November 2017 Sightings
25 Nov: High cloud from the west over the Rock with sunny spells. Winds light variable. A Grey Heron, 3 Cormorants and 12 Black-headed Gulls were present at the western end of the runway. Another 45 Black-headed Gulls were present at Europa Point in the afternoon, including an adult with a metal ring and a white colour ring with the black letters E6PT. This gull was ringed in the Netherlands.
Details:- Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 3rd calendar year
Metal ring No: 2502151 Colour ring: White Black letters E6PT
Ringed on 07/07/2014 at Eemshaven 53 26N 06 51E
Ringer:- Rob Voesten
Sightings:- 29/11/2014 Puerto de Algeciras
05/03/2016 Europa Point
25/11/2017 Europa Point
24 Nov: Clear skies with a light variable to light easterly wind. A Common Sandpiper was present on the rocky shore at Westview Park. At least 80 Crag Martins were flying above Harbour Views after sunset, waiting to lland and roost on the buildings.
21 Nov: Some light levanter cloud early in the morning, clearing by mid-morning to give clear skies. Winds light easterly. A flock of 4 Little Egrets flew east past Europa Point in the morning.
Little Egrets flying east past the Europa Foreshore. Photo: Chris Durante
A Redwing was photographed at the Botanic Gardens.
Redwing at the Botanic Gardens. Photo: F.J.Odinius
15 Nov: Clear skies with a moderate easterly wind. In the early afternoon a flock of 20 Flamingoes were seen flying around in the Bay. They landed twice briefly on the sea before taking off again.
14 Nov: Clear skies with a light variable wind. A Tawny Owl was heard in the vicinity of Buena Vista at 3 am. Two Ravens were seen over the Rock.
13 Nov: Clear skies with a moderate south-westerly. A visit to the North Front Cemetery turned up 8 Black Redstarts, 4 White Wagtails, a Blue Rock Thrush, 2 Sardinian Warblers and a Common Kestrel.
09 Nov: Cloudy skies clearing in the afternoon. Winds moderate easterly. there were 8 Cormorants resting at the airfield. at North Front cemetery there were 2 White Wagtails, 2 Stonechats, 7 Black Redstarts, a Blue Rock Thrush and a Common Kestrel.
08 Nov: Clear skies with some levanter cloud at midday. Winds moderate easterly. The two Ravens were seen mid-afternoon over the ridge of the Rock.
7 Nov: Clear skies with a moderate easterly wind. A Common Starling, an uncommon bird in Gibraltar, was spotted in Fish Market lane in the morning. It was photographed feeding with House Sparrows by Rose Zapata.
5 Nov: Clear skies with a moderate north-westerly wind. At midday a flock of 6 Griffon Vultures flew back north after having arrived over the Rock.
03 Nov: Levanter cloud thinning over the Rock as a cold front approaches the Strait. Winds light easterly. The ringing campaign at the Observatory ended yesterday with a total of 3783 new birds ringed and 119 retraps, for the period from 28th September until the 2nd November with 47 different species trapped and ringed. This total number of new birds ringed this autumn, which includes the Middle Hill campaign, is 5129 new birds 144 retraps, for a total of 53 species.
02 Nov: Very cloudy in the area including levanter cloud over the town and harbour. Winds moderate easterly. A total of 50 new birds were ringed and included 10 Robins, a Black Redstart, a Sardinian Warbler, 17 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 13 Serins, 4 Greenfinches and a Goldfinch.
01 Nov: Cloudy skies with a heavy levanter cloud over the town and harbour, with some cloud over the Strait as well. Winds moderate easterly.
Finch passage was very low this morning, with only a few flocks of Goldfinches and a few Siskins heading south. A Tawny Owl was seen around Middle Hill in the evening.
Also quiet around the Observatory, with only 47 new birds trapped and ringed. Despite this a Firecrest and a female Hawfinch were ringed. Other birds included a Crag Martin, 7 Robins, 6 Black Redstarts, a Song Thrush, a Sardinian Warbler, 11 Blackcaps, 8 Serins, 4 Greenfinches, 2 Siskins, and a Linnet.
