PDA

View Full Version : Gibraltar for a change


tchagra
Sunday 31st August 2003, 09:43
Hi all

Well the first ringer of the Autumn arrived on Gib.,at the Jews gate Bird Obs.this last Thurs.
Weather not much cop for ringing as brisk westerlies until I went over on Sat.

At moment only 6 nets up ,just been catching the local breeding /resident birds,Sardinian Warblers,Blackcaps,Blackbirds,Greenfinch,House sparrow and Blue Tit.

With the clear skies all the time and esp.at night all the migrating pāsserines are flying straight over the top of rock into N Africa.

For the best ringing on the rock we need an easterly wind and plenty of cloud esp.at night then we will start getting the Willow Warblers,Bonellis warblers,Melodious warblers,Woodchat Shrikes,Nightingales,Garden warblers,redstarts,Pied Flycathcers to name some of the Trans saharan migrants.

Still ,there is loads of time left yet for the Autumn and all good things come to those that wait!!!

On Sat I took another UK ringer to the rock.He has moved out to near Torrevieja /Alicanta area from UK,and is ringing at the obs.till end of Sept,taking a month off and then also doing Nov.for me.

Thats great as it takes the pressure off me a bit and I can conc.on my Spanish ringing Programme.

Anyway,he is keen as mustard so I am sure we will have some great ringing sessions there this year end.

Hopefully with the two guys together they can organise an all night session for with the nets open and try to tape lure Scops Owl and red Necked Nightjar.

This week all the nets will get put up,18 rides in all.As it is still very hot sessions will be limited in daylight hours till 11.00 in the morning and reopening at around 18.oo hrs in the afternoon.

Plenty of opportunities to try spring trapping migrating Wheatears and Blue rock Thrush too.

There will be regular ringing reports from now on for Gibraltar including also general passerine and raptor migration.

Your Spanish Correspondent

Karl J
Sunday 31st August 2003, 10:08
Good.

I've visited Gibraltar many times, although not recently, it was before I had the slightest interest in birds. But now I just wonder what I must have missed.

Look forward to reading your reports

tchagra
Monday 1st September 2003, 14:43
Hi Carlos

You missed so much ,you should save up and have another trip out to Spain/gibraltar in the spring or autumn,both fanatastic times of the year.

Take a look in the near future at the birdforum section with accommodation as soon i will have an advert on there for ringers and birders,you may or may not be interested,but if you want more details let me know,I promise that a week or so down here ,you will have a great time and see lots of wonderful birds either in the hand or in the field.


More reports on ringing and birding coming up this week
Your spanish correspondent

Michael Frankis
Monday 1st September 2003, 16:38
Curious - how do you get to & from Gib & Spain? I thought the border was closed, and anyone trying to cross from the Spanish side, liable to be lynched? Aren't they in a state of undeclared war?

Michael

tchagra
Monday 1st September 2003, 17:30
Hi Michael

The border was reopened a ggodly number of years ago even before I first came down here in the 1991.

Still lots of hassel getting on and off but if you time it right very easy.

If you beat the tourismos before 08.00 and the Spanish filling up their petrol tanks then you can drive straight on,but when you need to get off dont leave it after 16.00 because the queue to get off gets longer and can in bad days be 1hr or more,so I always take tea and coffee to drink in the queue ,something to eat and a bird book or data book to write up so I dont feel my time is being wasted!!

Quite often when you get to the customs post,they will wave you straight through or just ask if you fags or booze to declare or if under orders from above will ask you to open boot to look in your shopping bags or if feeling really arkward make you open engine bonnet for a snout !!!

Its all a political shambles

so you never know!!!

Gibraltar--YOU LOVE IT AND YOU HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your Spanish Correspondent

P.S.If it wasn't for the fact that I run the Gibraltar ringing group at jews gate bird obs.,and of course the cheapest petrol and diesel in europe I would think twice about setting foot on the place for all that hassel

Karl J
Monday 1st September 2003, 20:25
Yes, thanks for the reply tchagra. I have to say the budget is a bit more limited these days, my previous trips were bought and paid for, courtesy of HM !

But it is something that I've thought about more than once, especially with all the cheapo flights to Spain nowadays.

Who knows ???