Another day another Jay

Daniel, Sasha and I started the day by opening the nets at Grenen again we were then joined later by Simon and Lisa who arrived in time for our biggest round with 16 coal tits! The ringing session was quite successful. We were accompanied by 2 Danish people on a guided tour, so it was good for them to see us ring some birds as well and Jørgen and Igor also joined us. We then came back to the station and had started to sleep and enter data when we got a call saying there was a Nutcracker (Nøddekridge) at Batteriskoven we all rushed to Simon’s car and spent a good hour wondering round Skagen and Batterskoven. However we were again unsuccessful, although we did find a lovely park! So many Jays (Skouskades) and Magpies (Husskades) but no Nutcracker!!! When we arrived back at the station for a second time we were also called out again. This time the Pacific diver was within 200 metres of the lighthouse, and we were successful!!! A new bird for Lisa, Daniel and I and Sasha’s first in Europe. This raised everyone’s spirits after the failed Nutcracker hunt and we tackled cleaning the station, which between 4 of didn’t take long.

In the evening Morten arrived and while out jogging, Lisa saw a Short-Eared Owl! This led to a late-night expedition into the heath and woodlands surrounding the lighthouse equipped with net and torch, however this was also unsuccessful, hopefully as it becomes later in the season more Short-Eared Owls will arrive, and we will get to ring some!

Birds rung: 2 Robin (Rødhals), 2 Dunnocks (Jernspurv), 16 Coal Tits (Sortmejse), 1 Lesser Redpoll (Lille Gråsiskin), 3 Blue Tits (Blåmejse), 2 Blackcaps (Munk) and 2 Garden Warblers (Havesanger).

People: Molly Brown, Lisa Vergin, Daniel Bloche, Sasha Munters, Morten Christianson, Simon S. Christiansen and Jørgen Kabel.