Army Ornithological SocietyGibraltar Ringer 9
A really bad day if you are a black cat caught eating birds in the nets yesterday, but a good day for the rest of us - 'nuff said. Also, call off the search for John Hughes. He appeared like an 18th century explorer out of the blue having walked in from Spain, climbed to the top of the Rock, visited the (wrong) Bruce's Farm - the one that rehabilitates drug addicts, and found us up on the ringing site. Missing the pith helmet but really great to see him.
Not quite the same numbers as yesterday but still 44 birds ringed. The best was undoubtedly Orphean Warbler (pictured) which everyone seemed to have ringed except me. Another ringing tick then. Thankfully, a yellow eye and no barring allowed ID and ageing and the lighter head colour suggested a female. Once again a Whitethroat remained a Whitethroat despite an attempt to 'sex it up'. Lots of Garden Warblers coming in now and the Pied Flies have mostly moved on. Always nice to see old favourites and Robins and Blue Tits are building up numbers.
Leaving Robin and Julia to download results, Mark Cutts insisted on a nostalgic tour of downtown Gibraltar before he leaves tomorrow. Bad idea. We apparently visited (in Matelot terms) the Donkey's Flip-flop and the Mad Monk. Unable to walk much further but with Services ingenuity and following a short visit to the Botanical Gardens, we caught a passing cable car to the Peak (photo) and let gravity help us find Bruce's Farm on the way down. Will sleep well!
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