31 Oct:  Some high cloud in the morning, otherwise clear skies with a light westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

A mid afternoon watch from Europa Point produced the following:-

A total of eight Little Egrets and eight Grey Herons are actively present within the habour area.  Another Grey Heron was observed on the rocky groynes at Sandy bay, at Little Bay, and the cliff below the Lighthouse.  A Nightjar was observed around Jews' Gate area, and a Short-toed Eagle was seen overhead at this site.

A Grey Wagtail was present at Commonwealth park.

 The Long-legged Buzzard was ppresent along the cliffs above Catalan bay.

Gibraltar or Long-legged Buzzard.                                                                                  T. Vinet

30 Oct:  Cloudy with increasing sunny intervals.  Winds moderate westerly easing to a light south-westerly, but increasing to moderate by midday.

No ringing due to windy conditions at the netting site.

A watch from Europa foreshore produced a Cormorant, five Shags, 12 Audouin's Gulls, 12 Black-headed Gulls, 37 Mediterranean Gulls, three Sandwich Terns, 16 Cory's/Scopoli's Shearwaters, three Mediterranean Shearwaters, 13 Gannets and a Wheatear.  A Common Sandpiper and a Turnstone were observed on the cliff at Europa Point.  Two Grey Herons flew south over Mid Harbours marina.

Eleven Griffon Vultures flew west over the Rock, and a Sparrowhawk was observed over Buena Vista.

At North Front cemetery there were six Chiffchaffs, two Robins, six Black Redstarts and a Serin.

At the Cable Car top station there were three Robins, two Meadow Pipits, two Chaffinches and a Siskin.

29 Oct:  Overcast skies with frontal system approaching from the west.  Some sunny intervals late morning.  Winds light southerly.

Ringing Totals

A Short-toed Eagle flew south over Jews' Gate.  A female Bullfinch was seen in trees at Morrison's carpark.

A Kingfisher was still present at the Botanic Gardens.

28 Oct:  Overcast skies with a heavy levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour.  Some sunny intervals late morning.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

An afternoon visit to Windmill Hill produced the following:-

At Camp bay there was a Cormorant and two Grey Herons.

At Europa foreshore there was a Common Sandpiper, a Cormorant, two Audouin's Gulls. were 25 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, five Song Thrushes, five Robins and four Black Redstarts.

27 Oct:  Clear at dawn but low heavy levanter forming soon after.  Some sunny intervals away from the Rock.

Just the top nets were used.

Ringing Totals

Notable movement of Mediterranean Shearwaters with 60 west in 5 min at Europa Point.  Lots of Song Thrushes heard at the Botanic gardens together with a Kingfisher.

Good passage of Chaffinches and five House Martins over Jews' Gate.  A Skylark headed south over Parsons Lodge.

A visit to Windmill Hill in the afternoon produced:-

 26 Oct: Overcast skies with low cloud and a heavy drizzle, followed by steady rain until midday.  Cloudy with sunny intervals in the afternoon in a light westerly wind.

A late morning watch at Europa Point produced the following:-

At Windmill Hill there were the following:-

There were a Grey Heron, a Cormorant and an Osprey at the western end of the runway.

25 Oct:  Mainly clear skies with a light westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

A morning watch at Europa Point produced the following:-

A Merlin was seen to chase and catch a Crag Martin along the cliffs at Windmill Hill.

Also seen were many Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails, House Sparrows,Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Linnets and Serins.

A first winter plumage Audouin's Gull was present on Sandy bay beach.

A Short-toed Eagle was seen flying over Camp bay, and the Long-legged Buzzard was again located on the cliffs above Catalan bay.

Four Grey Herons and five Little Egrets were observed on the Detached mole.

24 Oct:  Clear skies with a moderate to fresh south-westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

A morning watch at Europa Point produced the following:-

23 Oct:  Clear skies with a fresh westerly wind.

Ringing Totals

A flock of 15 Woodpigeons flew south low over Windmill Hill chased by the Peregrine.

A Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper were pressent at the Mid harbours marina.

A Little Owl was heard calling near Europa Point.

22 Oct:  Mainly clear skies with some cloud from the west.  Winds moderate westerly.

Ringing Totals

An early afternoon watch at Europa Point and foreshore produced the following:-

At the Alameda Botanic gardens the following were observed:-

21 Oct:  Mainly clear skies with some westerly cloud.  Winds moderate westerly, though fresh south-westerly in the Strait.

Windy conditions hampered the ringing effort.

Ringing Totals

At the Alameda Botanic gardens the following were observed:-

A two hour watch at Europa Point produced nine Audouin's Gulls, 100 Cory's/Scopoli's Shearwaters, 19 Gannets, a Cormorant, a Chiffchaff, three Sardinian Warblers, 25 House Sparrows, a Goldfinch and a Serin.

At Camp bay there were three Collared Doves, a Whimbrel. three Audouin's Gulls, eight Cory's Shearwaters, two Scopoli's Shearwaters, a Gannet, two Shags, a Chiffchaff, four Sardinian Warblers, a Robin and two Greenfinches.

