Sooty Shearwater and a Long-tailed Skua

Gustav and Simon Jr had a really good morning migration count at World’s End 3 with Knud today. They counted over 500 Razorbills (Alk) across the four hours and over 500 Pink-footed Geese (Kortnæbbet Gås). There were also good numbers of Red-throated Diver (Rødstrubet Lom), Gannet (Sule) and Common Scoter (Sortand). Two Long-tailed Ducks (Havlit) landed on the water and there were large numbers of roosting Dunlin (Almindelig Ryle) and Sanderling (Sandløber). There was also another very nice sunrise!

The biggest highlights of the morning were a Sooty Shearwater (Sodfarvet Skråpe) and a Long-tailed Skua (Lille Kjove). We have been hoping to see a Sooty Shearwater for a long time, so Simon and Gustav were very pleased with this sighting. We were also lucky enough to see the Long-tailed Skua (Lille Kjove) from Kabeltromlen, a new species for me. Interestingly, whilst we were at Kabeltromlen, a flock of Pink-footed Geese (Kortnæbbet Gås) also flew over and one of them had a leucistic wing. Leucism is a loss of pigmentation and can occur in skin, hair and feathers. Søren’s photo below shows the leucistic individual at the bottom left of the flock.

Thomas and I opened the nets at Kabeltromlen this morning, and were joined by Simon Sr and Søren. It was Thomas’ first-time ringing at Kabeltromlen although he has lots of experience ringing back home in the UK. He very quickly learnt his way around the nets! We had a good range of species but nothing unusual. Again, we caught lots of Blue Tits (Blåmejse) and also lots of Robins (Rødhals). Simon Jr kindly helped us close the nets after finishing the migration count and we compared our different net furling techniques. Søren took some great photos of the ringing process. Below you can see us looking at the moult of a Blue Tit (Blåmejse) and looking for fat on a Robin (Rødhals).

We returned to the station only to head directly back out again with Simon Sr on another birding trip around different parts of Skagen. Goldcrest (Fuglekonge) was the most common bird we saw but we also got some nice views of Brambling (Kvækerfinke), Greenfinch (Grønirisk), Crested Tit (Topmejse) and Stonechat (Sortstrubet Bynkefugl) among others. We checked the raptor trap in a plantation outside of Skagen which is used mainly in the spring to catch raptors. On the way back, we stopped off at a car wash so Simon Sr could get his car cleaned and went birding while it was washed! Lots of Chaffinches (Bogfinke) and two Yellowhammers (Gulspurv) were seen at this spot.

Goldcrest (Fuglekonge) photo by Søren Wilhelmsen.

Later, Simon Jr and I checked the owl nets after the strong winds and got a nice view of a Wheatear (Stenpikker) and a Stonechat (Sortstrubet Bynkefugl). We then finally had time for some much-needed food! Simon Jr, Gustav, Thomas and I then headed out for another birding walk to World’s End 1 but didn’t see much this time. Back at the station, still fuelled on coffee and cake from our friends in the lighthouse shop, we entered all the ringing data, analysed nocturnal migration sound data, and admired the great photos that Søren took today. Finally, Gustav and Thomas have just set off to the Secret Lake with the hand net. Fingers crossed they catch something!

Ringing (Kabeltromlekrattet)

Total: 88

People: Hayley Land, Gustav Nyberg, Simon Kiesé, Thomas Weston, Simon S. Christiansen, Knud Pedersen, Søren Wilhelmsen

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