Saturday 10 September, Gaucin, light-fresh NW wind, sunny and warm: A couple of 'terrace watches' yielded the following: 1600-1700hrs, 40 Honey Buzzard, 2 adult and 1 juvenile Short-toed Eagle, 2 Black Kite, 4 adult Egyptian Vulture, 6 Barn Swallow and one unidentified medium-sized falcon! 1830-1900hrs, 32 Honey Buzzard and 1 Alpine Swift. Raptors were passing mainly NE-SW.

Friday 09 September, Camino de Gibraltar, Gaucin, 1800-1900hrs, light SE wind, sunny, warm: Summer continues with afternoon shade temperatures of 33C. A short walk down the camino produced Cirl Bunting, Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher, 2x Pied Flycatcher see photo, Blackcap, Chiffchaff sp., Sardinian Warbler and 18 Honey Buzzard passing N-S overhead. The Firecrest and probable juvenile Pied Flycatcher were the first I've seen along the camino.

Thursday 08 September: A quick visit to the estuary at Los Palmones wasn't too rewarding; the tide was in and there were quite a few people in the water around the sand banks. There were a few Grey Heron in the reedbed, along the water's edge were Little Egret, Dunlin, Sanderling, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel and Redshank. No gulls, terns or raptors!

Wednesday 07 September, Gaucin, sunny, very warm, light SE wind: 48 Honey Buzzard NE-SW over the village between 1750 and 1810hrs, also 6 Barn Swallow and 20 European Bee-eater. A further 58 Honey Buzzard NE-SW at 1900hrs and 44 European Bee-eater at 2000hrs. A few more Common Swift around this afternoon and a good number of House Martin early this morning. Pretty sure I heard a small snatch of Black Redstart song but couldn't locate it!

Tuesday 06 September, Rio Genal, Gaucin, 0830-1000hrs, sunny, light E wind: Fairly quiet down by the river but did see several Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, juvenile Bonelli's Eagle, Griffon Vulture, 5 Cattle Egret, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Spotted Flycatcher, Cetti's Warbler, White Wagtail and Grey Wagtail. Also 40 Honey Buzzard passing NE-SW over Benarraba at 1900hrs.

Monday 05 September, Gaucin: 20 Honey Buzzard passing E-W way down towards Gibraltar at 20:45hrs.

Sunday 04 September - Winter is on its way!!!!

The first wintering Black Redstart of the Autumn was seen today in Calle Cananmaque and it was a cold morning! ps Blue Rock Thrush checking out its wintering grounds in Barrio Alto, too! (Paul)