eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Too many Griffons Perhaps?......Eddy
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Bird of prey migration. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdman7
- Start date
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Birdman 7,I was at the cave at Sierra de la Plata yesterday at about 4pm,not a swift in sight.I was probably too early!However I was driving on the 340 towards Pelayo and stopped to watch approx 100 Griffons circling overhead,when the friends I was with spotted incoming swits,Alpine,common and pallid and amongst these were a few little swifts....Eddy
occasional
Well-known member
Anyone got any observations for the last day or two ?
There appear to have been light easterly breezes at the east end of the Strait, but most of the birds crossing seem to have appeared in near gale force winds at the west end of the Strait.
There appear to have been light easterly breezes at the east end of the Strait, but most of the birds crossing seem to have appeared in near gale force winds at the west end of the Strait.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
I have not been out since Sunday last when in near easterly gales there were no birds crossing but this was due in part to the very poor visibility across the straits.In strong to gale force easterlies birds can start off near Jebel Musa and be blown as far as Barbate or beyond.If visibility is OK you have to search for the birds further west and when you find them make a note of time and place so that in similar conditions you can find them again.......Eddy
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
I was out for a few hours yesterday afternoon along the straits.The wind started off with a force 2/3 easterly but after an hour changed completely to aprox.2 westerly.First port of call was Puerto Cabrita opposite the Mirador.No birds crossing here or to the west towards Tarifa but after a few minutes could see birds around the La Hoya area.Next up Cerro de Tambor on the coast below La Hoya.Twenty or so Griffon Vultures a few booted eagles and black kites and 10 short toed eagles.from here we could see that the majority of the birds were passing further east so it was off to Punta Carnero where we were greeted by about 50 black kites,several short toed eagles and booted eagles and several small groups of honey buzzards which were fairly high and more distant over the tower of Punta Fraille.Stayed here until about 6pm with the wind dying down and the birds entering over a wide area.Not a bird of prey but a notable visitor was a resplendent male pied flycatcher which posed for those present for a few seconds but flew off at the sight of a camera.Not quick enough again!!!!Regards ....Eddy
Birdman7
Bird photographer
Hi eddy,
Most of my passage was during midday over Los Lances Beach, (hardly any wind) all passage was arriving out the sea fom the South-west (Cap Spartel direction) towards the beach and by 2pm as the wind veered south /SW i could see flow over the mountains towards Cazalla area from Los Lances which prob corrolates with your observations. By 4pm at Mirador del Estecho very little visible passage but by then wind had freshened slightly so I wud expect passage as you say over Getares as you observed.
occasional
Well-known member
Interesting.
I was near Guadalmesi between noon and about 3pm.
All the passage which I could see was to the east of Guadalmesi which makes it seem that passage was split into two separate routes during the middle of the day.
I was near Guadalmesi between noon and about 3pm.
All the passage which I could see was to the east of Guadalmesi which makes it seem that passage was split into two separate routes during the middle of the day.
Birdman7
Bird photographer
I was at Getares at 930am and saw nothing. Guadalmesi at 10 am and could see small trickles of passage of Honey Buzzards, Black Kite and an Osprey over Tarifa but obsolutely none to the west. Passage over Lances and over the sea towards Bolognia was steady and abundant around midday until I left after 2pm.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Occasional and Birdman7 are you refering to today or yesterday.....Eddy.
Birdman7
Bird photographer
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Occasional and Birdman 7,we will have to stop missing each other like this.......Eddy
occasional
Well-known member
Birdman, I assume you mean "none to the east".
I think we are all refering to the same day - Thursday, 25th April.
Birdman7
Bird photographer
My appologies, I meant to the east yes.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Hi everyone and brrr !!!.Very cold again with strong northerly winds and short sharp showers.I was at Punta Carnero this afternoon and met up with an old friend,Frank,from Switerland he is over here for a few weeks migration watching.As soon as I arrived I could see a good number of griffon vultures out at sea that were being blown towards Gibraltar and then they turned directly into the wind.There was 27 in all and they came over very low and circled overhead for sometime before gaining height and moving in land.Also seen 2 sparrowhawks,10 black kite and the same number of booted eagles.Honey buzzards were obvious by there absence.What was an amazing sight were the swifts.Hundreds of common,pallid and a few alpine swifts together with barn swallows and house martins in a feeding frenzy in and around us at head height and lower so much so that the cars on the road behind the area had to stop for fear of hitting them.You could have put out your hand and caught them.Neither I or those present had seen this phenomenon before but lasting about an hour it was like being in a cave surrounded by bats.Then a heavy shower came through and they all left and so did I.Kind regards .....Eddy.
occasional
Well-known member
Some honey buzzards did arrive at PC on Tuesday,30th.
Was there any sign of what the swifts were feeding on ?
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Occasional,we all looked but could not find the insects in question,they must have been very small and they were blown out to sea as the swifts etc. were feeding over the water.An uneducated guess would be aphids as there are many on the plants in my patio but what ever it was there must have been millions as the swifts fed continually for well over an hour in very close proximaty to those present.One of the observers mentioned seeing a little swift amongst them but it was only a brief view and was not confirmed.Weather today very light winds from the west turning to easterly during the afternoon.I might get out to Punta Carnero later.....Eddy
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Eddy, I see from Rare Birds in Spain that some common bulbuls have turned up this week down your way. One was reported on the 29th at Punta Camorro and yesterday two were spotted at Punta Carnero.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Hi Alan,yes I have heard of these but have not looked for them myself as I am not a twitcher.Today I was with some Finish birders and they went to Punta Camora this afternoon in the hope of a Bulbul but could not find any.While I am on I will tell you of todays migration.The wind was tricky to day, calm first thing and then variable but then settles to an easterly force 2/3.At 12.15 went towards Punta Carnero but met my friend Frank coming away from there with only a few black kite and a handfull of honey buzzards during the morning.We discussed where to go and decided on the Mirador at Puerto Cabrito.The wind had freshened a little to force 3 and the birds were making landfall between us and Guadalmesi/Traffico.It was interesting to see that they were not going directly inland but going against the wind along the coast and going inland between the Mirador and Cerro Temblor/La Hoya.One reason for this may be the abundance of wind turbines inland from Guadalmesi which they wished to avoid.Of course I have no proof of this only suposition.Birds seen this afternoon between 12.45 and 19.00 when I left are as follows>all numbers are approx.as I would rather study the birds than count exact numbers.
Honey buzzards 500+
Black kites 200 +
Griffon vultures 50+
Booted eagles 20+
Short toed eagles 20+
Sparrowhawks 2
Egyptian vultures 2
Black stork 1 this bird had a broken leg and was struggling in the wind with a leg dangling down.
As I left there were still birds crossing.There were reports from yesterday that a black vulture came across and was seen from the Mirador.Well that all for now folks bye for now ......Eddy
Honey buzzards 500+
Black kites 200 +
Griffon vultures 50+
Booted eagles 20+
Short toed eagles 20+
Sparrowhawks 2
Egyptian vultures 2
Black stork 1 this bird had a broken leg and was struggling in the wind with a leg dangling down.
As I left there were still birds crossing.There were reports from yesterday that a black vulture came across and was seen from the Mirador.Well that all for now folks bye for now ......Eddy
occasional
Well-known member
I am told that there has been some confusion of place names.
The report should apparently be that two bulbuls have been seen at Punta Camorro, none at Punta Carnero.
