The raptor season can start now!

Hej allesammen,

today is unfortunately the last full day for us (Mira & Johanna) at the station. So we are trying hard to enjoy every single moment up here before we have to migrate back to Germany to continue at our university.

As most of the mornings, all five of us went out for morning observation, today again from Worlds End 1. On the way there Johanna found another individuum of Klitplasterbille (Apalus bimaculatus) in the dunes at Grenen. Birdwise, there was quite a nice variety of species, with a Merlin (Dværgfalk), Mira spotted, the Glaucous Gull (Gråmåge), probably the individuum we also saw during the last days, one Parrot Crossbill  (Stor Korsnæb) and a good number of Teals (Krikand). This is a perfekt example how much variety in birds you get while observing in Skagen. Simon C. also came by to join the morning observation for a while.

After we arrived back at the lighthouse, we had lunch together and entered the data from the morning. Every now and then we make as a team challenges, bets or tastings. Today, it was time for an icecream-tasting, claimed by Simon K. as his 5^th breakfast… that was fun!

Us on the way to set up the radar. 

In the afternoon, a part of us went out to participate in the setup of the Radar for raptor migration observations from Aarhus university. It’s the third year that the radar is set up at Grenen. We managed to help them a bit out while setting the radar up the dune and got the chance to test the special laser binocular.

Trying the laser-binoculars. 

We also archived interesting news from a Blackcap (Munk) we recaptured last year in october, that was ringed on the 3rd of September in Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium. It was a first calender-year bird and based on this information we can tell now, how the bird migrated.

Now we will enjoy the last evening for us two at the station and will probably go to bed early, as the ringing season will start now. We really can not wait to go out to open the nets for the first time of the year tomorrow!

At this point we want to say thank you for the last brilliant three weeks we had at the station. Starting our stay with James, also known as “athletic James”, who did not only taught us helpful Papua Neuguinean phrases but also inspired us with his story and humour. Continuing with Isis, Magnus and Simon K. with who we spend almost 24/7 time together, laughing, birding and having great conversations. How amazing is it to meet with like-minded people in Skagen, for us one of the most beautiful places in the world. And of course, a big thanks to Simon C. for having us and making this experience possible! We will definitely migrate up here again someday.  

People: Isis Khalil, Magnus Houen Lauritsen, Simon Kiesé, Mira Kieckbusch, Johanna Veentjer, Simon S. Christiansen.

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

Sum of the Raptors in the area based on observations typed into Dofbasen the same day.