The next morning was bright and clear. A few smaller raptors, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels were already up, one or two made an early crossing. As the sun warmed up the ground the first big birds took flight, eager to be on their way. Kites began leaving the woods and circling up, along with a Booted Eagle. A small party of storks appeared over the hillside and joined the thermal. More kites and then a Marsh Harrier, and two Short-toed Eagles and more storks joined the growing tower of birds. Ozzie had all his feathers in order and swept off his perch into the warm air. With barely a wingbeat he began to rise in the thermal. The first kites had reached the top of the thermal  and departed northwards in a long glide out over the sea. Then the first  storks peeled off and soon it was a steady stream. Ozzie felt the lift falter and left the thermal. He slowly lost height as he passed the  coastline in a mile wide band of migrating birds. A light westerly took him towards the sharp ridge of the Rock of Gibraltar away to his right and could see kites and storks ahead hitting the uplift of air at the  Rock. Soon he was there and feeling the lift himself as the wind currents propelled him up the steep rock face and over the scrubby hillside. The 25 kilometre sea crossing had taken exactly 38 minutes. Quickly he passed the Rock, over the airstrip and into Spain.

Large birds usually avoid long sea crossings because they lose the lift of warm air from the land, and have to flap hard which is tiring. The Strait of Gibraltar is the shortest crossing out of Africa. In spring over 4500 Honey  Buzzards, 1000 Black Kites, 760 Short-toed Eagles, 300 Booted Eagles and 19000 White Storks may be counted. Fewer than 50 Ospreys are seen.