Hello again

Hello everyone, it’s good to be here again! I arrived on Friday evening and since yesterday we already went out ringing, I have not done or seen much this far. Today again, we went out ringing, although, since Kalina, Mark and his kids all left early this morning it was a bit different with only Sean and me out. We had some visitors, though, which was nice for a change. Among them, Marcus and his two boys came by. They have been visiting the ringing for several years in a row and I was happy to meet them again. Also, we met Rolf’s sister’s family and I have a feeling that the two little girls will become very good birders one day. They were very into the ringing in any case.

As for birds, we did see the green woodpecker (grønspætte) again, but not much else out of the common. Also, we did not catch any foreign recoveries but I am not saying I am spoiled ;). Also, although it felt a little slower than yesterday, we actually caught the same number of birds, maybe a few fewer recaptures. But it is also that Sean is already getting very good and rather fast at ringing it felt like less work.

We did catch a greater spotted woodpecker (Stor Flagspætte), which was nice, also to give Sean a bit more feisty bird to hold for a change. Also, the two crested tits (Topmejse) were very cute to see in hand – and, as I am learning from Sean – no topmejse in Ireland, nor green woodpecker, or marsh warbler. I am wondering what they do have… Not mosquitos, anyway, as I am told, but I think I’d rather put up with some mosquitos if I get birds in return.

We did some net fixing after we finished the ringing, so all in all it was a very long day again for Sean and me out at Kabeltromlen. With less wind today, it was much warmer, which was not necessarily an advantage seeing that the mosquitos make it rather necessary to wear long sleeves and a head cover, and we have to wear waders anyway, in order to walk through the ditches filled with water. But no complaining, it was a very nice and sunny day out this morning.

After doing the “office work” and getting a little nap, I went out to Grenen beach for the first time since I arrived, paying a visit to the terns, mostly, but also looking at other birds, sometimes, and recovering the device we had out in the hope of it getting data from any tagged terns. I did see arctic, common and sandwich terns (havterne, fjordterne og splitterne) and also a flock of 8 dunlins (almindelig ryle). When I just wanted to leave, suddenly an arctic skua (almindelig kjove) showed up right above me. It was flying around for a while, with all the gulls present very angry and moving to a different roosting site. Then, it also tried (unsuccessfully, luckily) to hunt terns. Finally, it picked up half a fish that one of the gulls must have left, swallowed it, and went to roost in the seas just 20 meters offshore from Grenen beach.

Simon is back tonight to give a night tour of Grenen, which will probably be quite wet, therefore having good conditions for amphibians, but the rain will stop us from ringing tomorrow morning. Instead, we can either sleep in or go out on a wet migration count. We will decide on the spot and depending on weather which option we will take.

Ringing  (Kabeltromlekrattet)

Stor Flagspæette (Great Spotted Woodpecker) - 1

Solsort (Blackbird) - 1

Munk (Blackcap) - 2

Tornsanger (Common Whitethroat) - 7

Gærdesanger (Lesser Whitethroat) - 1

Rørsanger (Reed Warbler) - 1

Kæersanger (Marsh Warbler) - 1

Gulbug (Icterine Warbler) - 1

Gransanger (Chiffchaff) - 7

Topmejse (Crested Tit) -2

Grønsisken (Siskin) – 3

Rørspruv (Reed Bunting) - 2

Total: 30

People: Seán Walsh, Martina Hillbrand, Knud Pedersen, Simon S. Christiansen

A link to today's observations from volunteers and local observers.