Day 2

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is not only important for its natural history; it has also had a rich and varied history which in turn has led too a diverse mix of cultures and some unique natural history. With this in mind this day offers the chance to experience rich and varied cultural and historical experiences. This cannot only be seen in the architectural influences but in the people that live on the rock as well.

Gibraltar has the prospect to be one of the highlights of the trip. During migration, birds have to The famous apes of Gibraltar cross open expanses of sea. This can be extremely dangerous. To give themselves the greatest chance of survival they cross at the shortest point possible. Gibraltar is one of these crossings and the Bosporus the other. For birds flying from Africa in the spring to Europe and then back again to Africa in the autumn. During migratory passage the spectacle of avian migration is AWE-inspiring. Has to be seen to be believed. We aim to give you the greatest chance possible to witness these migrations. However Gibraltar also hosts many species of flora and fauna, including several endemic to the rock. One species, which you cannot miss, or in fact ignore, is the Barbary ape: a well-known attraction that is enjoyed by most visitors to the rock.

We will arrive early morning, and having made our way through the border we will head to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve for an introduction on its natural history, followed by a guided tour around the nature reserve itself. After this we will head for whichever watc Florna of the area h point is the most productive, and spend time identifying and observing the behaviour of any birds crossing the strait. There is then the choice to have lunch at Europa Point sea watching, a chance to add some rare seabirds to our total, time to explore the many historic sights, or time to go down into the town for lunch and shopping.

To add to the overall wildlife experience of the trip, we will be staying on into the evening, to enjoy some of the bats that are found on Gibraltar. There are two species that are afforded special protection on the rock, Schreiber's bat and Soprano pipistrelle bat. We hope to show you both. There will be a chance to learn about the conservation measures being currently implemented for these and other bat species found on the rock. We hope this experience will both educate and enthuse you to go away to learn more about bats in general.

Some birds of interest found at this site.

Barbary Partridge, Shearwaters, Black Stork, White Stork, Honey Buzzard, Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, occasional Ruppells Vulture, Audouins Gull, Yellow Legged Gull, Eagle Owl, Blue Rock Thrush, Spotless Starling.

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