Of Auks and Ice wind

Dear Blog-Reader,

Here we are again! The weather of the last days has not been the best, so there did not happen that many exciting things, but we were around and busy still, which I won´t deprive you of:

On Thursday morning, I went out to Verdens Ende 3 for Morning Observations.

Snow Buntings "Snespurv" at Verdens Ende 3

It was a grey day and the sight wasn´t very good. The hightlights of the first hour were very few Kittiwakes “Ride” migrating South-east. In the second hour, Eric joined me. This hour, we could observe a nice Velvet Scoter “Fløjlsand”. The numbers were very low that day but in the second hour even lower! So we decided to go home then.

At noon, Lisa, Simon, and his mom Karin came for a short while. Together, we had some coffee and cake, that Karin brought. Thanks!

Simon gave us some new tasks and helped me to update my ringing license. It was just a short visit for this time, as Simon and Lisa went to Germany the same day. In the afternoon, Eric and I went to town. We checked for the Waxwings “Silkehale” but did not see them in their apple tree near LIDL. We also checked the harbour, where we just saw very little Gulls “Måge”. While I did some office work and started preparing dinner, Eric went for a short evening walk, without seeing much. Where were just the birds?

The next day, the weather looked pretty much the same, just that it started raining a bit later the day. After getting up and checking the weather, we decided not to go observing that day. My bed looked much more comfortable than the university reports I had to write, so was it wrong to choose that alternative? Eric went for a morning walk at the tractor trac and so some Stonechats “Sortstrubet Bynkefugl”, Fieldfares “Sjagger” and Reed Buntings “Rørspurv”. The last Stonechat “Sortstrubet Bynkefugl”, I had seen was in autumn, that was to long ago, so I also needed to go. A very pretty male did me the pleasure to land on top of a bush for a bit and also Fieldfares “Sjagger” and Reed Buntings “Rørspurv” were still there for me. I also checked Kabeltrommle, which looked a bit sad and empty without nets. But maybe we will put up some soon. Afterwards, I fixed the oven at the station and then it was really time for my reports. Eric sorted the recapture letters of 2022, a pre-work for the year report.

This morning was windy but sunny. I went out for observations again. At least, there were birds again, the over 300 Auks “Lomvie/Alk” I counted in the first hour were not bad. But the wind was even colder then the last days. When I went back, I met Jørgen and Igor, sitting in the sun, in front of the bunker. This place was more sheltered and after sitting and talking with Jørgen for some time, and warming my hands in Igors warm fur, I was warm again. Maybe also because our conversation ended with warm butterfly days.

In the meantime, Eric had been in town, grocery shopping and checking the harbor. He had some Starlings “Stær” in town. We did the big Skagen cleaning today. As we spent the rest of the day inside, I needed a walk in the evening. The sunset looked very nice, but the wind was still icy.

Sunset behind the lighthouse

We had already seen three resting Red-breasted Merganser “Topped Skallesluger” out of the window and when I went out, I saw some more flying south-east, as well as some Rock Pipits “Skærpiber” and a little flock of Oystercatcher “Strandskade”. Eric had started preparing dinner, a new recipe, which I think was very good.

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to welcoming the third volunteer, Yehonatan.

Observations from 23.02. to 25.02.2023 from Observers in the area

See you, 

Hanelie

People: Simon Christiansen, Lisa Vergin, Karin Christiansen, Jørgen Kabel and Igor, Eric Scheuering, Hanelie Sidhu