Hi All
Nice to see the agent provocator Steve trying to stir up a bit of discussion.Would love to be drawn into the pros and cons but I would run out of webspace on the subject on both the arguments for and against bird ringing.
Maybe one day I will find an hour or 2 to put type to the computer screen but at the moment too busy RINGING BIRDS!!!!!
Firstly here is the report for the week Sept 22nd.,-29th. on the rock
Well,the new bunch of lads ,4 plus the "resident guy" had a thin time at beginning but once again as the previous things improved to the weeks end.
Here is the list to which I will add a few interesting comments afterwards
New Birds were as follows
1 CHIFFCHAFF ( NOMINATE RACE)
3 WILLOW WARBLERS
6 GARDEN WARBLERS
36 SARDINIAN WARBLERS
76 BLACKCAPS
1 REED WARBLER
1 MELODIOUS WARBLER
1 ORPHEAN WARBLER
16 PIED FLYCATCHERS
3 WRENS
6 BLACKBIRDS
1 NORTHERN WHEATEAR
1 STONECHAT
1 WOODCHAT SHRIKE
13 BLUE TITS
1 TAWNY PIPIT
8 COMMON REDSTARTS
2 NIGHTINGALES
4 ROBINS
3 FAN TAILED WARBLERS
1 WHITETHROAT
3 RED NECKED NIGHTJARS
2 SCOPS OWLS
1 SUBALPINE WARBLER
1 WHINCHAT
1 SPARROWHAWK
The following birds were retrapped
1 GARDEN WARBLER
7 SARDINIAN WARBLERS
7 BLACKCAP
1 REED WARBLER
2 WRENS
5 BLACKBIRDS
1 BLUE TIT
1 COMMON REDSTART
So you can see this is really the peak time as regards mix of species,resident birds,Trans Saharan migrants,the first wintering birds plus some which will undoubtedly cross the Strait to winter N.of the Sahara in Morocco.
This is what will so interesting for our group to investigate next year when we get the ringing programme up and running in N. Morocco and see if we can trap some of the birds that are ringed obviously from N.Europe but also Med. birds as that will paint a much better picture of what is going on down here at all times of the year,such an exciting project.
If you look at the number of sardinian warblers ringed at this time and the numbers retrapped,I am sure even these very weak fliers manage to cross to Morocco.
Notice the large increase in Blackcap numbers and the majority are migrants from the North as they have much longer wing lengths than the local birds.
Locals vary from 66 -72mm and Northerners from 74-80 mm.
There is a small degree of overlap but I am doing a long term study on this species using various biometrics both in Spain and on Gib.and hopefully will glean enough useful scientific data to get a paper out on the subject.
The first "wintering " Robins have moved in an will set up their temp.territories and we will soon hear thier winter subsongs etc.
Have got a couple of blank weeks on the rock now as no ringers booked in but I have had a little ringing in Spain to report tomorrow and from friday I have a mega busy time of it when I pick up 2 UK ringers from Malaga airport and we will be ringing just about non stop for 10 days together as part of my Spanish programme.
Can you believe the weather has just started to crack up with rain forecast from tonight and scattered storms right up till Sat.night,sods law but we might miss some of the rubbish as it can be localised at this time but if get caught in a storm pretty darned scary as can be very violent and tropical.
will keep you posted on how things go.
Must dash but will post some more on Spain tomorrow
Your Gibraltar and Spanish Correspondent
Nice to see the agent provocator Steve trying to stir up a bit of discussion.Would love to be drawn into the pros and cons but I would run out of webspace on the subject on both the arguments for and against bird ringing.
Maybe one day I will find an hour or 2 to put type to the computer screen but at the moment too busy RINGING BIRDS!!!!!
Firstly here is the report for the week Sept 22nd.,-29th. on the rock
Well,the new bunch of lads ,4 plus the "resident guy" had a thin time at beginning but once again as the previous things improved to the weeks end.
Here is the list to which I will add a few interesting comments afterwards
New Birds were as follows
1 CHIFFCHAFF ( NOMINATE RACE)
3 WILLOW WARBLERS
6 GARDEN WARBLERS
36 SARDINIAN WARBLERS
76 BLACKCAPS
1 REED WARBLER
1 MELODIOUS WARBLER
1 ORPHEAN WARBLER
16 PIED FLYCATCHERS
3 WRENS
6 BLACKBIRDS
1 NORTHERN WHEATEAR
1 STONECHAT
1 WOODCHAT SHRIKE
13 BLUE TITS
1 TAWNY PIPIT
8 COMMON REDSTARTS
2 NIGHTINGALES
4 ROBINS
3 FAN TAILED WARBLERS
1 WHITETHROAT
3 RED NECKED NIGHTJARS
2 SCOPS OWLS
1 SUBALPINE WARBLER
1 WHINCHAT
1 SPARROWHAWK
The following birds were retrapped
1 GARDEN WARBLER
7 SARDINIAN WARBLERS
7 BLACKCAP
1 REED WARBLER
2 WRENS
5 BLACKBIRDS
1 BLUE TIT
1 COMMON REDSTART
So you can see this is really the peak time as regards mix of species,resident birds,Trans Saharan migrants,the first wintering birds plus some which will undoubtedly cross the Strait to winter N.of the Sahara in Morocco.
This is what will so interesting for our group to investigate next year when we get the ringing programme up and running in N. Morocco and see if we can trap some of the birds that are ringed obviously from N.Europe but also Med. birds as that will paint a much better picture of what is going on down here at all times of the year,such an exciting project.
If you look at the number of sardinian warblers ringed at this time and the numbers retrapped,I am sure even these very weak fliers manage to cross to Morocco.
Notice the large increase in Blackcap numbers and the majority are migrants from the North as they have much longer wing lengths than the local birds.
Locals vary from 66 -72mm and Northerners from 74-80 mm.
There is a small degree of overlap but I am doing a long term study on this species using various biometrics both in Spain and on Gib.and hopefully will glean enough useful scientific data to get a paper out on the subject.
The first "wintering " Robins have moved in an will set up their temp.territories and we will soon hear thier winter subsongs etc.
Have got a couple of blank weeks on the rock now as no ringers booked in but I have had a little ringing in Spain to report tomorrow and from friday I have a mega busy time of it when I pick up 2 UK ringers from Malaga airport and we will be ringing just about non stop for 10 days together as part of my Spanish programme.
Can you believe the weather has just started to crack up with rain forecast from tonight and scattered storms right up till Sat.night,sods law but we might miss some of the rubbish as it can be localised at this time but if get caught in a storm pretty darned scary as can be very violent and tropical.
will keep you posted on how things go.
Must dash but will post some more on Spain tomorrow
Your Gibraltar and Spanish Correspondent