Straits of Gibraltar

17-19 Sept - a brief visit to Tarifa, with westerly winds and heavy showers affecting proceedings. All photos by JM. The morning at the Algarrobo watchpoint was productive before the rain, with a pulse of Honey Buzzards(2)going through, followed by Booted(4) and Short-toed Eagles(3), and 3 flocks of Black Storks(6) totalling over 80 birds. Small numbers of Egyptian Vultures(5) were also seen, together with 3 Alpine Swifts. In the evening, Cazalla watchpoint was fairly productive, again with Short-toed and Booted Eagles, also an Osprey, a Peregrine and several Montagu's Harriers including a melanistic bird.
Prior to the migration watch, early morning at Tarifa beach produced Balearic and Cory's Shearwaters offshore, and a selection of waders on the beach including many Kentish Plovers, 1-2 Curlew Sandpipers, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel and a Greenshank. 22 Audouin's Gulls looked elegant in the early morning light.
La Janda at midday gave good sightings of Marsh and Montagu's Harriers (including another melanistic bird), also 20+ Lesser Kestrels, a Black-Shouldered Kite, an immature Purple Heron and 60+ White Storks.
On 19th, in Gibraltar, 8 Honey Buzzards gave a flypast including 4 very low birds whiel I was waiting at the airport to return home.