Army Ornithological SocietyGibraltar Ringer 14
Sitting in stifling afternoon heat having entered 145 records into the Jews Gate computer, Andrew's blog makes us all here yearn for cooler climes, winter thrushes and, dare I say it, variety. After 78 Blackcaps and 47 Robins, I made an unseemly grab for the single Wren that rose to the rarity value of the only Orphean Warbler (pictured) caught today.
Yesterday lacked numbers but included two new species for the trip - Northern Wheatear and Reed Warbler - to accompany Bonnelli's Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Stonechat. The large number of Pied Flies has dwindled considerably and been replaced by Robins. Even the Sardinian Warblers have almost disappeared. We are not exactly blase about Nightjars - how could you be with such cryptic plumage and affronted attitude accompanied by loud hisses and a gape that seems larger than the bird itself - but today's European Nightjar was the first to be released without a photo record.
Hardly mentioned have been the raptors, but with John Wells here as the non-ringer, he has been able to spend more time on the raptor count than the rest of us. The result has been an impressive record of fly-by birds from sparrowhawks through harriers to eagles, and today, Egyptian Vultures to add to the GONHS data base. He has also assumed the post of cat catcher from Mark Cutts, while Sue Wells continues to record - today for two and a half hours before getting a leg stretch!
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