20 Oct:  High cloud in a light westerly becoming moderate in the afternoon.  Cloud increasing from the west.

Ringing Totals

At Little Bay there were nine Barbary Partridges, a Whimbrel. a Turnstone, six Gannets, eight Shags, a Grey Heron, two Peregrines, three Sardinian Warblers, seven Blackbirds, six Robins and 15 House Sparrows.

Strong passage of Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails, Finches and Sparrows with at least three male Spanish Sparrows observed.

A morning watch at Europa Point and foreshore produced the following:-

There was a Kingfisher,  seven Song Thrushes and a Dartford Warbler at the Botanic gardens.

A Little Egret was seen at the GSLA Pavilion.  A Lesser Crested Tern was observed in the company of eight Sandwich Terns off the South Mole.

19 Oct:   Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, but sunny intervals away from the Rock.  Winds moderate to light easterly.

Ringing Totals

A flock of 50 Cory's/Scopoli's Shearwaters and an Audouin's Gull heading south off Eastern beach.

Two Booted Eagles were observed over the northern end of the Rock.

At around Nun's well there was a Reed Warbler, a Willow Warbler and a Sardinian Warbler, and at Europa Point 11 Audouin's Gulls, 80 Cory's/Scopoli's Shearwaters, seven Mediterranean Shearwaters, 17 Gannets and two Kestrels, among other resident birds.  An Osprey was seen heading towards the east side of the Rock.

A morning walk along the northern end of the Rock produced the following:-

The Osprey was back on its perch at the runway.

18 Oct:  Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, but sunny intervals away from the Rock.  Winds moderate to fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals

There were three Cormorants at Western beach and nine Sandwich Terns off the west side of the North Mole.

A Sparrowhawk was hunting on the Sand slopes, and a Little Owl was on the North face of the Rock.

A morning watch at Europa Point produced the following:-

17 Oct:  Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, with sunny intervals away from the Rock.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

A visit to Windmill Hill in the afternoon produced:-

A Tawny Owl came to an artificial pond to drink. A Red-necked Nightjar was flushed from Mid Harbours marina.

The Osprey was back on its perch at the runway.

16 Oct:  Overcast skies with a heavy levanter cloud.  Winds moderate to fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals

Red-breasted Flycatcher; the third ringed at the Observatory. 

There was a Grey Heron at Rosia bay, and another Grey Heron and a Little Egret at Mid harbours marina.

Heavy passage of Meadow Pipits at Europa Point.

A Grey Wagtail was at the Waterfall at Little Bay.  The Eagle Owl was heard calling from the Nature Reserve.

At Europa foreshore there was a Dartford Warbler, three Stonechats, a Goldfinch and two Serins.

North Front cemetery held two Blackbirds, five Robins, a Redstart, 14 Black Redstart and five Stonechats.

Peregrine at Europa Point.                                                                     R. Perez

A Long-legged Buzzard was seen perched above Catalan Bay.

A walk from Rosia Bay to Europa Point produced the following:-

15 Oct:  Overcast skies together with a heavy levanter cloud over the Rock.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

At least six Song Thrushes heard in the Jews' Gate area, with one in the Botanic gardens.

Two Little Egrets still present on the rocky revetment at the New Harbours marina.

The Alameda Botanic Gardens held a Chiffchaff over 50 Blackcaps, two Song Thrushes and eight Robins among other resident species.

A visit to Windmill Hill produced the following:-

14 Oct:  Levanter cloud over the Rock. town and harbour, with sunny intervals after midday.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

A Cormorant and the Osprey were present at the western end of the runway.  A Grey Heron was observed at Ocean Village marina.

Three Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Cory's Shearwaters, seven Gannets, a Sooty Shearwater, 14 Mediterranean Shearwaters were observed heading south off Both Worlds beach.

A Honey Buzzard, a Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle and an Imperial Eagle were seen heading south.

The North Front cemetery held three Sardinian Warblers, two Robins and two Stonechats.

Little Owls were present in the Catalan bay area and south of Sandy bay.

13 Oct:  Overcast skies with heavy levanter clouds in the region.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

At least 12 Booted Eagles were observed over the Rock.  The Osprey was back on its perch at the runway.

New Harbours marina held a Grey Heron and two Little Egrets.

The North Front cemetery held a Sardinian Warbler, five Blackbirds, two Robins and two Stonechats.

A Chaffinch was seen at Europa Point, and a Kingfisher was present at Little Bay.

12 Oct:  Overcast skies also with levanter cloud over the Rock and town.  Light drizzle mid morning. Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

11 Oct: Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour and away from the Rock, with sunny intervals in the afternoon.  Winds moderate easterly with some gusts.

Ringing Totals

A flock of 20 Sandwich Terns flew past Western beach and then were observed past Camp Bay.  Eight Shags and a Grey Heron were present at Little Bay, and a Kingfisher and eight Sandwich Terns were observed at Waterport.

A walk along Camp and Little Bays produced the following:-

Crag Martins heading south included 20 over the runway, and 60 at Jews' Gate.  At Europa Point there were 50 Cory's Shearwaters, a Mediterranean Shearwater, three  Gannets and two Shags. In the evening a Sparrowhawk was seen around Jews' Gate, and a Tawny Owl heard in the area.

