31 Aug:  Clear skies with some Saharan dust.  Winds light variable to light westerly.

Ringing Totals

A Tree Pipit was heard from Jews' gate in the early morning, and a Hoopoe was present at the Botanic Gardens.

30 Aug:  Overcast with high cloud and Saharan dust, with a few sunny spells in the morning, but cloud increasing in the afternoon to give a shower.  Winds light westerly to light variable to light westerly in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

Windmill Hill

A Honey Buzzard and a Booted Eagle were seen over the Rock, and a flock of six Sparrowhawks flew south-west over Jews' Gate. 

29 Aug:  Overcast skies with the rumble of thunder in nearby Spain.  Some light drizzle at times with a moderate easterly wind with squalls during periods.

Windmill Hill

A Hoopoe was seen in the Botanic Gardens, and a Flamingo flew south past Westview Promenade.

Around 100 Cory's Shearwaters and two Balearic Shearwaters were observed off Sandy Bay. A flock of 40 Bee-eaters were seen at Europa Point.

28 Aug:  Overcast skies for most of the morning and early afternoon with thick levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour.  Winds moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

27 Aug:  Overcast skies at dawn clearing over the Strait mid morning, but levanter cloud remaining over the Rock, town and harbour.  Winds moderate easterly.

Three Ravens were seen overhead at Jews' Gate.

Ringing Totals

The first Common Redstart of the season was seen in the Nature Reserve.

26 Aug:  Overcast at dawn with fog off Europa Point, clearing to give some levanter cloud the rest of the day.  Winds light becoming moderate easterly.

Ringing Totals

25 Aug:  Clear skies with a light to moderate northerly in the morning becoming south-westerly in the Strait and Bay in the afternoon.

Ringing Totals

There was a Robin at Commonwealth Park.

24 Aug:  Levanter cloud over Rock, town and harbour in a light to moderate easterly wind.

Nine Shags were seen fishing off Seven Sister's rocks.

Ringing Totals

23 Aug:  Overcast skies with levanter cloud over the Rock, town and harbour.  Winds moderate easterly.

Two Iberian Chiffchaffs heard around the Observatory.  Around 400 Black Kites reported flying south east at Europa Point in the morning followed by some Honey Buzzards.

Ringing Totals

A Whitethroat and two Iberian Chiffchaffs were present at North Front Cemetery.  An Alpine Swift was seen at O'Hara's Battery.

Among the resident birds at Windmill Hill, there were some trans-Saharan migrants , with four Hoopoes, a juvenile Woodchat Shrike, a Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat.

22 Aug:  Clear skies with a light westerly wind, becoming northerly in the late afternoon, and fog creeping in from the east in light easterly winds.

A Robin was heard calling at Trafalgar Cemetery, and a Common Sandpiper was at the northern end of Westview Promenade, with another at Europa foreshore.

In the morning at Europa Point there were five Cory's Shearwaters, a Balearic Shearwater, a Common Sandpiper, a flock of five Oystercatchers heading west and two Audouin's Gulls. Also seen a dark phase Booted Eagle arrived across the Strait, and the light phase bird was seen hunting over Windmill Hill.

A Black Kite was seen over the Rock in the early afternoon, and a Bee-eater was observed in the Nature Reserve.

in the afternoon, just before winds turned northerly there were 10 Cory's Shearwaters, eight Balearic Shearwaters, two Black-headed Gulls and eight Audouin's Gulls.

21 Clear skies with a light easterly.  Fog in the Strait but clearing mid morning.  Winds becoming light and variable to light to moderate south-westerly in the afternoon.

The Goshawk was seen this morning, flying out of Windmill Hill and headed over Rosia and across the Bay.

At North Front Cemetery there were single Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat.  A Robin was present in undergrowth at Vineyards.

The Booted Eagle was hunting over Windmill Hill.

20 Aug:  Clear skies with a light to moderate easterly wind.

A morning visit to Windmill Hill produced 10 Barbary Partridges (four juveniles), a Goshawk, a Swallow, 34 Sardinian Warblers, seven Blackbirds, and seven Greenfinches.

There was a Hoopoe at Western Beach.  Two Iberian Chiffchaffs were seen in the Nature Reserve.

A family of Spotted Flycatchers was seen along Naval Hospital Road, and a Robin calling from Jacob's Ladder.

19 Aug:  Clear skies at dawn in a light easterly but becoming fresh with strong gusts and a heavy levanter cloud later.

The Botanic gardens held three Iberian Chiffchaffs, a Robin and a Nightingale.  The Booted Eagle was hunting over the Apes Den.

 A walk along upper Withams Hill and the Botanic Gardens produced three Iberian Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, nine Sardinian Warblers, four Blackcaps, 22 Blackbirds, a Nightingale, a Robin, two Spotted Flycatchers and six Greenfinches.  Also seen in the area a Booted Eagle, a Kestrel and a Peregrine.

