at North Front cemetery, while raptor sightings consisted of a Griffon Vulture over the runway, and overhead four Ospreys, three Booted Eagles, two Marsh Harriers, a Montagu's Harrier,  two Black Kites, three Lesser Kestrels, and a female Merlin seen.

Female Merlin over Europa Point.                                   R. Mor.

05 Apr:  Cloudy in the morning with some sunny intervals in the afternoon.  Winds light south-westerly.

Ringing Totals

A visit to Windmill Hill produced the following:-

At Europa Point there was a flock of 17 Black-headed Gulls followed by five Little Gulls heading west.

Small passage of hirundines throughout the day with 26 Swallows and 17 Red-rumped Swallows counted in the morning.

Raptors were few with only 14 Booted Eagles, a Short-toed Eagle, three Sparrowhawks, three Marsh Harriers, 13 Black Kites and a Hobby seen.  Also two Black Storks.

The Wryneck and the Orphean Warbler were still present at North Front cemetery, together with six Blackcaps a Robin and a Redstart.

A Nightingale was present by Transport Lane.

04 Apr:  Cloudy in the morning with some sunny intervals and light showers in the afternoon.  Winds light south-westerly, becoming moderate in the Strait in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

North Front cemetery held a Wryneck, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Bonelli's Warblers, seven Blackcaps. an Orphean Warbler, five Sardinian Warblers, two Subalpine Warblers, a Nightingale, a Common Redstart, and a Blue Rock Thrush.

Wryneck at North Front cemetery.          C. Fortuna.

A male Black-eared Wheatear was present at Europa foreshore.  Raptor passage poor with only a Booted Eagle,  three Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, 89 Black Kites and two Hobbys mid afternoon.

At the Botanic Gardens there were nine Collared Doves, a Hoopoe, 11 Blue Tits, two Great Tits, two Willow Warblers, a Bonelli's Warbler, a Melodious Warbler, 42 Blackcaps, four Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, an Orphean Warbler, 27 Blackbirds, and a Pied Flycatcher.

03 Apr:  Cloudy skies with a heavy levanter cloud.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

At North Front cemetery there were two Woodchat Shrikes, two Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, three Blackcaps, two Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, a Orphean Warbler and a Whitethroat.

There was a flock of 40 Flamingoes heading west over Western beach, and another flock of 24 heading south-east towards the Rock, later in the morning.

A Hoopoe and a Nightingale present at the Botanic Gardens, with another Nightingale singing from Vineyards estate.

02 Apr:  Cloudy with sunny intervals in the morning, becoming overcast in the afternoon.  Winds light southerly.

No raptor passage observed.

Ringing Totals

Scops Owl ringed at the Observatory.   M. Cutts.

01 Apr:  High cloud most of the morning, clearing somewhat in the afternoon.  Winds light to moderate south-westerly, fresh in the Strait.

Ringing Totals

North Front cemetery held four Woodchat Shrikes, a Subalpine Warbler, four Blackbirds and two Wheatears.

A good raptor day with birds increasing during the afternoon.  Sporadic counts made with a total of two Ospreys, an Egyptian Vulture, an early Honey Buzzard, two Short-toed Eagles, a Lesser Spotted Eagle, over 410 Booted Eagles, 21 Marsh Harriers, two male Pallid Harriers, six Montagu's Harriers, 42 Sparrowhawks and 5763 Black Kites.  Also seen were several flocks of Bee-eaters throughout the day,  eight Cormorants, two Swallows and 11 Red-rumped Swallows.

Male Pallid Harrier at Jews' Gate.                                                T. Vinent

A Nightingale was seen in the Arengo's area.  A flock of 58 Flamingoes flew west over western beach.

There were three Sandwich Terns resting on bouys in the harbour.