Jon Turner
Well-known member
Sadly no, long walk in the campo today 3 Woodchats, smart male Redstart and 4 Booted + 3 ST eagles. SHORTS are on!
Juan
Juan
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Bird of prey migration. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdman7
- Start date
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Good evening everyone I was at Punta Carnero this afternoon and what an afternoon it was,not 1000´s of birds but a good number and variety.Here is the list: Osprey 7,black stork 21,black kites 100´s,short toed eagle 60+,booted eagles light and dark morph 80+,sparrowhawk 13,egyptian vulture 10.griffon vulture 8,male hen harrier,male montagues harrier,100´s barn swallow,crag martin,red rumped swallow,sand martin,house martin,stonechat,sub-alpine warbler,spectacled warbler,kestrel,yellow legged gull,gannet,sandwich tern,woodchat shrike,blackbird spotless starling.As a matter of interest saw 4 yellow legged gull attack a sparrowhawk over the sea but it fought back and made landfall.Also 1 y/legged gull attack an osprey but gave up after it did not disgorge any food.The gulls are very agressive this year for some reason as there are no nests sites in this area.Heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow so a day at home methinks.kind regards ....Eddy.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
PS sorry forgot 1 hoopoe, 26 species in all.....Eddy
Birdman7
Bird photographer
Getares
Looks like an excellent day Eddy I had a feeling it would have been good there due to the prevailing winds! Things picked up here in Gib and the flow of BKites and STE got stronger and the day went by.
Im surprised you didnt see any gulls chasing any STE's away, they have a particular dislike for this species. There were going mad here when spotting them coming from quite a distance and heading out to see in mass to 'greet them'! Trust me, they are not attacking the raptors for food but to defend their territory. See this link - http://www.gonhs.org/RaptorRehabilitationCentre.htm or here http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/amigo/2009/05/04/gibraltar-short-toed-eagle-story/ also check wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-legged_Gull and read the "reproduction' section. If you'r observing this behaviour there has to be a few nests (or nests to be ) on the surrounding cliffs for sure, they dont only nest in Gib. Theres plenty of food around for them anyway.
Looks like an excellent day Eddy I had a feeling it would have been good there due to the prevailing winds! Things picked up here in Gib and the flow of BKites and STE got stronger and the day went by.
Im surprised you didnt see any gulls chasing any STE's away, they have a particular dislike for this species. There were going mad here when spotting them coming from quite a distance and heading out to see in mass to 'greet them'! Trust me, they are not attacking the raptors for food but to defend their territory. See this link - http://www.gonhs.org/RaptorRehabilitationCentre.htm or here http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/amigo/2009/05/04/gibraltar-short-toed-eagle-story/ also check wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-legged_Gull and read the "reproduction' section. If you'r observing this behaviour there has to be a few nests (or nests to be ) on the surrounding cliffs for sure, they dont only nest in Gib. Theres plenty of food around for them anyway.
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eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Birdman 7,whilst I agree in principle to the territorial theory The gull with the osprey yesterday was on it´s own and could clearly be seen swooping towards the front end and beak of the osprey and when after a few seconds nothing came about it gave up and the osprey continued on it´s way unpeturbed.This happened several 100 yards from the shore.I have seen them chasing the STE´s but again not actually attacking them but harrasing them.This was not the case of the of the peregrine falcon or the sparrowhawk which was obviously to kill the raptors as it did with the pergrine as reported on a another thread.The resident kestrel pair on Punta Carnero attack anything that comes within their territory but as I have observed at home booted eagles seem to be the targets most of the time.I have seen swallows and starlings attack a booted eagle which seems to be the most hated preditor. This is only my interpretation of the occurances and if someone comes up with something different I will bow to their better knowledge.........Eddy.
occasional
Well-known member
they dont only nest in Gib
YLGs apparently nest on Isla Paloma which might be near enough to spark territorial behaviour.
Yesterday probably started slowly because of poor weather over Morocco west of Jebel Musa.
YLGs apparently nest on Isla Paloma which might be near enough to spark territorial behaviour.
Yesterday probably started slowly because of poor weather over Morocco west of Jebel Musa.
Birdman7
Bird photographer
I agree, I was observing the cloud cover over that area from Gib and thought the same.
