The Three Amigos ride again: Gibraltar birding: Black Kite and day trip across the border into Spain

The first of my three planned trips to Gibraltar this year was at the start of the spring migration from 16-21 Feb 24. Due to Gibraltar being on the east side of the Bay of Gibraltar and to the northeast of the Strait of Gibraltar, westerly winds are required for any significant raptor movement to be seen over ‘The Rock’. Easterlies result in raptors being mostly observed as distant specks as they drift towards Spain as they head north across the strait with Tarifa, on the southern tip of Spain, being significantly closer to Africa than Gibraltar. Consequently, the 16^th, being the only day with westerlies, was my best opportunity to connect with Black Kite which was a species already on the move. Despite the light westerlies far more Black Kites were seen heading over Spain than close to / over Gibraltar itself.

Hoopoe, Europa Foreshore, Gibraltar – 16 Feb 24

Apart from a day trip into Spain on the 20^th the daily routine comprised of me accompanying fellow Amigo Slasher on net rounds from dawn until late morning once any birds moving through had moved on. Due to the easterlies the afternoons were spent visiting local birding hotspots such as North Front Cemetery, Western Beach, Europa Foreshore, etc. Consequently, I soon got to add the local resident species not normally found in the UK to the Trip List that included Hoopoe, Mediterranean Shag, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Rock-thrush, Red-rumped Swallow, Balearic Shearwater, Black Kite (40+), Yellow-legged Gull, Barbary Partridge, Eurasian Crag Martin and Spotless Starling.

Europa Point, Gibraltar – 16 Feb 24

The 20th was an even earlier start to get my lift with local birder and photographer Steve Morgan for a full day of birding across the border. Fortunately, there were no ‘shenanigans’ at the border crossing and we had a thoroughly rewarding day visiting the inland lagoons at Barbate, the Northern Bald Ibis colony (reintroduced and separate Blog entry to follow) at La Barca de Vejer, La Janda wetlands and the Griffon Vulture colony in the hills above Bolonia. Highlights included: Northern Bald Ibis, Audouin’s Gull (10), Black Kite (regular overhead heading north), Black-winged Stilt (scores), Caspian Tern (2 singles), Osprey, Spanish Sparrow, Corn Bunting (regular), Crested Lark, European Serin, Fan-tailed Warbler, Thekla Lark, Greater Flamingo (c150), Stone Curlew, White Stork, Black-winged Kite, Common Crane (c380) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (now split). Great White Egret and Eurasian Spoonbill would previously have also been included but both are now resident in Hampshire and regularly seen.