Tarifa Raptor Migration Spectacular Aug 2022 Part I

Mon 17th Oct, 2022

When Simon (Inglorious Bustards) told me in 2018 “you must come to the Straits Rich, the raptor migration is amazing, they are so close you can almost touch them” I thought he must have been drinking too much sangria… I had to wait another four years to experience the wildlife wonders of The Straits and it turned out he was right!

Black Kite checks us out! Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

I arrived into Gibraltar on the 20^th August and within one hour I was watching a flock of 50 Black Kites by the side of the road. They didn’t look as If they were going anywhere fast, the wind was strong so they were literally just hanging around, rolling effortlessly on the breeze. Nikki (Inglorious Bustards) told me that the Spanish word for the coastal wind system which blows from the land to the sea is ‘Levante’ which originates from the Spanish word levantar meaning ‘to rise’. On my first day the wind had more of a ‘Poniente’ direction, the Spanish word for winds from the ocean to the land. Using local expert knowledge we were able to pick the best watchpoint for the weather conditions.  

Black Kites prepare for the crossing Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Over 200,000 Black Kites are counted migrating across The Straits every autumn, incredible numbers and the highest counts anywhere in the world.

Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Having never been to the area before I was immediately impressed by the rugged big landscape beyond Gibraltar. Low scrubby hillsides hug the coast giving way to settlements such as the beautiful town of Tarifa. The coastal hills quickly rise into higher ground further inland creating an impressive wild scene. Small arrays of wind turbines on some of the hills are carefully monitored by ornithologists, remotely switching off the blades at times of high-risk raptor movements.

Short-toed Snake Eagle (adult) Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Our first full day at one of the coastal watchpoints was brilliant. A steady passage of a wide variety of raptors kicked off at around 10am with an Osprey followed by small numbers of Black Kites, Booted Eagles and Short-toed Eagles.

Short-toed Snake Eagle (immature) Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

A single Bonelli’s Eagle, Eleanora’s Falcon and a surprising visit by a juvenile Goshawk which rushed past us low over the fields beneath the watchpoint. By lunchtime European Honey Buzzards started to appear. The first ones were high in the sky, circling in small groups above the cliffs.

European Honey Buzzards circling above the watchpoint Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Then all of a sudden, a close bird would speed past almost too quick to get the camera into position. This was one of those places where I needed eyes in the back of my head and everywhere else!

Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Looking inland towards the public watchpoint area in the hills we could see hundreds of Black Kites gathering in the clouds ready to head for the coast when the conditions were just right for a crossing. Turning towards the coast above Tarifa we could see other birds ahead of them flying over the waves towards Morocco. Some birds kept going whilst others decided to turn tail and head back to the hills.

Booted Eagle over the coastal hills Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Watching migrating raptors on a coastal watchpoint is a great experience. In Tarifa the cliffs of Morocco feel relatively close especially on a clear day but the journey for these birds is still fraught with hazards and I can’t imagine what a juvenile Black Kite or Booted Eagle must be thinking taking its first journey across the waves.

Booted Eagle over the hills Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

By the end of the third day, I had not only seen over a dozen species of raptor including exciting species such as Lanner Falcon and Lesser Kestrel, I had also experienced two huge flocks of White Storks circling above us and enjoyed the almost constant bubbling call of European Bee-eaters on migration.

Lesser Kestrel (male) Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Bee-eaters over the migration watchpoint Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Every time I heard the call, I tried to see them but I quickly realised the great majority are either just too high or too fast. Every now often when I had given up trying to see them a close flock would bubble past giving great views.

Teaming up with Inglorious Bustards Tarifa August 2022 © Richard Baines

Blog part II CLICK HERE

To see our Tarifa 2023 birding tour CLICK HERE

Richard Baines

Yorkshire Coast Nature Director