There are several YLG pairs all along the entire Guadalmesi area from Tarifa to Algeciras, not colonial like in Gib, but individual, iv seen them myself recently.
occasional
Well-known member
Interesting day today. Wind about force 7 but the sky full of birds crossing the Strait.
occasional
Well-known member
Whats flying about
Almost entirely black kites (400+over a short period) with some booted eagles, a few(presumably black) storks and a marsh harrier.
Rain now appears to have put a stop to events.
Almost entirely black kites (400+over a short period) with some booted eagles, a few(presumably black) storks and a marsh harrier.
Rain now appears to have put a stop to events.
Birdman7
Bird photographer
Great thx, was this all over Getares?
occasional
Well-known member
Yes, but not from a particularly good viewpoint.
Like you I had assumed that the wind was too strong for much migration and was rather surprised to go outside and see kites all around.
Like you I had assumed that the wind was too strong for much migration and was rather surprised to go outside and see kites all around.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Yesterday, after a day indoors I went out at about 5 as the rain cleared to just showers. Worth the hour and a half: 2 male Hen Harriers, 1 2nd cal yr Montagu's Harrier, 3 ST Eagles, a few Booted, then over Marchenilla lots of birds in the sky - most seemed to be Kites and they were then grounded (about 6.30p.m.) in fields south of Marchenilla, incomplete count of about 80 birds. Back over Marchenilla a flock of 72 White Storks vapouring about.
This morning counted about 80 Black Kites around 8.30 a.m. Then as we headed off for a walk I started seeing Kites heading North over the village. By lunchtime I had counted 888, with 12 or more ST Eagles and few Booted, a beautiful flock of 132 White Storks also went north. 2 Alpine Swifts over the town this morning.
First Yellow Wagtail yesterday.
Must head west some time..... pip pip!
This morning counted about 80 Black Kites around 8.30 a.m. Then as we headed off for a walk I started seeing Kites heading North over the village. By lunchtime I had counted 888, with 12 or more ST Eagles and few Booted, a beautiful flock of 132 White Storks also went north. 2 Alpine Swifts over the town this morning.
First Yellow Wagtail yesterday.
Must head west some time..... pip pip!
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Report from Marchenilla
How many of these black kites - and others - head north to the UK?
It's all fascinating reading. I'd love to be there!
How many of these black kites - and others - head north to the UK?
It's all fascinating reading. I'd love to be there!
MJB
Well-known member
Most of the continental species such as Black Kites, Short-toed Eagles & Booted Eagles wouldnt get there but possibly quite a few Marsh Harriers, Hobby & Sparrowhawks would. Its a fantastic time to be down here now and all the way up till May to observe migration June
Many birds have the endogenous ability to change course at the appropriate latitude, an action related to their internal 'clock', sun angle and daylight duration (Common Starling in particular), and so it is no surprise that such as Black Kites on their return migration 'make a right' in Spain or in France; only those with faulty endogenous 'instructions' or those that are making the return migration for the first time normally are liable to head off on their own.
MJB
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Pretty quiet this afternoon ended the day on an odd 899 Black Kites! 9 different Birds of prey again today, best being another male Montagu's Harrier as we had a drink at the Marchenilla Venta. Quite a few Willow Warblers today.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Well, today dawned bright and still so at about 9 we set off west. Unfortunately by the time we got to Algeciras the east wind was at about force 6/7! We stopped and had a look at Los Lances beach where the lagoon had good numbers of 5 species of Gull and about 60 Sandwich Terns (some stained yellow). 50 Sanderling. On to Bolonia, where at the top of the hill I met a couple of British birders, but no BOPs. By the beach and up to the cliff (no Swifts) we saw a couple of Short-toed Eagles, a Booted Eagle and a Black Kite. Onwards to La Janda, hoping (in vain) for less wind. No such luck. 4/5 Marsh Harriers, 40 or so Spoonbills, 16 Glossy Ibis, 1 Great White Egret, and the highlight - about 20 Bee-eaters heading NW. No Ibis at Montenmedio, or at Barbate or Zahara. Stopped at the Mirador above the straights (about 5pm), and could see quite a few BOPs coming over and making landfall slightly east of the mirador. Most seemed to be Black Kites and Griffons.... Less wind would help....
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Migration watchers
I'm intrigued. Are you there specifically for the migration period, maybe with a Birdwatching group, are you on holiday or maybe you live there? I do envy you all
I'm intrigued. Are you there specifically for the migration period, maybe with a Birdwatching group, are you on holiday or maybe you live there? I do envy you all
