Late Gibraltar news

[tchagra]

Hi All from Gibraltar

At end of last week had the first s.passage of Willow Warblers.

Also 1 Eleonoras Falcon and the rehabilitated Short Toed Eagle is still hanging around the Rock.

Also had another Willow Warbler this evening in our Urbanisation Gardens,up the coast near Sabinillas.


Got a couple of interesting ringing sessions this Wed.and Thurs so let you know what turns up in the nets.

Cheers for now

Richard

[Andrew]

I and many of us look forward to the reports. I am especially interested in winter birds caught as I wonder if going there in winter just means catching up with our summer birds?

[tchagra]

Hi Andrew

masses of N.European birds winter down here incl.,Robins,Meadow Pipits,Song Thrush,Chiffchaffs( both Collybita collybita and collybita abietinus),Blackbirds,Redwings,Bramblings,Chaffinc h,white wagtails,siskins to name but a few.

I have started an interesting new ringing project this summer,studing the migratory,resident,wintering and breeding of different orchards.

So far have secured pure olive,pure avocado,and almond,plus a good mixed orchard.but still working at getting pure lemon and orange to complete the set!!

Most of my other ringing sites are in various river valleys that flow into the Med.,great areas to study bird migration.

Speak to you again later

Ricardo tchagra from south west spain

[Andrew]

That is an intersting idea. I suppose different orchards will attract different insects thus different birds. A good possibility there?

[tchagra]

Hi There

Well thats the idea I had ,but if I can get enough data over a year or 2 then who knows what will turn up,esp.when you get into statistics etc etc.

BTW Forgot to mention that we get large numbers of Black Redstarts wintering on the coast,some are N.migrants but others are obviously altitudinal migrants and the latter case can also be applied to the Blue Rock Thrushes.

I regularly watch them both from my balcony in the late Autumn ,winter and early spring.

cheers

"The Spanish Correspondent"

[phyllosc]

I too will look forward to hearing about your ringing activities, Ricardo. They sound very interesting.

Dave

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Richard,
I, too, will be interested in what you find around the Rock. I had a lovely hol down there many years ago, based on a farm in Algeciras (hope I got the spelling right). I saw loads of lifers! I also watched Clive F ringing. Is he still around?
Cheers,
Ken

[tchagra]

Hi There

Yes you did spell it right,and there are some great birdy areas round that neck of the woods.

As for Clive F ,he has long since disappeared from the scene on the rock,not ringing or bidrding now as far as we know,not well liked at all,had a big fall out with the rest of the guys there.

Keeps himself to himself,his baby these days is the Gibraltar Museum,and I am afraid that is the best place for him.

He rubbed the BTO up the wrong way too,so was not an easy person to get along with at all,so there I would like to close the subject on a somewhat controversial character,it takes all sorts ,doesn't it!!!

As for the rock I run the ringing programme there now and have done for a number of years.It is a struggle to keep things going at times but I took it over as a "dying" international ringing station and have gradually over the years got it back on its feet.

Nowadays we get good numbers of ringers staying at the obs.and helping us with the ringing programme.That takes the pressure off me a whole lor and I can then conc.on my own Spanish ringing programme.

Will keep the forum on how things are going.

Cheers for now

"Your Spanish Correspondent"