Observing migration, meerkats, and marmosets??

Hej!

Today was rather busy for the autumn team at Skagen Fuglestation but started in much the same way as every other day – instant coffee being made with anticipation at what the weather might bring with it, followed by the bird ringing nets being opened and scopes being raised seaward.

The ringers caught 32 new birds, with highlights of Redwing (Vindrossel), Bullfinch (Dompap), and a lovely Long Tailed Tit (Halemejse), which was especially nice to see as it was northern subspecies, Caudatus, with an entirely white head, unlike the darker headed Europaeus southern relatives most of us volunteers are used to.

The Long Tailed Tit (Halemejse) – look at that face.

Meanwhile, the observers had a busy day for auk migration across the sea, and corvid migration over the sea – we counted over 870 Jackdaws (Allike)! Other highlights included 2 Barnacle Geese (Bramgås), 1 Grey Wagtail (Bjergvipstjert), 1 Water Pipit (Bjergpiber), 1 Barn Swallow (Landsvale), 1 Lapland Bunting (Lapværling), and 20 Twite (Bjergirisk).

After the morning activities, we had the privilege of attending Simon’s Sensational Sternidae Session, where he taught us all about identifying and ageing Common Terns (Fjordterne) and less common terns, such as Forster’s Tern (Prærie-Terne) and Lesser Crested Tern (Bengalsk Terne) – we can only hope.

The group then zoomed to Jerup, some faster than the rest of the team thanks to a lift in a Tesla. We were paying a visit to a rescue centre to ring a juvenile Mute Swan (Knopsvane) before it gets released. Once the swan was adorned with its new unique identification leg ring, we got to have a look around the centre. We saw Parrots, Quail, Marmosets, Meerkats, and even Wallabies!!

Simon and Lisa ringing the Mute Swan.

En route home from this side quest we got a text from Ragnar, who had stayed behind to do some handy work, telling us the restaurant Blink next door had kindly invited us for dinner. We had a delicious meal and a lovely evening together, which was a great way to end a great day! Even more so, it was a great way to end a great time at Skagen Fuglestation, as I leave tomorrow back to the UK, after three months at the station. Thank you to all the wonderful people I’ve met and been mentored by during my time here, I’ll always look back on the experience fondly.

The delicious spread, courtesy of Blink. Thank you very much!

Vi ses!

 

Highlights of the Observation:

- 870 Jackdaw (Allike)

- 1 Water Pipit (Bjergpiber)

- 1 Lapland Bunting (Lapværling)

- 1 Grey Wagtail (Bjergvipstjert)

 

Ringing (Kabeltromlen):

Vindrossel - 3

Solsort - 2

Gærdesmutte - 5

Jernspurv - 1

Rødhals - 5

Dompap - 9

Rørspurv - 2

Gransanger - 1

Fuglekonge - 1

Halemejse - 1

Kvækerfinke - 1

Total = 32

 

Ringing (Jennes Sø):

Solsort - 1

Fuglekonge - 1

Lille Gråsisken - 14

Total = 16

Ringing (Nordstjernevej):

Grønsisken - 1

 

Link to today's observations from observers in the area

People at the station: Ragnar Smith, Rosa Hicks, Thomas Weston, Mara Glane, Emma Fabre, Simon Sigaard Christiansen and family, Lisa Vergin, Jeppe, Linda, Michael Ancher.