I started the day with a good first round and thought that I could manage it today, but the second round was a bit too much for one person. So I called Hans and he was very quickly at the station to help. I did the ringing and he was getting the birds out. There were many Sylvidae: Lesser Whitethroats (Gærdesanger), Common Whitethroats (Tornsanger), Blackcaps (Munk) and Garden Warblers (Havesanger). After the third round it became a bit more quiet and we could get the birds out with the two of us. And we had a little surprise two new Wrynecks (Vendehals), so one for each. After this Hans went home, but his wife had said to him: I do not want to see you back without a lot of brambles. So he had to pick them for half an hour. But we had a good day together. A the lake we had a White and a Yellow Wagtail (Hvid og Gul Vipstjert) and later in the evening a Wheatear. The wheatear is rather dark in the front and measures 101 mm, it is a 1K (could be a more nordic one, we have collected some little feathers for DNA research).

In total we had 137 birds and 23 different species (131 new ones and 6 recaptures).

Coming back to the open debate on the thunbergi. From Denmark nobody reacted. I also asked some birders and ringers in the Netherlands what they thought about the subspecies. And they all agreed that it could be a thunbergi. 

Today only two pictures, one of the two Wrynecks and one of the Wheatear.

Todays catches:

With kind regards Robert

Today was, what I would say, a kind of standard day. It was hot and the birds decided not to move anymore after 11.00 o'clock, so I closed the garden at 12.00 o'clock. Highlights of the morning were a new Vendehals / Wryneck (the second of this year) and a new Rødrygget Tornskade / Red-backed shrike. After showing some vistors, together with Hans, some birds I decided to take a nap.

Later in the afternoon I opened the nets at the little lake and it was a really exciting evening. Caught a Mudderklire (Common sandpiper) and at the same time a digesvale (Sand Martin) and half an hour later a bysvale (House Martin) and an additional Gul Vipstjert (Yellow Wagtail). There was no wind at all and the nets were not moving at all. I think this is the reason that I caught the martins in a relative open biotope.

The House Martin is an interesting species. It has feathers on his feet and tarsus (see picture). As far as I know the only little bird that has it (maybe there are more in the world). I once asked people what the reason could be that they have those feathers. There was one answer that made sense for me. The species is orginally a mountain species, maybe protecting from the cold??

Photo gallery

Today catches

In total 69 birds (61 new and 8 recaptures) and 18 different species.

With kind regards Robert

The day was strange. First round 5 birds and I thought this will be the worst day of the week, but luckily more birds in the second round. Third round again only 5 birds and thereafter again better rounds. In total I have caught 79 birds (17 species). 70 new ones and 9 recaptures.

I also tried to catch near the lake and was today very lucky. Four new Yellow Wagtails (Gul Vipstjert). One has a very dark head, according to me it could be the subspecies thunbergi, but Hans is not convinced. So open for debate. And one less common species for the station, a Common Snipe (Dobbeltbakkasin).

The Wryneck was still there (what a strange bird).

I would say: overall a good day.

Photo gallery

Is this a thunbergi or not?

Catches of the day:

With kind regards

Robert (Robert.Luttik@gmail.com)

Today was the day that most people were leaving. At this moment I am the only one. Anton and Ana have helped during the morning (the standard catching period). In between, we cleaned the house and did the dishes and washes. Not much to mention this day. We had less birds but still in total 47 (29 new and 18 recaptures). !4 species of which the Rødrygget Tornskade/Red backed Shrike probably was the least common one. It was also the last bird ringed by Ana (see picture).

A pity that they are gone, will be a few days alone and in case I will catch a lot of birds Hans Lind is available for helping out. So lets hope tomorrow is a more crowded day.

Picture gallery

  A bit afraid to get dirty

Todays catches

With kind regards Robert

Today it has been a good day of ringing! Still not the big day we have been hoping for, but we got a decent amount of birds with some new species for the season: Eurasian Wryneck, Yellow Wagtail and European Goldfinch. I got to ring 4 new species, the formers plus a Grasshopper Warbler (3 ^rd for the season!).

Vendehals / Wryneck

The morning was not very busy, we got more birds than yesterday during the standard period and we decided to keep the nets open. We had them open until 16:30 and I’m glad we did it because all the new bird species came after 10:00! 

We were Anton, Robert and me in charge of the ringing. Anders went to the tip and joined us for the ringing after the standard period. He got the Wryneck from the net and didn’t say anything to anyone. When I opened the bag at the lab it was such a surprise! What an amazing bird! Gert was also with us and we couldn’t stop watching it, it is the most incredible bird I’ve ever had in my hand!

