B is for BROWN BOOBY (again)

Hi folks!

Since Ragnar last updated you, yesterday evening, Ezra and I went out to Grenen for some night catching. During the day the flooded pools were full of terns and wader species, so we were feeling optimistic, however we arrived at 22:00 to a nearly empty beach! After trying our luck with a few flighty dunlin (Almindelig Ryle) and sanderling (sandløber) we came across a common tern (Fjordterne), which we were able to catch and bring back to the station to ring and take biometrics of – a new species to catch and see up close for both Ezra and me.

A first year common tern (Fjordterne).

After a slightly later night and shorter nights sleep, we were up once again for ringing and observations. The ringing was a little slower than the past few days, with 15 new birds captured, and highlights being a sedge warbler (Sivsanger) and two spotted flycatchers (Grå Fluesnapper). A nice addition to the session was an excellent view of a red footed falcon (Aftenfalk), which Ragnar and Simon spotted coming off the sea, before flying right over our heads, giving us incredible views to see identification features like the dark “cap.”

Towards the end of the session, I got a very exciting phone call – the brown booby (Brun Sule) was back!!! Having missed it the other day I was very excited to say the least, and after failing to identify it confidently from the juvenile gannets from Kabeltromlen, I ended up cycling and running to Worlds End 3 to great the boys and the booby (yay!!!). Ragnar and Fredrik then stayed for an extra 3 hours to help birders view the bird, while we closed the nets at Kabeltromlen.

The observing team doing what they do best.

After a bite to eat, Ezra and I headed out on separate birding escapades to Sandmilen, both seeing decent numbers of tree pipits (Skovpiber), crossbills (Lille Korsnæb), stonechats (Vestlig Sortstrubet Bynkefugl), whinchats (Bynkefugl), yellowhammer (Gulspurv), and kestrels (Tårnfalk). Meanwhile, Ragnar and Fredrik cracked on with some admin, before heading back out to Grenen, for a bit of additional sea watching. This time they spotted a bat species and a wryneck (Vendehals), which is an uncommon autumn visitor to Skagen.

One of the many beautiful views from the higher sand dunes South of Skagen.

We’ve had a brilliant few days, as the autumn season gets underway, so lets see what surprises tomorrow brings with it!

Ringing (Fyrhaven)

Fjordterne: 1

Ringing (Kabeltromlen)

Løvsanger: 2

Gærdesanger: 2

Rørsanger: 4

Munk: 2

Tornsanger: 2

Sivsanger: 1

Grå Fluesnapper: 2

Total: 16

Link to todays observations from observers in the area

People at the station: Ragnar Smith, Rosa Hicks, Fredrik Johansen, Ezra Sherwell, Simon Sigard Christiansen, Hans Christophersen, Birthe Christophersen.