Story of a Skua

Howdy,

What would a day at the Skagen Fuglestation be without an early morning of fieldwork?  Today, Frank and Manuel left early for Kabeltromeln to open the nets, and Simon and I met them a bit later for the first round of net checks.  Meanwhile, Robbie headed for World's End 3 where he met Knud Pedersen for a routine seawatch.  At the ringing, highlights were a first year common redstart (rødstjert) and a first year yellowhammer (gulspurv).  Neither species is particularly uncommon, but both are splendid to see in the hand.

Robbie and Knud's seawatch did not bear much fruit of the migratory bird variety, save for a single fulmar in the distance.  Numbers of roosting gulls were notably higher than they've been in the past few weeks; over 700 herring (sølvmåge) were tallied).  No goodies like Caspian gull (Kaspisk måge) could be picked out from the masses, but hopefully soon!

Most excitingly, we received some preliminary recapture data from a ringed juvenile Arctic skua (almindelig kjove) that has been seen around Grenen the past few days.

The aforementioned skua faintly showing its ring on its right leg, whilst chasing a common tern.  Photo by Erik Christophersen.

This bird was ringed as a chick at the southern extreme of the species' breeding range in Norway, at Hvaler National Park.  According to Knud, this is the earliest autum arrival record of a juvenile Arctic skua in Skagen, and perhaps Denmark entirely.

After fieldwork, we spent the afternoon enjoying the beautiful warm weather around Skagen.

In the evening, Frank and I installed 2 mist nets nearby in the garden that we hope to use to capture nightjars (natravn).  Tonight, and for some following nights, we will be doing plenty of nightcatching, attempting to capture both storm petrels (stormsvale spp.) and nightjars (natravn) simultaneously).  Wish us luck!

- Max

Ringing totals:

Yellowhammer (Gulspurv): 1

Great tit (Musvit): 2

Willow warbler (Løvsanger): 2

Eurasian reed warbler (Rørsanger): 4

Marsh warbler (Kaersanger): 2

Lesser whitethroat (Gaerdesanger): 3

Common redstart (Rødstjert): 1

Eurasian blue tit (Blåmejse): 1

Eurasian blackcap (Munk): 5

Common whitethroat (Tornsanger): 8

Common chiffchaff (Gransanger): 3

Total: 32

Today's observations in DOFBasen from observers in the area

People: Max Laubstein, Robbie Lawler, Frank Osterberg, Manuel Tacke, Simon Christiansen, Knud Pedersen, Erik Christophersen