A first for Skagen ringing!

Hi all!

For those eagerly awaiting the news of a storm petrel (Lille Stormsvale) or nightjar (Natravn), I’m afraid neither were successful, but alas – we will try again tonight! With this, the night ringing team headed to bed at 3:30am, passing the baton to the Kabeltromlen team as they headed out for the dawn ringing.

This ringing was more successful, and while there were only 13 new birds, there was a nice diversity of species, including sedge warbler (Sivsanger), willow warbler (Løvsanger), and water rail (Vandrikse). Between net rounds we were talking about pheasants (Fasan), then less than 5 minute later I was presenting Simon with Skagen’s first ever pheasant (Fasan) to be rung!

 The above photo shows a female pheasant (Fasan) - the first to be rung at Skagen!

While we were out ringing, Lucas was on morning observations, documenting a slow push of wader movement including 40 golden plover (Hjejle) and 30 tringa species, as well as 30 fulmar (Mallemuk), and 60 gannets (Sule).  

We then received an exciting email from Jurmo Bird Observatory about a Skagen ringed coal tit (Sortmejse), which was recaptured in Finland, travelling 672km over 21 days! The Observatory said they usually ring 100 – 300 coal tits (Sortmejse) in the autumn, and a handful in the spring. However, weather patterns last autumn caused an invasion year, with a record of more than 2000 ringed before the new year and 27 ringed in spring. Thank you, Kim Kuntze, Lauri Kokkala, and Jurmo Bird Observatory, for this brilliant additional information.

The Skagen ringed coal tit (Sortmejse), recaptured in Finland. Photo by Lauri Kokkala.

To prepare us for another long night of net watching, Lucas, Mette, and I went for a refreshing swim. Keep your fingers crossed that the storm petrels (Lille Stormsvale) and nightjars (Natravn) decide to visit our nets tonight!

Swimming – we’re on day seven in a row and are trying to convince ourselves that we’re acclimatising!

Ringing (Kabeltromlen)

Marsh warbler (Kærsanger) - 2

 Chiffchaff (Gransanger) – 2

Pheasant (Fasan) – 1

Water rail (Vandrikse) - 1

Sedge warbler (Sivsanger) – 1

Willow warbler (Løvsanger) – 1

Common whitethroat (Tornsanger) – 1

Blackbird (Solsort) – 1

Blackcap (Munk) – 1

Lesser whitethroat (Gærdesanger) – 1

Reed warbler (Rørsanger) - 1

Total: 13 

People at the station: Asia Kane, Joe Zeno, Lucas Corneliussen, Rosa Hicks, Simon S. Christiansen, Mette Møller Christiensen

Link to todays observations in Dofbasen from the Skagen area