Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory Blog: Early November 2017

November 10th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
A Richard's Pipit flew south over the saltings. Around were 1200 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Brent Goose, 4+ Bearded Tit (Borrow Pits), 150 Blackbird, a Fieldfare, 3 Redwing and 7 Siskin. On Jackson's Marsh was a juvenile Whooper Swan. Going south were 16 Whooper Swan.

November 9th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 120 Pink-footed Goose, 350 Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, a Common Buzzard, a Woodcock, 3 Shorelark, 250 Blackbird, 2 Stonechat, a Goldcrest and a Bullfinch. On Jackson's Marsh were a juvenile Whooper Swan and 2 Bearded Tit.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Jenni Godber, resulted in 35 new birds: a Goldcrest, 19 Long-tailed Tit, a Bullfinch, a Robin, a Greenfinch and 12 Blackbird; and 5 retraps: 3 Blackbird, a Robin and a Long-tailed Tit.

Bullfinch, ringed 9th November 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

November 8th. Around, including birds trapped, were 1200 Pink-footed Goose, a Water Rail, 4 Woodcock, 11 Snipe, a Peregrine, 3 Shorelark, 500 Blackbird, 20 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, a Goldcrest and a Blackcap. On Tennyson's Sands were 620 Teal, 2 Water Rail and 2 Bearded Tit. Heading south were 120 Pink-footed Goose and 7 Whooper Swan.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Jenni Godber, provided 117 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, a Blackcap, 5 Redwing, 106 Blackbird, a Starling and a Woodcock; a retrap Blackbird; and 2 control Blackbird with ARNHEM VT HOLLAND rings.

November 7th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind.
On the shore were 3 Shorelark (then off west) and 5 Snow Bunting. Birds around included 12 Brent Goose, 34 Pink-footed Goose, a Purple Sandpiper, a Woodcock, a Ring-necked Parakeet (East Dunes), a Kingfisher, a Merlin, 800 Starling, 200 Blackbird, a Fieldfare and 15 Redwing. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail, 32 Black-tailed Godwit and at least 2 Bearded Tit. Flying south were 600 Pink-footed Goose and 100 Golden Plover.

November 6th. Frosty start, gradually thawing out.
Around, including birds trapped, were 400 Brent Goose, 30000 Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Peregrine, a Woodcock, 2 Snipe, a Brambling and a Goldcrest. Going south were 70 Whooper Swan. On Tennyson's Sands were 3 Bearded Tit, 2 Water Rail, a Greenshank and 80 Black-tailed Godwit.
A frost-delayed morning ringing session in East Dunes produced 12 new birds: 2 Wren, a Goldcrest and 9 Blackbird; and 3 retraps: a Robin, a Dunnock and a Wren.

Black-tailed Godwits, 6th November 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Water Rail, 6th November 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

Bearded Tit, 6th November 2017.
Photo - Paul Neale

High tide at dawn from Wash Viewpoint, 6th November 2017.
Photo - Richard Doan

November 5th. Birds around, including those trapped, were 1200 Pink-footed Goose, 100 Brent Goose, a Kingfisher, a Bearded Tit, a Treecreeper, 15 Fieldfare, a Stonechat, a Siberian Chiffchaff (North Building), 2 Goldcrest, a Bullfinch and 7 Snow Bunting. Heading south were 150 Whooper Swan, 7 Wigeon, a Twite and 2 Bullfinch; and west a Lapland Bunting.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Jenni Godber, yielded 31 new birds: 8 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldcrest and 22 Blackbird; and 7 retraps: a Blackbird, 3 Wren, a Dunnock, a Goldcrest and a Blue Tit.

Snow Bunting on Millennium Ridge, 5th November 2017.
Photo - Russell Hayes

Whooper Swans arriving from the north, 5th November 2017.
Photo - Richard Doan

Whooper Swans, 5th November 2017.
Photo - Rob Watson

November 4th. Rain until early afternoon.
Around were 43 Whooper Swan, a Greenshank, 35 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Woodcock, 20 Snipe, a Chiffchaff, 15 Redwing, 30 Fieldfare, 500 Blackbird and 3 Snow Bunting.

Snow Bunting at North End of the reserve, 4th November 2017.
Photo - Richard Doan

Full Moon, 4th November 2017.
Photo - Richard Doan

November 3rd. Birds around, including those trapped, were 750 Pink-footed Goose, 11 Brent Goose, a Woodcock, 80 Redwing, 75 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 4 Goldcrest and a Coal Tit. Flying south was a Hawfinch.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes provided 23 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, a Coal Tit, 9 Redwing, 10 Blackbird and a Fieldfare; and 6 retraps: 2 Blackbird, a Robin, a Wren and 2 Goldcrest.

Coal Tit, ringed 3rd November 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

November 2nd. Around, including birds trapped, were 300 Pink-footed Goose, 20 Brent Goose, a Merlin, 3 Redwing, 75 Blackbird, 6 Goldcrest and 4 Bullfinch. Going south were 2 Whooper Swan, a Great Northern Diver, 3 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebe and 4 Goosander.
A morning ringing session in East Dunes, with Keith Collett, produced 13 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, 2 Chaffinch, a Great Tit, a Redwing and 6 Blackbird; and 9 retraps: 5 Blackbird, 3 Robin and a Goldcrest.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling produced 15 new birds: 3 Goldcrest, 9 Long-tailed Tit, a Bullfinch and 2 Blackbird; and 10 retraps: 2 Blackbird, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Robin, a Dunnock, 2 Blue Tit and a Bullfinch.
Offshore were 2 Bottle-nosed Dolphin.

Bullfinch, ringed 2nd November 2017.
Photo - George Gregory

November 1st. Birds around, including those trapped, were 750 Pink-footed Goose, 30 Brent Goose, 3 Redwing, 200 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare, 15 Song Thrush, 2 Bullfinch and a Brambling. Heading west were 3 Bean Goose; and south a Hawfinch.
A morning ringing session in Easat Dunes, with Jenni Godber, resulted in 33 new birds: a Goldcrest, a Reed Bunting, 2 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, a Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 24 Blackbird and a Woodcock; and 10 retraps: a Great Tit, 5 Blackbird, a Redwing, 2 Robin and a Wren.

Woodcock, ringed 1st November 2017.
Photo - George Gregory