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

66 Bird Report 2005
The early summer saw several birds ringed and released after a period of rehabilitation.
They included a Black Kite and two more Griffon Vultures. Also ringed and
released were young birds that were found by concerned members of the public,
comprising three Common Kestrels, two Little Owls and a Barn Owl.
August. Ringing resumed on the 24 th and already early trans-Saharan migrants
were on the move. A total of five Reed, two Melodious and three Garden Warblers
were ringed at the end of the month together with small numbers of juvenile resident
birds.
September. Captures were again dominated by juvenile resident birds including 24
Blackbirds, 36 Blue Tits and 45 Sardinian Warblers. Some of the 126 Blackcaps
caught were early migrants handled at the end of the month: this species dominated
the rest of the season. A total of 13 Robins were caught, the first on the 19 th .
Low numbers of trans-Saharan migrants were caught in comparison to other years
but 55 Pied Flycatchers, 47 Willow Warblers, 35 Garden Warblers, 19 Common
Redstarts and 11 Nightingales made up the numbers. Disappointingly there were
only two Subalpine Warblers: on the 19 th and 20 th , a single Reed Warbler on the 29 th ,
four Orphean Warblers, six Common Whitethroats and three Spotted Flycatchers,
all species that are usually more numerous at this time of the year. Interesting highlights
included a Hoopoe on the 9 th , a Common Nightjar and a Yellow Wagtail in the
scrub on the 13 th : the latter being only the third-ever ringed, two Red-necked
Nightjars on the 19 th , a Short-toed Treecreeper on the 26 th , and four Scops Owls:
the last of the month on the 29 th , and a Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, also on the 29 th .
October. A total of 1,247 Blackcaps and 443 Robins were trapped and ringed
during the month. Other wintering birds arriving included 68 Black Redstarts from
the 13 th , 37 Song Thrushes from the 5 th : with the main passage between the 14 th and
20 th , and 26 Common Chiffchaffs, mainly from the 20 th to the 26 th . Finch passage
was not notable but small numbers were caught including 16 Chaffinches from the
17 th and 69 Greenfinches from the 15 th . Other finch species were scarce with only
five Goldfinches and single Serins and Linnets caught. However, a Brambling on
the 26 th was only the second-ever ringed: the previous was caught on Nov 6 th 2001.
Late trans-Saharan migrants were still evident with three Reed Warblers and two
Nightingales during the first half of the month, 18 Willow Warblers: the last on the
21 st , and 33 Garden Warblers and 37 Common Redstarts up to the 22 nd . Interesting
catches included a Grey Wagtail during the World Birdwatch day on the 1 st and the
first ringed Long-eared Owl on the 16 th , itself only the second record for Gibraltar.
November. Ringing continued until the 19 th , during which another 242 Blackcaps and
239 Robins were ringed. Black Redstart passage was intense during the earlier part
of the month with 174 birds ringed. Wintering birds continued to arrive with 20 Song
Thrushes; a Redwing, a Firecrest and a late Ring Ouzel on the 10 th , and a Meadow
Pipit on the 12 th . Small numbers of finches continued to fly south including many Siskin
flocks: one Siskin was caught on the 8 th and six more on the 9 th . Crag Martins arrived
to winter on the cliffs and six birds were ringed, including four on the 10 th . A Goldcrest
on the 15 th was the third-ever ringed and the ninth record for Gibraltar.