Windy Mornings Can Be A Challenge

In Ragnar’s absence, I woke up later (04:40 AM) than the ringing crew (03:45) and headed out to Worlds End 1 to begin the days morning observation count. After a few relatively unproductive days from Worlds End 3, I thought I would switch it up and try my luck with others here. The first hour was relatively slow with only a few fulmars (Mallemuk) and a handful of Northern Gannets (Sule), but as the morning progressed, it slowly picked up speed. As did the wind. By the end of the morning, it topped out at 14 m/s. An adult dark morph Arctic Skua (Almindelig Kjove) and several species of alcids (alkefugl) were nice consolation prizes, but unfortunately, nothing crazy rare went by continental Denmark's northern most migration hotspot. 

On the ringing front, the ringers finally got an extra 15 minutes of sleep as we adjusted the first round time by 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the extra sleep did not help them as they were only able to keep the nets open for four rounds before the wind and lack of productively were simply too much to justify keeping the nets open. The whole crew returned to the station by 09:30 and began completing some chores around our home away from home. Data was entered, photos in the archive were adjusted and the station cleaned. This was all in preparation for tonight as we will try once again to ring European Storm-Petrels (Stormsvale). And so, another day at Skagen Fuglestation passes, what will tomorrow morning (tonight) bring – we will have to wait and see. 

Ringing (Kabeltromlen)

Common Whitethroat (Tornsanger) - 2

Blackcap (Munk)  - 1

Chiffchaff (Gransanger) - 2

Total: 5

People at SKAF: Lucas Corneliussen, Rosa Hicks, Joe Zeno, Simon Christiansen, Asia Kane, Mette Møller Christiensen

Link to today's observations from observers in the area