Straits of Gibraltar.....

13-15 Sept - A brief visit to Tarifa for the raptor migration at the Straits of Gibraltar (1-6), the winds were westerly on 13th, then swung to easterly on 14th, and good numbers of raptors seen - over 300 Booted Eagles (10), and over 150 Short-toed Eagles (7-8), mostly on the morning of 14th. Rather few Honey Buzzards (12), only 30, but that included a flock of 13 on 13th. Also 24 Egyptian Vultures (11) and 39 Black Kites counted. A high total of 47 Black Storks (13) seen, also a flock of 13 Bee-eaters, and 1s and 2s of Red-rumped Swallows totalling 11. Photo no 9 shows a bird I think is a juvenile Honey Buzzard, initially I thoght it was a dark phase Booted Eagle..... Early morning seawatches both mornings pruduced a total of 50 Cory's Shearwaters and 30 Audouin's Gulls. Two visits to La Janda ricefields (14) gave very good views of Montagu's, total 22 birds, (16) and 28 Marsh Harriers - several melanistic Montagu's seen, a couple of Montagu's also seen at Tarifa. Black-shouldered Kites (15) were fairly obliging at La Janda, also here 7 Glossy Ibis, hundreds of White Storks (18), an immature Purple Heron (17) and a Woodchat. Photos JM - the birds were mostly fairly high though, in sunny, windy conditions.