The Mysteries of Migration

On the beach in the early morning bird watchers and tourists can be seen with the naked eye, followed by the different species of gulls (Sølvmågeand) and terns (Terner) that dominate the landscape. It is only upon careful observation using the scopes and binoculars at our disposal, that the smallest birds come into view near the pools of water on the beach. The smallest of them are the ringed plover chicks (Stor præstekrave), who blend into the landscape by resembling one of the many pebbles on the beach and walking at a strange pace so as not gather attention from predators lurking above. Over the past couple weeks, our team has been able to ring a couple of the chicks, but just when we thought we found the rest of the chicks, they would disappear before our eyes by blending in with the pebbles. If their clever plumage was not enough to deter predators and lead ringers astray, the ringed plover parents attempt to divert your gaze and lead you away by pretending to be injured. But Martina was quick, gentle, prepared, and ready to ring them late in the morning and they will undoubtedly provide meaningful data.

In the afternoon, our guest Mark Desholm was kind enough to give an interesting presentation on bird migration as well as the use of radar and thermal technologies in ornithological research. The topic interested all of us, and even prompted Hanelie, a former volunteer, to ask if she could join in virtually. Although some of the presentation was familiar to many of us, a lot of the information encouraged discussion about the different uses of technology and how the data they collect can positively impact the understanding of migration, environmental policy, and the construction of wind farms. The topics also opened our eyes to the gaps in our knowledge relating to how birds migrate and why they appear to occasionally migrate in ways that appear “wrong” to researchers, further plunging bird migration into mystery. But Mark’s presentation strongly emphasized the potential for new research and the new frontiers of understanding bird migration. As thanks to new emerging technologies as well as scientists constantly questioning what we believe are the abilities of certain species and understanding what evolution has so brilliantly designed, the world of migration is still very much open for exploration.

Local observations of the day in DOFBasen

People at the Station: Rita DeLucco, Alice Scalzo, Nathan Delmas, Max Laubstein, Simon S. Christiansen, Martina Hillbrand, Knud Pedersen, and our guests Mark and Malthe Desholm