January

31 Jan:  Cloudy skies with a moderate easterly wind with sunny spells in the late afternoon.

Details of the Mediterranean Gull 32A9 have been obtained and it is interesting to note that the bird spent late last year in Gijon, Asturias in Spain and then moved down to the Straits.

Colour Code of ring Leg Ringing scheme Metal ring Age of bird Ringing date Ringing location Ringer
White 32A9 left Arnhem 3693795 pullus 24/06/2010 De Kreupel Island, Ijsselmeer, Noord-Holland, NL 52,48N 5,14E Majoor, Frank

Sightings for individual: 31111

White 32A9 p 26/02/2013 Playa Benitez, Ceuta, Cádiz, SPAIN 35,53N 5,18W Guirado Moya, Andrea
White 32A9 p 17/12/2014 Playa Benitez, Ceuta, Cádiz, SPAIN 35,53N 5,18W Guirado Moya, Andrea
White 32A9 p 20/12/2014 Punta Bermeja, Ceuta, SPAIN 35,54N 5,21W Rodriguez, Joaquin
White 32A9 p 17/01/2015 Playa Benitez, Ceuta, Cádiz, SPAIN 35,53N 5,18W Rodriguez, Joaquin
White 32A9 v 29/06/2015 Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir et Cher, France 47,28N 1,1E Rayer, Fabrice
White 32A9 p 07/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 p 07/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Julián Rufino Gómez
White 32A9 p 08/11/2016 Playa de El Rinconin, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,38W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 p 08/11/2016 Playa de El Rinconin, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,38W Julián Rufino Gómez
White 32A9 p 18/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 v 22/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 p 25/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 P 26/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Diaz Pallares, Ivan
White 32A9 P 26/11/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 p 04/12/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 v 05/12/2016 Bay of Gijón, Asturias, Oviedo, SPAIN 43,32N 5,38W Barrueso Franco, José
White 32A9 p 06/12/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 v 09/12/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 v 09/12/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Julián Rufino Gómez
White 32A9 p 12/12/2016 Playa San Lorenzo, Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W Fernandez Gonzalez, César
White 32A9 p 23/01/2017 Gibraltar, Europa point, GIBRALTAR 36,07N 5,21W Colorado, Alex
White 32A9 v 28/01/2017 Gibraltar, Europa point, GIBRALTAR 36,07N 5,21W Perez, Charles

Total number of sightings : 22

30 Jan:  Mainly sunny throughout with some wisps of levanter cloud in the morning over the Rock and town, but soon disappearing in the afternoon. Winds light easterly.  At Europa Point, a Dartford Warbler was present in scrub vegetation, whilst on the foreshore 7 Turnstones were present.

29 Jan: Clear skies with a moderate westerly wind. A Griffon Vulture flew south over the Rock, but later returned north and flew into Spain. A Razorbill was present in the Harbour waters.

28 Jan:  Clear skies with a moderate north-westerly wind. At Europa Point at least 145 Black-headed Gulls were resting and feeding at the Point, and included the ringed Black-headed Gull T39J, and the ringed adult Mediterranean Gull 32A9. In the afternoon, a few Gannets were feeding offshore, but no Black-headed Gulls were present.   o present at Europa Point and Europa foreshore were single White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Kestrel and the Hooded Crow.

A Common Sandpiper was seen feeding at Western Beach.

An Alpine Accentor was seen at the Apes Den.

A Barbary Partridge with four chicks was photographed by Richard Harman, on the road leading up from Lathbury towards Jews' Gate. This extraordinary record of such early breeding is unprecedented. The chicks, which appear to be at least four weeks old, must have hatched in late December, and the clutch laid well before that in late November or early December.

27 Jan: Cloudy skies with occasional rain showers in the morning clearing by late afternoon and evening. The were single Cormorant, Hooded Crow and a White Wagtail at Commonwealth Park.

A Black Kite flew north in the early afternoon as the weather improved.

24 Jan: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh west to north-west wind. A Firecrest was observed at the Botanic Gardens, and a Cattle Egret was present at the North Front Cemetery.

Cattle Egret at the North Front Cemetery.     Photo: L. Torres.©

23 Jan:  Clear skies with a moderate west to north-west wind. There were 150 Black-headed Gulls at Europa Point together with an adult and a first-winter Mediterranean Gull. The former was sporting a white colour ring with the letters 32A9 on the left leg and a metal ring on the right leg.

Adult Mediterranean Gull with a white colour ring 32A9 on the left leg and a metal ring on the right.     Photos:A. Colorado.©

22 Jan: Clear skies with a moderate to fresh westerly wind turning to north-westerly in the afternoon. The first Black Kite of the season was seen heading north.

At least 2 possibly 3 Alpine Accentors were were relocated at St. Michael's Road in the afternoon.

The Cormorant was back at the pond in Commonwealth Park feeding on the smaller Koi Carp.

