Final week I wrote in regards to the sizzling and dry stipulations that now have an effect on a lot of the Iberian Peninsula. My very own resolution with regards to birding presently of the yr is to pay attention to the coast. At Gibraltar, the place I reside, I spend many hours at its southernmost tip, Europa Level. If the winds are blowing from the west, the afternoons may also be impressive. Because the land heats up, a recent south-westerly sea breeze units in. Many birds heading in opposition to the Atlantic, whether or not migrating or acting feeding actions, are driven inshore. Sea-watching has at all times been thrilling for me as a result of there may be at all times the risk of one thing sudden turning up. This can be a bonus however merely status on most sensible of a cliff feeling the cool sea breeze in your face is enough praise.
I coated the principle species in my twenty third June article “When the ocean turns into a desolate tract”. Definitely, the migration of Audouin’s Gulls (Ichthyaetus audouinii) out of the Mediterranean is now collecting tempo and this can be a nice time to look at those birds of their array of plumages, in step with age. Europa Level, Gibraltar, must be the most efficient position to look at and {photograph} those gulls at shut quarters.
Every other gull that has turn into common and whose numbers have larger lately, is the Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus). Those additionally display up, continuously in circle of relatives teams, from the east and ceaselessly manner the purpose sooner than turning south-west in opposition to the Atlantic.
Much less common, but additionally appearing is the Slim-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei). If I in point of fact need to see those chic gulls, then I will at all times force as much as the Atlantic coast and the estuary of the Guadalquivir River the place they breed.
Now not all birds appearing up now are gulls. Two waders move thru in cheap numbers. Those are Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) and Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), birds coming from the Top Arctic within the latter case or from extra southerly latitudes in terms of the previous. Each are heading for wealthy wintering grounds off the West African coast.
Final week I wrote in regards to the Black Kites (Milvus migrans) that at the moment are heading south. With recent south-westerlies just right numbers of those kites are drifted out to sea, east of the Rock. They then make an hard flight again in a north-westerly course to search out land. Many evenings I’m staring at seabirds and flocks of kites arrive from the south-east and fly north again in opposition to the hinterland. Those fortunate ones have lived to combat any other day, possibly when stipulations beef up. I’m positive that many others don’t seem to be so fortunate and drown clear of sight of land.
I at all times cross out within the hope of seeing any other very particular fowl that displays up presently. That is Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae). Those are scarce however they do display up persistently in July and early August. They’re birds that challenge inland looking for concentrations of bugs which they feed on previous to shifting to their island colonies to reproduce. Others are non-breeding people wandering looking for meals. The birds that I see, nearly invariably, are available from the south, very most probably the Moroccan coast simply 21 kilometres away.
Sea-watching from the coast is excellent amusing at the moment and it assists in keeping me cool. Subsequent week I’ll take a step additional. Lately pelagic journeys have turn into an increasing number of standard they usually be offering a distinct window, one among seabirds that experience at all times been available in the market presently however that we’ve got by no means been in a position to peer from the coast.
