Arctic Redpolls and Eastern rarities still hanging around....

Another very busy day started before sunrise for Thomas and I as we opened the nets at Kabeltromlen. It was windier than yesterday but the conditions soon proved to be great for ringing. Simon Jr joined a little later as he was up late last night doing night checks of the owl net. Sadly we still have had no luck with any owls!

The first round at Kabeltromlen was busy with birds and the second even busier. Simon Sr, Lisa, Ib, Lars and Lone all also joined us at the ringing and we were all kept busy with the number of birds. Simon Sr and Lisa did a lot of the ringing whilst Thomas, Simon Jr, Ib and I did more net rounds. Thomas and I found a massive 45 Redpoll (Gråsisken) in a single net and Simon and Ib had another 30. Unsurprisingly, Mealy Redpoll (Stor Gråsisken) was the most ringed bird of the day with 90 individuals ringed! There were also 15 Lesser Redpoll (Lille Gråsisken). One of the biggest highlights of the day was two Arctic Redpolls (Hvidsisken). This species is paler than the Mealy Redpoll (Stor Gråsisken) and has a white rump with no streaks.

Photos: Simon Jr.

Due to the easterly wind, Gustav did the migration count at Nordstrand with Knud this morning. They had a very good count seeing two Puffins (Lunde) and three White-billed Divers (Hvidnæbbet Lom). It was also good for Razorbills (Alk) and Gannets (Sule). They had a really good sighting of a White-billed Diver migrating close to the beach. A Long-tailed Duck (Havlit) was also seen and they got nice views of several Purple Sandpipers (Sortgrå Ryle).

Gustav also came to see the Arctic Redpoll (Hvidsisken) and then stayed to help scribe during the busiest rounds. Lone also scribed making it easier for Simon Sr and Lisa to ring at the same time. On one of the rounds, I flushed a Woodcock (Skovsneppe) into the net which was an unexpected highlight. It was a young bird and the age was determined by juvenile primary coverts

Photos: Thomas

Other highlights at Kabeltromlen included lots of Bullfinches (Stor Dompap) of the larger northern subspecies (ssp. Pyrrhula). Also the smaller subspecies (Lille Dompap, ssp. Europaea) were also ringed. We also enjoyed seeing a lovely male Siskin (Grønsisken), a Brambling (Kvækerfinke) and a three Coal Tits (Sortmejse). Whilst we were ringing, Simon Jr and Magnus saw the White-billed Diver (Hvidnæbbet Lom) migrating through the scope. A large flock of Waxwing (Silkehale) was seen flying over, plus more flocks of Redpoll (Gråsisken) and Fieldfare (Sjagger).

In the afternoon, Simon Sr and Lisa went to look for the Siberian Stonechat (Sibirisk Bynkefugl) to see if it was worth trying to catch it to get some DNA. They found both the Siberian Stonechat (Sibirisk Bynkefugl) and the Blythe’s Pipit (Mongolsk Piber) so Gustav, who had just returned from the migration count, headed out with the poles, net and speaker to meet them and set up the net in a sheltered spot in the dunes.

Photo: Siberian Stonechat (Sibirisk Bynkefugl) by Egon Østergaard.

Photo: Blyth's Pipit (Mongolsk Piber) by Egon Østergaard.

We finished up at Kabeltromlen but were a delayed again by another flock of 20 Redpoll (Gråsisken) caught in the net in the closing round. Thomas, Simon Jr and I then joined Simon Sr, Lisa, Gustav and lots of birders near World’s End 1. We saw both the Siberian Stonechat (Sibirisk Bynkefugl) and the Blyth’s Pipit (Mongolsk Piber) together with other visiting birders twitching these rare birds from east. Unfortunately also many tourists were walking around in the dunes making the attempt to catch the Siberian Stonechat even more difficult. We used a very special thin net (usually made for catching bats) which are even more difficult to see for the birds than the normal mist nets. Despite this we were unsuccessful in out attempts and headed back to the Bird Obs.We then walked back to the station, had some food, updated social media and entered so much data! What a busy day!

Ringing (Kabeltromlekrattet):

Total: 234

Today’s observations on Dofbasen from observers in the area.

People: Hayley Land, Gustav Nyberg, Simon Kiesé, Thomas Weston, Simon S. Christiansen, Lisa Vergin, Knud Pedersen, Ib Albin Olsen, Egon Østergaard, Mogens Neergaard, Torben Sørensen, Lars and Lone.