Recent Sightings December 2021
27 Dec: The Jackdaw was seen again by Europa Advance road. Iberian Magpie again feeding in the Vineyards area. A Great Spotted Cuckoo was seen along Queen's road in the Nature Reserve.
26 Dec: The Iberian Magpie coming to the Vineyards area feeding on Olives.
Iberian Magpie feeding on Olives. R. Perez
25 Dec: Possibly the same Jackdaw was seen on Europa Advance road.
24 Dec: The Iberian Magpie was seen at Vineyards.
22 Dec: Common Starling singing on Palm Tree by Vineyards. Grey Herons seen daily at Small boats Marina.
20 Dec: A Barn Owl was seen flying around Europa Point. At Europa Point there were single Great Skua and an two Audouin's Gull apart from usual seabirds.
19 Dec: An hours visit to Europa point produced 14 Gannets, three Cormorants, five Shags, a Great Skua, 31 Black-headed Gulls and two Audouin's Gulls.
17 Dec: Two Gannets and two Sandwich Terns off Westview Promenade.
16 Dec: The two Ravens were seen heading north over Casemates. A Sandwich Tern was observed off Europlaza.
10 Dec: Jackdaw still spending time at the Moorish Castle. Tonight a new record of over 20,000 Crag Martins at Gorham's and Vanguard Caves.
Jackdaw at Moorish Castle. S. Warr
Five Turnstones were seen at the Europa foreshore.
09 Dec: A Wryneck was heard calling in the Botanic Gardens.
06 Dec: An Osprey was seen at Europa Point.
08 Dec: Overcast with rain showers in the morning clearing in the afternoon to give sunny spells. Winds moderate westerly to north-westerly in the afternoon.
A count of Crag Martins, as the flew towards their roosting sites at Gorham's and Vanguard caves, on the east side of the Rock, produced a record count of 18,226 birds, with 10,000 in five minutes, and the majority of birds heading down to the roost in the space of 20 minutes. The past two winters the record numbers were between 10,000 and 12,000, but three winters ago there were only approximately 5,000 birds. The cold weather and the rain during the morning may have incremented the numbers coming to roost. These are approximate numbers with realistic figures greater than the estimate.
04 Dec: A visit to Western Beach in the morning produced four Sandwich Terns, five Black-headed Gulls, two Common Sandpipers, a Sanderling and four White Wagtails. At Europa Point there were 14 Gannets, 84 Black-headed Gulls, an Audouin's Gull, three Black Redstarts, two Stonechats and two Serins.
03 Dec: Clear skies with a light westerly turning to fresh northerly wind.
A visit to Europa Point produced six Gannets offshore, 130 Black-headed Gulls, including the returning colour ringed bird E6PT, (ringed on the 7th July 2014 in Netherlands,) a Cormorant and eight Sandwich Terns in a flock heading west.
