Our winter seabird watch on Saturday 21st February took place at Europa Point, where we met at 3pm under less-than-ideal conditions. Despite a misty easterly wind that significantly reduced visibility across the Strait, we were pleased to see a good turnout of around 15 participants at the start.

Unfortunately, the weather worked against us for much of the afternoon. The haze and wind direction made it difficult to scan distant waters, and as a result, our bird count was lower than in previous years for this time of year. This seemed largely due to the change in wind conditions during the day.

Interestingly, local birder Andrew Fortuna had been watching from the same spot earlier that morning and experienced a much better passage of seabirds. It was a clear reminder of just how quickly conditions can shift, even within the same day, and how much this can impact seabird movement for Europa Point.

Over the course of approximately an hour and a half, we recorded the following species:

• 1 Ruddy Turnstone
• 22 Black-legged Gulls
• 1 Audouin’s Gull
• 5 Mediterranean Gulls
• 2 Sandwich Terns
• 10 Balearic Shearwaters
• 21 Northern Gannets
• 4 Great Cormorants
• 2 European Shags
• 1 Sardinian Warbler

The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the sighting of two Black-legged Kittiwakes, which lingered in the area for some time and allowed for excellent views. This was a particularly special moment, as several members had not seen this species before in Gibraltar.

Adult Kittiwake at Europa Point.                                   R. Perez

Although the numbers were modest, the outing proved to be a very enjoyable and sociable event. It was great to see members coming together, sharing the experience, and making the most of the conditions. The sighting of the Kittiwakes was a rewarding bonus and a memorable record for the day.