A Zombie Swift? A Skagen Bird Obs Halloween Special!

Today started breezy from the North with full cloud cover throughout the day and odd showers. The conditions have certainly changed since yesterday and a noticeable drop in temperature occurred with temperatures not rising above 1’c and feeling more like -3’c today. However, with these cooler conditions we decided to do both migration count and ringing this morning.

Figure 1: Morning ringing by Hayley

Simon Jr, Hayley, and I went ringing and due to the conditions, we had just over half the nets open which was ample for the three of us. Throughout the morning we were joined by our guests, their friend Chris, Simon S.C, Jørgen (and Egor), fellow ringers Oluf and Jørgen as well as a couple of local birders. The morning started slower than recent with both ‘Northern Bullfinch’ [Dompap, Stor] and Bullfinch (ssp. europaea) [Dompap, lille (ssp. europaea)] making up the ringing totals to begin. Birds overhead included a Marsh Harrier [Rørhøg] and hundreds of Fieldfares [Sjagger] migrating NW. The second net round became a little busier when the Redpoll (Nordlig/Lille Gråsisken) started migrating through again. Numbers were lower than recent and resulted in a few hundred birds passing NW. After recent ringing activities the team were prepared for any Redpoll [Nordlig/Lille Gråsisken] caught so a flock of 78 caught between three nets was easy peezy!

Figure 2: Team Water Pipit [Bjergpiber] by Simon S.C

After an arrival yesterday, Simon S.C, Oluf and Jørgen left us to try and catch Water Pipits [Bjergpiber]. The pipits were difficult to get and unfortunately the team couldn’t catch any of the birds present. The aim of this additional ringing is to catch a sample of Water Pipits [Bjergpiber] and start adding colour rings to contribute to a larger project. Maybe tomorrow?

Figure 3: Blyth’s Pipit [Mongolsk Piber] by Oluf Lou

However, whilst out pipit catching, they did see the Blyth’s Pipit [Mongolsk Piber] which has now been present for 15 days! It is looking in better shape than last week, though still hasn't grown its tail back yet. The temperature decreased a little more, so we went to a slightly more sheltered spot to ring and process the birds.

Figure 3: Siberian Chiffchaff [Gransanger, Siberirisk (ssp. tristis)] by Simon Jr

Team Water Pipit arrived back just in time to see the Siberian Chiffchaff [Gransanger, Siberirisk (ssp. tristis)] we had caught whilst they were away. This is the third caught and ringed this autumn and after release was performing nicely in the surrounding bushes, even giving a couple of nice calls in the bushes further confirming its identity.

Figure 3/4: Pallid Swift [Gråsejler] underside and upperside.

The numbers decreased quite quickly as the migration pulse decreased, and we decided to pack up before midday. With the gathering of both birders and ringers at the sheltered spot it came a big surprise when on the return of the closing net round we were told of a dead rare bird next to the ringing site and that we had to go to Simon S.C immediately. The ringing team were a tad worried, but it transpired a Pallid Swift [Gråsejler] (at the time Swift species) was found dead under the tree next to where we were ringing. This was a crazy find, not only was this bird alive within the last hour or so (rigor mortis hadn’t quite set in) but it was so close to where we had been for the previous couple of hours. Many questions were asked: Was it placed? Did it fall from the sky? Was it there the whole time? A zombie Swift? The creepiest thing this Halloween? The bird had no fat, was growing its primary feathers and was probably part of the European wide influx that is currently occurring. The warm(er) SE winds we had yesterday for the first time in a while as well as the warmest temperatures we have had for a while (11’c) probably made it head N, but due to the drop in temperatures today it probably led to the bird’s demise and the bird falling into the tree before being found dead on the ground. A real Halloween mystery.

When we got back, we took the bird back and after a photo opportunity we put the swift in the freezer. Gustav arrived back from migration counts at Nordstand and was eager to report he had seen impressive numbers of Little Auk [Søkonge], lower numbers of waterfowl than recent and a White-billed diver [Hvidnæbbet Lom]. The Little Auks [Søkonge] were a feature of the afternoon too with a post-ringing sea watch session from the side of the lighthouse resulting in at least five Little Auks [Søkonge] passing within 45 minutes.

With the nights closing in, a quiet Halloween evening of data inputting/data checking and a meal cooked by Gustav followed. Simon and Hayley have gone night catching so we shall see if they catch any birds this evening.

Ringing totals

Ringing [Kabeltromlekrattet]

Total: 112

Today’s observations on Dofbasen from observers in the area

People: Hayley Land, Gustav Nyberg, Simon Kiesé, Thomas Weston, Lorne and Lance, Chris, Simon S.C, Jørgen (and Egor), fellow ringers Oluf Lou and Jorgen Hulbaek.