2005 (No 5) - Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society

GONHS
ving between Apr 17 th and Apr 24 th .
The autumn passage was evidently substantial since the partial counts recorded
449 between Aug 25 th and Nov 16 th , including 73 on Sep 16 th and 89 on Sep 17 th .
Two, a male and a female, were reported from late November into 2006 and were
clearly wintering locally, being seen hunting occasionally on the Upper Rock.
Common Buzzard Busardo Ratonero Buteo buteo
Regular but scarce migrant, formerly common. Occasional in winter.
One was over the Rock on Jan 26 th , Feb 2 nd and Feb 4 th . A total of 11 migrants were
recorded between Feb 12 th and Apr 17 th , seven of them in late March. The only
autumn record was one on October 30 th . One was reported from early December
into 2006, hunting over the Upper Rock and the Great Sand Slopes.
Long-legged Buzzard Busardo Moro Buteo rufinus
Vagrant.
At least two individuals were present, perhaps intermittently, from Sep 2 nd into 2006,
an unprecedented instance of wintering by this species. One was an adult and the
other a juvenile, although they were only seen together on Oct 23 rd , Oct 26 th and
Nov 15 th . They were reported on at least 22 dates, usually being seen hovering or
otherwise hunting over the leeward side of the Upper Rock. One individual was
seen to try and rob a Peregrine of its Collared Dove kill, without success.
Composite picture of the adult Long-legged Buzzard (R. Wheeler)
Booted Eagle Aguililla Calzada Aquila pennata
Common migrant. Occasional in winter.
A light phase bird seen over the Rock on five dates between Jan 13 th and Jan 25 th
seems likely to have the wintering individual also reported in November and
December 2004. The next report was not until Mar 6 th when three migrants arrived.
Spring migrants totalled 740, a record spring count. Most passed between mid-
March and mid-April. The largest day-counts were 83 on Mar 28 th and 61 on Apr 20 th
19