There were three Hoopoes at North Front Cemetery.

In the afternoon at Windmill Hill there were 21 Barbary Partridges, a Kestrel, single juvenile Woodchat Shrike, four Swallows, 27 Sardinian Warblers, five Blackbirds, two Blue Rock Thrushes, 25 Spotless Starlings and 12 Greenfinches.  Also seen in the area were three Ravens.

18 Aug:  Clear skies with a moderate westerly wind, and south westerly in the Strait.  Winds dying down mid morning to a light westerly and then light variable.

Raptor passage commenced at 08:00hrs and continued until 09:30 when winds became light.  In total there were single Honey Buzzard,  695 Black Kites and a Montagu's Harrier.

A visit to North Front Cemetery produced a Woodchat Shrike, an Iberian Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, five Sardinian Warblers and two Blackbirds.

There were 50 Cory's Shearwaters, three Balearic Shearwaters and 11 Audouin's Gulls off Sandy Bay.  The shearwaters were feeding offshore whilst the gulls headed south.

A Melodious Warbler was seen along Europa Road, and a Bonelli's Warbler was observed along Douglas path.

17 Aug:  Clear skies with a moderate  south-westerly in the morning but winds light over Spain.  Winds freshened mid morning to a fresh south westerly and fresh westerly in the afternoon.

The morning raptor passage commenced with an early male Montagu's Harrier.  This was followed by  by flocks of Black Kites crossing over La Linea and soaring over the North Mole and then cutting across the Bay towards Spain.  At least 800 Black Kites flew south-west until 10:30 when winds freshened and passage resumed over the Rock with three Honey Buzzards and another 850 Black Kites , three Montagu's Harriers and a Sparrowhawk.  Passage ceased altogether after midday.

One of two Honey Buzzards seen yesterday.                                     C. Perez

Two Willow Warblers were observed at Westview Promenade.

A seawatch at Europa point in the afternoon produced four Grey Herons, four Kestrels, an Eleonora's Falcon chased by one of the local Peregrines over the sea,  two Gannets, 10 Cory's Shearwaters, a Shag,  four Audouin's Gulls, and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  Also seen were five Black Kites and a Swallow.

16 Aug:  Clear skies with a fresh north-westerly at the head of the Bay and a fresh south-westerly in the Strait.

Raptor passage commenced at 08:00hrs with a single Montagu's Harrier.  There were four White Storks over the southern end of the Rock at 08:30hrs and this was followed by steady passage of Black Kites, with many approaching Rock Gun at high altitude.  Later passage resumed over town, with many flocks soaring over town and gaining height to head south.  By 09:30hrs, winds at the head of the Bay turned to south-westerly and raptors ceased, but 20 minutes later the north-westerlies strengthened and raptors once again approached the Rock.  By 10:30 passage had almost ceased, with only a few Black Kites crossing over the Rock.

Total for the morning 2100 Black Kites and 10 Montagu's Harriers.  Also seen were two Crossbills and two Spotted Flycatchers, (one a juvenile).

Juvenile Black Kite.                                   C. Perez

One of many thousands of Black Kites that have crossed the Strait in the last few days.                                                      C. Perez

In the afternoon passage picked up after 16:00hrs when west-north westerlies freshened, and thousands of Black Kites crossed over the Rock until 20:30hrs.  Total for the day, two Honey Buzzards,  11,500 Black Kites, two adult Egyptian Vulture, 42 Montagu's Harriers, a Booted Eagle, 150 Common Swifts and 60 Bee-eaters.

At Europa Point a 31 Cory's Shearwaters, 12 Balearic Shearwaters, three Shags, Spoonbill, 18 Common Swifts,  two Caspian Terns, three Whimbrels, a Common Sandpiper, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 10 Audouin's Gulls.  Also seen nearby a Willow Warbler, and two Fin Whales offshore.

A close view of the Spoonbill past Europa Point.                                                    R. Perez

A visit to Windmill Hill produced a 11 Barbary Partridges, a Kestrel, three Hoopoes,  25 Sardinian Warblers, five Blackbirds , a Nightingale, a Blue Rock Thrush, seven Greenfinches, 15 Spotless Starlings and a Nuthatch* First record for Gibraltar. 

15 Aug:  Clear skies with a moderate to fresh westerly.

Heavy passage of Black Kites at dawn until 11:00 when passage trickled off.  A total of 5250 Black Kites were counted but many more were missed earlier on.  Also seen were two Montagu's Harriers.

The afternoon at Europa Point was disappointing, with few seabirds seen for a total of 30 Cory's Shearwaters, 32 Balearic Shearwaters, three Oystercatchers, four Black-headed Gulls and seven Audouin's Gulls.  Also seen were two Kestrels and eight Swallows.

14 Aug:  Clear skies with a light to moderate west to south-westerly in the afternoon.

A steady passage of raptors in the morning and early afternoon for a total of 623 Black Kites, a Booted Eagle and an Eleonora's Falcon.

