Army Ornithological SocietyArmy Ornithological Society Blog
Gibraltar Ringer 6
With Carl and Ann Powell due out here shortly, the last thing I am going to mention is the weather. For a reasonable number of birds, we need an easterly wind and this is not due to return until the end of this week. Today started wet and got wetter until the early afternoon when the sun and wind helped to dry us out. We had managed a productive hour from first light picking up a steady flow of Sardinian Warblers, Pied Flies, Blackcap, Wrens, Iberian Chiffchaff and Blackbirds (never seen so many of the latter in one place), while watching the progress of squalls in the harbour below, the Bay, and the Straits further out. Anticipating trouble as the winds got up, it was a job to get all birds out and nets closed in time. In a break, and because we have yet to have a day without moving nets, we moved 2 unproductive nets from the bottom of the hill to the top. More emotional moments and all eyes on Mark and his teddy (see earlier blogs). At last the rain stopped, the sun came out and a female Sparrowhawk obligingly flew into an upper net. Not much causes me to run uphill but in this case and blowing out of every orifice, I caught her - a beautiful 2nd year female. The ringing day finished with an adult male Redstart in fresh and striking plumage.
Well, not quite the end of the day. A visit to La Linea and an 'all you can eat' Chinese restaurant was preceded by a viewing of White Storks nesting on platforms beside the road and a spiral of up to 40 birds over local wetland. Slept all the way back!
Gibraltar Ringer 5
It had to happen - the weather has turned and so last night we decided to go into Spain for some inland ringing this morning. Two and a half hours in the queue to cross the border did nothing for our collective sense of humour but fish and chips collected and eaten at the home of John Hale in Malaga Province managed to restore spirits...and a few beers. Mark Cutts and I stayed with John overnight and severely dented his beer stocks while Julia and Robin overnighted around the corner at their house in Casares. By the time we had opened 13 nets in John's 14 acre garden we had still no idea of the landscape but as dawn broke, a fantastic panorama of rocky hills and scrubland opened before us. Lesser Kestrel and Blue Rock Thrush were overtaken in interest by low flying Griffon Vultures (pictured) and then by large flocks of feeding Crag Martins with the occasional Red-rumped Swallow and House Martin.
Despite rain overnight, bird numbers were down this morning again, mostly due to the westerly wind but the pleasure of walking through such interesting countryside, compensated. A new bird was Cetti's Warbler, common enough in the UK but we were never going to ring it on Gibraltar. A retrapped Cetti's was ringed by Julia 10 days previously. We left John in his idyllic surroundings to return to the Rock and check that our furled nets remained so.
Gibraltar Ringer 4
With the prospect of going over to Spain to ring tomorrow morning, we are hastily back from Middle Hill and a quick repack of kit. No time compromised as the change in wind to a Westerly and little early cloud, reduced the numbers of birds considerably. Even the raptors were scarce today. Nevertheless, of the 23 birds ringed this morning, one new one for the list was Whitethroat. The fresh birds that we see in the fields at home look a little tired and worn here and it is surprising how many local birds simply do not move far. The combination of well travelled and local species that moult twice if hatched early in the year, makes for some interesting debates, Sardinian Warbler and Blackbirds in particular. Pied Flycatchers (pictured), Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler and Redstart made up some of the other numbers. A control Blackcap was very surprisingly ringed by Julia 2 years ago at Jew's Gate.
Despite having all nets up and in the right place, Charles Perez helpfully suggested that the line of four on the steepest slope should be moved three feet to the left to get closer to the vegetation. We all agreed and Mark Cutts' teddy remained intact so hopefully Sunday's ringing should produce better numbers.
Gibraltar Ringer 3
Mark's teddy bear has been sown back together and he has been placated by a Redstart. What did you expect when ringing with two A ringers? Charity? So when the second Subalpine Warbler turned up yesterday and it was ringed by Julia, pieces of teddy were everywhere. It could be assumed that the next rarity would be his. Wrong. One of the first birds today was a Bonelli's Warbler (pictured) - a really delicate and beautifully coloured bird and so I had to ring it. Poor old teddy.
Alarmingly, having opened the nets on Middle Hill in the dark, the first net round in the light was confronted by a large family of 'apes'. They have more right to be on the hill than we do and so they were gently persuaded to leave. A rather slow tick-over of birds followed but produced the Bonelli's and some Redstarts among the Sardinian Warblers and, a first for the trip, a pair of Pied Flycatchers. Again, Iberian Chiffchaffs in reasonable numbers, which show more of the colouration of Willow Warblers than Common Chiffs. Only 29 birds ringed today but we are still ringing more than Jews Gate at the moment.
With that thought in mind, we put up yet more nets! We now have 18 nets totalling 324 feet but we have at least produced a circuit so that we only pass the nets once, albeit crampons are needed for half of it. A gentle start stalking Red-necked Nightjars tomorrow (a European Nightjar heard this morning) and a better day for teddy perhaps.
Gibraltar Ringer 2
Much better day on the slopes of the Rock with 47 birds ringed and yet more nets added. Highlights were undoubtedly Subalpine Warbler, Redstart, Nightingale, Iberian Chiffchaff and all ages of Sardinian Warblers. A rather pathetic attempt to dazzle Red-necked Nightjars and catch them with a hand net calls for further practice. However, a little later, Charlie Perez was on hand to provide local knowledge, especially the peculiarities of local moult (Greenfinch juveniles apparently moult twice in the first year making aging a devil of a job). As for the Blackbirds, we have a constant flow but again they are just different from those in Somerset and each charcoal grey bird comes with its own aging characteristic.
There is no flat here and all nets are perched on rocks or along footpaths and firebreaks. Fine while the weather is cool but tiring in the afternoon sun. Although ringing in the National Park where there are no casual walkers, the presence of Barbary Macaques means that little can be left out overnight. It brings additional meaning to the phrase Poo Traps.
And while the ringing goes on, a constant stream of raptors passes overhead. Today just casual glances identified over 60 Booted Eagles at a time, accompanied by Short-toed Eagles, Black Kites and up to a dozen Sparrowhawks. The latter paid close interest to the tape lure playing Blackcap calls and some low level passes just missed the nets. Tomorrow?
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