New year - new luck! Early birds in 2022

Hello to all blog readers!

Since I am the one this year who writes the first blog, I would first like to whish you all a happy new year 2022 that brings many great birds!

Then, I should introduce myself: I am Hanelie from Augsburg in Bavaria (Southern Germany). As part of my practical semester abroad at University, I can and was able to spend a few months at Danish Bird Stations. Maybe, you read already a few Blog articles by me on Blavands Blog in autumn 2021.

The day before yesterday I arrived here in Skagen after a tiring day travelling through the whole of Germany all day with mask… After a overnight stop the few hours to Skagen that I still had were quite nice and sunny. At the train station, Simon picked me up and bevor taking me to the bird station, we went to the new harbour to look at some gulls because a Iceland Gull (Hvidvinget Måge) had been seen yesterday. Simon was parking near two Snow Buntings (Snespurv) which were nice to see as well. And there it was, the Icelandic Gull (Hvidvinget Måge), sleeping in a flock of other gulls! To walk a little and even seeing a new species, which the Icelandic Gull (Hvidvinget Måge) was for me, was just the thing I needed after sitting in the train for so long. Then we went to the bird station. After Simon had shown me some things, I went on a little walk near the station. When I came back, Simon came back for a moment to tell me that locals found two dead Fulmars for the Fulmar project of Aarhus University, where they want to find out, how much plastic is in the stomachs of the Fulmars. So they both came into the freezer. The next day, it should be my task to go on a Fulmar survey. But it rained a lot and so we cancelled my survey. Instead, I started fixing some nets. With some tee, the “Rocky horrow show” and a podcast about the two young Lammergeier (Lammergrib), released to wild in Nationalpark Berchtesgarden, Germany, I spended some time fixing the nets, thinking that that gigantic bird would kill the net unrepairable.

After some hours, it was really time for a walk no matter that it rained. On the premises of the bird station were already the first birds: Some Yellowhammers (Gulspurv). I went to, I´ll call it “Skagen Bog” as I don’t know how all the places here are called. I`ll add a picture so that the blog readers among you with good knowledge about the area can imagine where I was.

I saw some Fieldfares (Sjagger), Siskins (Grønsisken), Goldcrests (Fuglekonge) and a Crested Tit (Topmejse). I was happy about the latter as I really like these elegant birds since I had one in the hand for the first time. I also found a dead bird on top of a bush and I really wanted to get it, which was a bit stupid because it was in a bad condition. Nevertheless, I was fighting with the bush for some time but I was unsuccessful. After that, the rain got a bit stronger and I returned to the station. Shortly after I arrived, Simon called: A new dead fulmar had been seen on the beach, approximately at the place on Nordstrand where the two the day before. Simon sounded a bit worried that I wouldn´t find the place as I don´t know the area. But I was confident and so I went with the bike. It was already later in the afternoon and Google Maps didn´t mean well with me. As I couldn´t take the very small and wet path with the bike, maps proposed me, I couldn´t lose a fight against a dead bird for a second time today. So I went along the beach. I had mainly to walk, cycling in the sand wasn´t possible most times. I walked for a while, and it was slowly getting darker. When I was imagining to hear my worried and angry mother in my head, telling me to be very stubborn and that the time to go back to the station and try it tomorrow was when I couldn´t find the way when I was next to this field with the small path. But just in that moment, the fulmar was lying in the sand just in front of the bike. There you go!

Now it was really time to go back. Unfortunately, it was dark soon. I was vey thankful for the light of the lighthouse. So I just had to follow the coast and the light. Ironically, while I was walking, my mother sended me a newly blossomed houseplant she was happy about in the full illuminated flat in Germany. I continued walking. As a responsible daughter you have to know what and especially when to tell, if it could maybe worry, that´s important! I came back safe to the cosy bird station, tried not to put so much sand in the freezer, that was bonding on the fulmar. I was planning to write the blog that evening, but in the end, I wasn´t very productive. So I am exceptionally writing in the morning. I won´t write the blog every day in February, but it in March, when I´ll get reinforcement. But every few days, I´ll keep you informed!

See you soon! Take care and do not take walks on the beach in the evening, unless you have a strong torch or a lighthouse at home!

Hanelie

People at the bird station: Simon S. Christiansen, Hanelie Sidhu