It’s been quite a week, with heavy rain and strong to gale force winds. I managed to get out in between the worst intervals and I never cease to be surprised at the way in which birds on migration seem to find gaps to get across. The big challenge here is crossing from North Africa to southern Europe and that involves crossing the sea. All the photos in this post were taken this week and they show the effort of birds crossing in bad weather conditions.
The main species moving this week, in the thousands, was the Black Kite (Milvus migrans). These birds are fearless and will cross even during rain showers, cannily keeping on the edge of the advancing front as the push north.
Other raptors are no as adept and only cross when it really warms up, they can see clearings and the chances look good. Short-toed Snake Eagles (Circaetus gallicus) are the main ones following this strategy during the first half of March, all adults returning to breed, in some cases as far east as Italy. But they can get caught by the rain as they struggle over the sea. You can really see the challenges of migrating over water in this species, arriving with beaks open, panting, and some even with missing flight and tail feathers.
Storks are strong fliers and this week has seen the continuing passage of White (Ciconia ciconia ) and Black Storks (Ciconia nigra). It’s pleasing to see the latter crossing in large flocks, of between thirty and one hundred birds. In the seventies, Black Storks were much scarcer. In fact a seasonal total then can be easily reached in a day today.
Waiting for these raptors and storks to come in along Gibraltar’s southern sea cliffs is never dull. This week we’ve been treated by spectacles of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) diving just offshore and giving us a chance to observe them in plumages of all ages.
The other treat for me this week has been Audouin’s Gulls (Icthyaetus audouinii), now returning to breeding sites in the Mediterranean. The adults, in particular, are in splendid plumage.
Yesterday, the weather improved but the wind blew from the north-west. This gave the soaring birds a head wind which meant that they were able to reach great altitudes as they crossed the sea. Not so good if you’re trying to photograph them, but wonderful to watch nonetheless. It was quite a treat, seeing the skies filled with raptors as they made the most of the first fully clear day in a week.
It’s a long time since I last visited Gibraltar – Clive’s fascinating post makes me want to go back again.