The Cormorant, back again at Commonwealth Park, feeding on the Koi Carp.            Photos: J. Sanchez.©

20 Jan: Clear skies with a moderate north-westerly wind. A Griffon Vulture was seen heading north over Rock Gun at midday.

17 Jan: Clear skies with a light easterly becoming northerly in the afternoon. Two Griffon Vultures flew north over Rock Gun at midday.

16 Jan: Clear skies with a moderate and cold easterly wind.  The Hooded Crow was again present at Commonwealth Park, and a Grey Heron and Cormorant were seen over the Harbour.

A flock of 8 Greater Flamingoes were seen off Eastern beach at midday heading north-west.

A flock of 9 Glossy Ibises flew north over Europa Point in the afternoon.

Part of the flock of 9 Glossy Ibises and a crop of the photo.     Photos: C. Finlayson.©

15 Jan: Clear skies with a light easterly.  Only 2 Alpine Accentors remained at the site, where three had been seen the previous day.  Photographers took the opportunity to snap a few pictures, although the birds stayed in the shade by the Charles V Wall.

One of the three Alpine Accentors seen at the Ape's Den firebreak.       Photo: C. Perez.©

The Black-headed Gull T39J was again photographed resting with other gulls at Europa Point.

Black-headed Gull T39J left of centre.                             Photo: C. Perez.©

White colour ring with black letters T39J on right leg, and Polish metal ring on left leg.       Photo: C. Perez.©

14 Jan: Clear skies with a light westerly wind becoming light variable and light easterly by the evening. The annual winter bird count took place this morning, in different areas of Gibraltar and results are still being collated. Among the more interesting observations were 5 Firecrests on the Upper Rock, with 3 near the entrance to the Nature Reserve at Mt. Alvernia, and singles at Devil's Gap and Bruce's Farm. Also 3 tame Alpine Accentors were found feeding along the firebreak at the top of the Ape's Den. This species is sometimes encountered in the winter along the upper reaches and ridge of the Rock, but had not been recorded for a few years, so this was a most welcome sight. The Hooded Crow was also present at Commonwealth Park early in the morning, but by mid morning, had flown to its frequent haunts at Europa Point, where it was seen and heard as it called vociferously. Two Thekla Larks were observed at the Europa foreshore in the morning.

13 Jan: Mainly clear skies with a fresh westerly wind.  Some of the bird recorders were treated to a visit to the western end of the runway by Trevor Hammond, the airfield supervisor, and a frequent contributor to bird photographs of this area.  We were fortunate to encounter some of the interesting birds found there along the rocky shoreline, as well as the scant vegetation around the perimeter. We saw 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Ringed Plovers, 9 Cormorants, 7 Sandwich Terns, 33 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Crested Larks, 2 Black Redstarts, 3 Meadow Pipits and 2 Linnets.

Another of four Ringed Plovers wintering at the runway.                                      Photo: C. Perez.©

One of four Ringed Plovers wintering at the runway.                 Photo: C. Perez.©

One of three Crested Larks wintering at the runway.                 Photo: C. Perez.©

12 Jan: Mainly clear skies with a moderate easterly.  A picture of the Black-headed Gulls resting on the cliff at Europa Point, revealed a ringed bird, with a white colour ring with the code T39J.

This bird had been photographed at this site two years ago, on the 24th February 2015 by Yvonne Benting, and had been ringed in in Bulwar, Nadmorski in Poland as a second calander year bird, on the 1st April 2011.Since then it has been seen in Schleswig-Holstein and Valencia, details at http://www.gonhs.org/news.htm#Colour

11 Jan: Mainly clear skies with a light south-westerly wind turning to easterly mid afternoon. An afternoon visit to Windmill Hill to survey wintering birds produced a covey of 8 Barbary Partridges, 8 Feral Pigeons, 2 Blue Rock Thrush, 6 Blackbirds, 8 Stonechats, 24 Black Redstarts, 17 Robins, a Wren, 22 Meadow Pipits, a Zitting Cisticola, 23 Sardinian Warblers, a Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Serin, 2 Chaffinches, 3 Goldfinches, 80 Spotless Starlings and 2 Common Starlings.

8 Jan:  Two White Wagtails were present feeding at the tideline at Western Beach. There was another at the Air Terminal, and a further one at Commonwealth Park. The Hooded Crow was perched on a lampost at Wellington Font.

The rocks at Little Bay held 8 Cormorants and 2 Shags.

At Europa Point 10 Gannets were fishing offshore and 40 Black-headed Gulls were seen below the Point.

A Grey Heron was observed at the western end of the runway.

7 Jan: The community of birds at Commonwealth Park included the Hooded Crow, a Grey Wagtail, a Chiffchaff and 2 Blackbirds.

6 Jan:  The Hooded Crow and a White Wagtail were present at Commonwealth Park.

5 Jan: Eight Cormorants were present at the western end of the runway.

3 Jan:  A visit to the western end of the runway produced a good number of wintering birds that included 12 Cormorants, a Black-headed Gull, 6 Sandwich Terns, and single Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Crested Lark, Meadow Pipit and a Black Redstart.