A slow build up

A slow build up

Another day, another dollar, we woke up early and the ringers went to Kabeltromlen while me and Joe went to World End 3 to do some migration counting. The weather was much better than yesterday, no rain, light cloud cover but some wind, and very early we saw some fulmars (Mallemuk), so we knew it would be another good fulmar day. Otherwise, there wasn’t much migration, though we had Green Woodpecker (Grønspætte) 1k that ended up migrating northeast. Later we were joined by the young birder Alfred, I helped him getting on some fulmars that were migrating as it would be new species for him, and there were two Black-throated Divers (Sortstrubet Lom) a Carrion Crow (Sortkrage), also both new lifers! Skagen always delivers. Later in the morning we had the first raptor in the shape of a Red Kite (Rød Glente) 1k doing a migration attempt and at 0914, right before the standardized counting stopped, we had the highlight of the day: a very nice Great Skua (Storkjove) migrating northwest, an uncommon summer visitor in Skagen, though we will see more of them later in the season (hopefully). After the standardized count, me, Joe and Alfred first went to the Sandormesvinget to count terns, gulls and waders and Alfred got another lifer in the shape of a Little Stint (Dværgryle) and we had Grey Wagtail (Bjergvipstjert) calling. After that, the last task at hand before we could go back was to go to the Cormorant Lake (Skarvsøen) to count cormorants (Skarv). It ended up being quite the trek with all mosquitos, horseflies and humidity, but we survived and mission accomplished and we went back to the Lighthouse and Alfred, happy with all his new lifers, got picked up by his mom. Thanks for a nice day Alfred!

Kabeltromlen had a more quiet day with the highlight being a nice Water Rail (Vandrikse), otherwise nothing much. They also spend the time maintaining the vegetation so we are ready for a hopefully action-packed and exciting autumn season, when the migration picks up!

Otherwise the down time at the Observatory was spend napping and accomplishing some of the daily tasks and at around dinner time Simon picked up Sean Walsh who will be doing some storm petrel catching, and picked up Lucas and his friend James who will be staying with us for some time and we were joined by Mette who will be sleeping here also in the hopes of seeing a European Storm Petrel (Lille Stomsvale).

Now the nets have been put up and in a short time we will start doing playback with storm petrel calls and we are going to put up a moth trap, and a bunch of other birdwatchers will be joining us in the hopes of us catching a storm petrel. Fingers crossed, I know I will as I still need as a lifer.

Ringing (Kabeltromlen)

Water Rail (Vandrikse) – 1

Chiffchaff (Gransanger) – 1

Kærsanger (Marsh Warbler) – 2

Blackcap (Munk) – 3

Lesser Whitethroat (Gærdesanger) – 1

Lesser Redpoll (Lille Gråsisken) – 1

Total: 9

People: Ragnar Smith, Joe Zeno, Alfred G. Geckler, Asia Kane, Rosa Hicks, Lucas Corneliussen, Sean Walsh, Simon S. Christiansen, Mette M. Christensen, Kirsten Bregn, James Leone

Link to todays observations from observers in the area