13 Aug:  Some light westerly cloud earlier in the morning clearing later.  Winds light easterly; very hot.

Ringing Totals

A visit to Windmill Hill produced a 18 Barbary Partridges (six Juv), Kestrel, two Woodchat Shrikes (one juv), an Isabelline Warbler, 19 Sardinian Warblers, 11 Blackbirds and three Blue Rock Thrushes.

A seawatch at Europa Point resulted in 20 Cory's Shearwaters, a Balearic Shearwaters and 12 Audouin's Gulls.

An early migrant Willow Warbler was photographed in the Nature Reserve.                                             T. Finlayson

12 Aug:  Levanter cloud and some westerly cloud in the morning clearing by midday to give hazy sunshine.  Winds light easterly.

A Melodious Warbler was observed a Commonwealth Park.  At least 12 Booted Eagles were seen in the early afternoon.

11 Aug:  Levanter cloud in the morning clearing by early afternoon.  Winds light easterly.

A flock of 35 Black Kites were observed over the Rock, and later flew west across the Bay. A Booted Eagle was also observed around the Observatory.

10 Aug:  Overcast with levanter cloud in the early morning, continuing well into the afternoon but breaking up to give sunny spells.  Winds light easterly.

A light phase Booted Eagle was seen over Signal Station.

A visit to Windmill Hill produced a 17 Barbary Partridges, Peregrine, two Kestrels, a Hoopoe, 27 Sardinian Warblers, eight Blue Rock Thrushes, 11 Blackbirds, 12 Spotless Starlings and six Greenfinches.

09 Aug:  Clear skies in the early morning in light variable winds becoming overcast with a light to moderate easterly setting in.

An early morning visit to North Front Cemetery produced a Kestrel, two adult Woodchat Shrikes, a Melodious Warbler, 11 Sardinian Warblers and four Blackbirds.

Two Phylloscopus warblers and a juvenile Woodchat Shrike were seen at Westview Promenade, and three unidentified Raptors circling over the North Mole.

A Short-toed Eagle was seen in the early afternoon over the Apes Den.

08 Aug:  Clear skies with a light westerly becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly in the Strait.

Mid morning, as westerlies freshened, approximately 90 Black Kites flew south.  There were three Jackdaws and a Raven over Grand Parade, and another three Ravens over Catalan Bay at the same time.  A Roller flew south over the Botanic Gardens where a Melodious Warbler was observed flycatching in the Ficus tree by the Cottage.  Also seen at this site were four Spotted Flycatchers with an adult feeding two juveniles.

An afternoon watch at Europa Point produced 23 Cory's Shearwaters, 101 Balearic Shearwaters, a Shag, 93 Audouin's Gulls with half that number juveniles, and two Kestrels.

There were six Spotted Flycatchers, two of them juveniles, at the Botanic Gardens.

At Windmill Hill there were 26 Barbary Partridges, two Kestrels, two Peregrines, five Woodchat Shrikes (1juv), a Hoopoe, three Melodious Warblers, 17 Sardinian Warblers, nine Blackbirds, five Blue Rock Thrushes and a Spotless Starling.

07 Aug:  Levanter cloud over the Rock in the morning, clearing by midday.  Winds light easterly becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly.

An Iberian Chiffchaff and a Bonelli's Warbler were present in the Nature Reserve.  A Hoopoe, three Sardinian Warblers and four Blackbirds were seen at the North Front Cemetery.

In the morning five Audouin's Gulls were observed heading west at Europa Point. Later an afternoon visit to Europa Point produced 38 Cory's Shearwaters, six Balearic Shearwaters, an adult Gannet, three Shags, two Black-headed Gulls, 39 Audouin's Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Kestrel.

Audouin's Gull with satellite tag on back heading out of the Mediterranean.      C. Perez.

An adult Gannet heading west at Europa Point.      C. Perez

06 Aug: Clear skies in a light easterly winds.

A visit to Windmill Hill produced 15 Barbary Partridges, a Kestrel, two Melodious Warblers, 36 Sardinian Warblers, 15 Blackbirds, two Blue Rock Thrushes, 36 Spotless Starlings and 11 Greenfinches.

04 Aug: Clear skies in a light easterly winds.

A visit to Windmill Hill produced 15 Barbary Partridges, a Kestrel, four Swallows, a Melodious Warbler, 31 Sardinian Warblers, 12 Blackbirds, three Blue Rock Thrushes, 20 Spotless Starlings and 19 Greenfinches.

A pale morph Eleonora's Falcon was seen over North Front Cemetery.

03 Aug:  Clear skies in a light easterly winds.

A visit to Windmill Hill produced 18 Barbary Partridges, three Kestrels a dark phase Booted Eagle, a Swallow, 37 Sardinian Warblers, 17 Blackbirds, three Blue Rock Thrushes, 24 Spotless Starlings and 11 Greenfinches.