Nature & beer

This morning the other volunteers and I bravely woke up to begin our morning duties as professional mosquito breakfasts. To add to our pain, midgets/knats had also mass spawned the day after some mild wet weather, completely eating alive any part of our uncovered (and sometimes even our covered) bodies. It was completely not worth it on the migration counting side of things. The most exciting time of the morning was when four Sortstrubet Lom (Black-throated Divers) flew right over our heads. Later, a little after 7am, Simon found an Orca which later turned out to be one of three in Skagerak, which were the first to be seen from Grenen this year. Simon also managed to guide a research ship in the area close to the Orcas, though unfortanately they couldn't get a biological sample. They did manage to get some pictures which were enough to identify each individual uniquely.

Foto af Olga Filatova, Syddansk Universitet

The ringers could only have been subject to more torture than us counters at World's End, with zero birds in some of the net check rounds. There were some cool birds though; notably a Landsvale (Barn Swallow) and a Blåhals, ssp. cyanecula (White-spotted Bluethroat) - the first colorful male ringed in Skagen of this subspecies.

Later in the day, Simon SC and I went to the Naturmødet in Hirtshals to see the various stalls and talks. We participated in a Danish gull quiz, and because of my lack of proficiency in Danish, proceeded to get 9th place, which isn't horrible. We also met with Simon's family while we were there, at which point the conference became a little less nature oriented and more food and beer oriented which was very fun.

Proof of me third-wheeling Simon's family while looking like the main character.

Ringing (Kabeltromlekrattet)

Reed Warbler (Rørsanger) 1

Marsh Warbler (Kærsanger) 2

Icterine Warbler (Gulbug) 3

Garden Warbler (Havesanger) 3

Bluethroat (Blåhals) 1

Spotted Flycatcher (Grå Fluesnapper) 1

Common Redstart (Rødstjert) 1

Lesser Whitethroat (Gærdesanger) 3

Common Whitethroat (Tornsanger) 1

Willow Warbler (Løvsanger) 1

Common Chaffinch (Bogfinke) 2

Barn Swallow (Landsvale) 1

Total: 20

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

Sum of observations of raptors on DOFbasen from today

People: Frya Mørup-Ptetersen, Seán Walsh, Hayley Land, Isis Khalil, Magnus Houen Lauritsen, Simon Kiesé, Simon S. Christiansen, Kirsten Bregn