10 Oct:  Levanter cloud develping  over the Rock in the morning.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

Grey Wagtails were present at the Alameda Botanic gardens, at Rosia bay and at Commonwealth Park.  Four Jackdaws present at the Moorish castle.  A Kingfisher was present at Mid harbours marina, and the Osprey was back on its perch at the runway.  The first Meadow Pipits seen at Europa Point.

09 Oct:  Clear skies with a light westerly wind becoming moderate southerly in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

A Grey Heron was observed over the GSLA pavilion early in the morning. A couple of Sparrowhawks flew south over the Rock.

At North Front cemetery there were two Sardinian Warblers, a Pied Flycatcher, two Whinchats and a Stonechat.

08 Oct:  Westerly cloud with some sunny intervals.  Winds light to moderate westerly.

Only the top nets were used.

Ringing Totals

Five Booted Eagles were observed over the Rock.  A mid afternoon watch from Europa Point produced an Arctic Skua, a Caspian Tern, 60 Cory's Shearwaters, five Gannets, a Kestrel and a Blue Rock Thrush.

07 Oct:  Levanter cloud over the Rock and town clearing in the late morning.  Winds moderate to light easterly

Only the top nets were used.

Ringing Totals

The Alameda Botanic Gardens produced the following:-

06 Oct:  Overcast skies with a heavy levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour, with few sunny intervals.

Ringing Totals

A visit to Windmill Hill produced the following:-

The first Black Redstarts of the season, three birds, were seen in the Nature Reserve.

A Common Starling was observed at Lathbury area. A night visit to the Nature Reserve revealed two Red-necked Nightjars, a European Nightjar and a Robin.

05 Oct:  Clear skies with a fresh northerly wind becoming fresh south-westerly in the afternoon.

Too windy for ringing.

A few raptors were seen in the morning, with an Osprey,  four Honey Buzzards, two Marsh Harriers, four Sparrowhawks and seven Black Kites.  Also seen were two Wheatears and three Tawny Pipits. A flock of six Sandwich Terns flew west along the runway and then south.

04 Oct:  Clear skies with a light westerly becoming fresh south-westerly around midday.

Ringing Totals

A two hour watch at Europa Point produced a Common Sandpiper, two Turnstones, a Black-headed Gull, an adult Mediterranean Gull west, a Sandwich Tern a Great Skua west, 17 Cory's Shearwaters, five Scopoli's Shearwaters, seven Mediterranean Shearwaters, six Gannets, a Shag and 23 Crag Martins.

The Little Owl was still present by St. Bernards church area.  North Front cemetery held a Blackcap, two Sardinian Warblers, a Pied Flycatcher and two Stonechats.

After midday some raptors were seen including a Griffon Vulture, a Short-toed Eagle, a Booted Eagle,  a Sparrowhawk, two Marsh Harriers and a Red Kite over Windmill Hill.  Several more raptors were seen in the late afternoon form 17:30-19:30hrs for a total of five Honey Buzzards, four Booted Eagles, 19 Sparrowhawks, a Marsh Harrier,  five Black Kites, nine Lesser Kestrels

A walk along the southern end of the Nature Reserve produced five Red-rumped Swallows,  five House Martins, six Crag Martins heading south, an Iberian Chiffchaff calling, five Starlings,  a Wheatear, a Grey Wagtail and a Serin.   Grey Wagtails were also reported from Rosia and at Little Bay, 

03 Oct:  Levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour fizzling out as from midday.  Winds moderate to light easterly becoming light variable in the afternoon.

A big fall of Blackcaps and Robins

Ringing Totals

At least four Short-toed Eagles, 37 Booted Eagles and four Sparrowhawks flew in from the mainland this morning. A Northern Peregrine, ssp calidus, was chased off by the two local Peregrines at Europa Point.

At Europa Point there was an Audouin's Gull. two Gannets and five Cory's Shearwaters.

02 Oct:  Overcast skies and levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour. Sunny intervals away from the Rock in the afternoon when levanter cloud cleared in the evening.  Winds fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals 

The Europa foreshore held a Reed Warbler, the Subalpine Warbler and two Robins.

North Front cemetery held a Willow Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher, a Stonechat and a Wheatear.

A Redstart was observed by the rowing clubs.

01 Oct:  Overcast skies and levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour. Sunny intervals away from the Rock in the afternoon when levanter cloud cleared in the evening.  Winds fresh easterly.

Ringing Totals

In the morning at Europa foreshore there was an Audouin's Gull, 19 Cory's Shearwaters, a Grey Heron, a Booted Eagle, a Willow Warbler, an Iberian Chiffchaff, two Sardinian Warblers, a Subalpine Warbler, 12 Spotless Starlings, three Blackbirds, three Blue Rock Thrushes, 29 House Sparrows, two Grey Wagtails, a Tawny Pipit and two Serins.

A pair of Little Owls were present on the Talus slope.  At Eastern beach there was a Common Sandpiper and seven Cory's Shearwaters offshore.  At Little Bay there were six Shags and an Audouin's Gull.

An afternoon visit to the Botanic gardens produced the following:-