Back in the 90s I was in a Very Famous TV Show...

 

Redwing (Vindrossel).

 

Procedure:

-02.30 alarm goes off.

-03.00 leave for Kabeltromlen.

-03.15 arrive at Kabeltromlen.

-03.45 nets at Kabeltromlen: open.

-04.54 recapture Redwing (Vindrossel).

-05.38 unusually small Willow Warbler (Løvsanger).

-08.30 nets at Kabeltromlen: closed.

 

Ringing (Kabeltromlekrattet)

Reed Warbler (Rørsanger) - 2

Eurasian Blackcap (Munk) - 7

Lesser Whitethroat (Gærdesanger) - 1

Marsh Warbler (Kærsanger) - 4

Willow Warbler (Løvsanger) - 1

Total: 15

 

-09.45 lunch.

 

-10.15 leave to ring Little Owls (Kirkeugle).

 

-12.00 Little Owl (Kirkeugle) chicks ringed (location classified) 

-13.00 Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) chicks ringed (location still classified) 

 

Ringing (Classified Location)

Little Owl (Kirkeugle) - 4

Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) - 5

Total: 9

 

-15.43 Visit Black-Winged Stilts (Stylteløber) and Golden Eagles (Kongeørn) at Biersted Mosevej.

 

-17.30 buy groceries

-18.00 return to station.

-19.30 dinner.

-20.30 bed (ideally).

 

The End.

 

...

 

Just kidding… here’s the real blog for today:

 

Thursday the 13th, one day off from having been a day of “bad luck” (Friday the 13th)… and yet not a trace of bad luck could be found. At 03.15 Simon (Jr) and I were prancing around the boggy waters of Kabeltromlen so that we could have the nets open on time. Naturally (and thanks to our passion for ringing) this was done very easily. It was windy, which meant there were fewer mosquitoes… but there was a new obstacle in our way: the cold. Frozen fingers and small wriggly birds make a tough pair, but sometimes you have to pick your poison. 

 

Anyway, the variety of species was unremarkable today, but a couple highlights include a European Badger (Grævling) meeting us on the Sandormen track, a recapture Redwing (Vindrossel) and a Willow Warbler (Løvsanger) with a wing length of only 61mm! This is the smallest we’d seen so far, but Simon (Jr) and I checked it repeatedly and could not get a higher wing length. All other features fit perfectly for a Willow Warbler (Løvsanger), so very peculiar!

 

An unusually small Willow Warbler (Løvsanger).

 

The cold, lack of birds, and excitement for our trip later in the day, meant that we closed the nets a little bit earlier than anticipated (we were closed by 08.30 rather than by 08.45, but I doubt it would cause the end of the world). 

 

While this was happening, Seán braved World’s End 1, cold and even more unfruitful than the rining. He had to leave early so that he could go to the pharmacy to treat a cut on his finger.

 

Magnus enjoyed a morning of counting sheep. One… Two… Thre– *zzzz*

 

After a brief rest and some food, Simon (Sr) was ready to kidnap us (and take us somewhere far far South). Søren also kindly brought the rest of the SKAF team and Mette, we had originally planned to go South to visit the Black-Winged Stilts (Stylteløber). The car ride was long, but the views were beautiful (at least in the moments when my eyelids were not too heavy to keep open). 

 

Arriving at our destination was no disappointment, we met with Lars Bo, several TV crew members from Aarhus University, and the land owners. The land was absolutely stunning, green pastures bathed in warm June sunlight stretched across the horizon, as far as the eye could see. Immediately, the TV Crew got to work, Simon S. Christiansen, Lars Bo, and the Little Owl (Kirkeugle) chicks (pulli) being the stars of the show. The chicks were ringed, filmed, and then held and assisted by the Skagen Fuglestation team. As quickly as they were out to be ringed, being cute and doing the things a small owl does, they were back in the nest again. In his time working with Little Owls (Kirkeugle), Lars Bo has ringed around 600 of the ones in Denmark!

 

Simon S. Christiansen and Lars Bo ringing Little Owl (Kirkeugle) chicks (pulli) in front of the camera crew.

 

Skagen Fuglestation volunteers demonstrating the Little Owl (Kirkeugle) chicks (pulli) with our new friend: Sweet Lars Bo!

 

Little Owl (Kirkeugle) chicks (pulli).

 

 Triplets. Photo by: Søren Leth-Nissen

 

Luckily, this was not the only surprise in store for us this afternoon… rumour had it there were also Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) chicks (pulli) in a birdbox in the side of the shed, and the best part? We could ring them! These little ones were a lot less calm than the Little Owls (Kirkeugle), but they cooperated nonetheless, becoming all blinged up with a new shiny ring.

 

Seán holding a Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) chick (pull).

 

Isis holding a Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) chick (pull).

 

Lars Bo holding a Eurasian Kestrel (Tårnfalk) chick (pull). Photo by: Søren Leth-Nissen

 

After we had finished working with the birds, the landowners kindly invited us into their home for cake, coffee, and tea. Their garden was beautiful, the cake was absolutely delicious, and the company made the experience one of most cherishable value. Mange tak!

 

Once we were on the road again, we had a new objective: Black-Winged Stilts (Stylteløber) and maybe some Golden Eagles (Kongeørn). So we set the GPS for Biersted and off we were. Once we got there, Mette quickly spotted the Black-Winged Stilts (Stylteløber) and we all got a perfect view (and many pictures) of them. That was fun! Then we met up with a local birder, Morten, and he took us to see the Golden Eagles (Kongeørn). Simon (Jr) cleverly spotted one perching, and again, we all got a great look at the bird.

 

Biersted Mosevej.

 

What a successful day!

 

On the car ride back to the station there was a lot of debate, should we get fast food? Should we do groceries? What will we do for dinner! In the end, we agreed upon a quick round of groceries, and Simon (Jr) whipped up a super speedy, super delicious, and super filling dinner followed up by some tiramisu for dessert. 

 

Hej hej!

 

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.

 

People: Seán Walsh, Isis Khalil, Magnus Houen Lauritsen, Simon Kiesé, Simon S. Christiansen, Søren Leth-Nissen, Lars Bo, Mette