The day was saved, new species and a really good one (Wryneck)! After this one, came the Gold Finch, the Grasshopper Warbler and also a couple of Yellow Wagtails that Robert caught in his nets by the lake in front of the sea.

Stillits / Goldfinch

Gul Vipstjert / Yellow Wagtail

Today’s ringing:

Vendehals / Wryneck - 1
Gul Vipstjert / Yellow Wagtail - 2
Nattergal / Thrush Nightingale - 4
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 6
Græshoppesanger / Grasshoppe Warbler - 1
Sivsanger / Sedge Warbler - 1
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 4
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 7
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat - 17
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 12
Havesanger / Garden Warbler - 2
Munk / Blackcap - 2
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 1
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow - 1
Stillits / Goldfinch - 1

Total: 62

We also got a lot of recaptures: 41 in total, being most of them Common Whitethroats.

Ander’s parents left today and now we are 4 at the station. Anton and me went in the afternoon to Gedser to buy some food, Anders was in the tip and Robert at home while checking his nets.

Now we are going to prepare pizza and enjoy the last hours of the day!

Cheers!

Ana

Another day is soon gone and we have enjoyed like every other day. No matter if the sun is shining or it’s cloudy and raining, every day at Gedser Fuglestation is just a wonderful gift.

The ringing was slow today, we only got a total of 27 birds ringed and 11 recaptures. We had a new species for the season, Reed Bunting, along with a nice Sedge Warbler. I got my first recapture from Sweden, a sweet Willow warbler! So even though we didn’t have the big day we were expecting with the the change in the wind direction, I enjoyed a lot in the lab with the ringing. Robert and Anton let me ring all the birds and I got to learn some tips for ageing  from them.

Rørspurv / Reed Bunting (1k - Female)

Sivsanger / Sedge Warbler (2k ⁺)

Today’s ringing:

Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 3
Sivsanger / Sedge Warbler - 1
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 3
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat -4
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 8
Havesanger / Garden Warbler - 1
Munk / Blackcap - 1
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 3
Broget Fluesnapper / Pied Flycatcher - 1
Rødrygget Tornskade / Red-backed Shrike - 1
Rørspurv / Reed Bunting - 1

Total: 27

Anders went to the tip like every morning but the migration was slow and he came back to the station and went to explore around with his parents.

At home life is beautiful. After Robert came yesterday, we also got the visit from Anders’s parents and now being 6 people at the house it really feels like being a big family.  

With this stormy weather we are spending the afternoon indoors, chilling at home while Anders and her mum are cooking lasagne for dinner. I bet is going to be yummy because it smells delicious from the kitchen.

Have a nice Sunday evening!

Ana

Til trods for et spinkelt håb i morgentimerne, så skuffede dagen pænt meget. Blæsten lå stadigvæk over 8 m/s og gjorde, at vi kun næsten kunne åbne alle havens net. Vi kæmpede dog alligevel, og fik totalen op på hele 28 fugle inden standard sluttede, og lidt småregn lå i luften. Dagen bestod af følgende ringmærkninger:

Today’s ringing:
Nattergal / Thrush Nightingale - 1
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 7
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 3
Rørsanger / Reed Warbler - 1
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 2
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat -3
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 6
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 4
Broget Fluesnapper / Pied Flycatcher - 1
Total: 28

Dagens første og anden plads - Rødstjert og Tornsanger.

Noget andet og lidt større skete dog ude på odden i dag, hvor at observationsposten i dag blev åbnet. Anders Prehn tager den første periode, og kunne i dag berette om en okay dag med nogle kvaliteter som sortterner og almindelige kjover!

Nu er klokken 11, og der skal nydes noget frokost - måske have sig en middagslur - også på odden senere i eftermiddag, se om trækket kunne begynde lidt igen!

Stille dag på Danmarks sydspids, i morgen venter der os en dag med 5 m/s fra nv, så er det 500 dagen der ligger og venter derude?

Og ikke for at glemme, at Robert har meldt sin ankomst her til middag, og bliver og hjælper til med ringmærkningen de næste 10 dages tid. Nu er vi 6 hænder, og mere end klar til hvad midt august har at bringe.

De gladeste hilsner Anton

Vi vågnede i dag op til en kraftig vestenvind, som umuliggjorde at gennemføre den standardiserede fangst. Derfor gik meget af dagen med indendørsaktiviteter, før vinden aftog om eftermiddagen hvilket betød at nettene blev åbnet. Da skyerne forsvandt og solen for alvor kom frem blev fuglene aktive, hvilket resulterede i at Anton og jeg var beskæftigede med at ringmærke i et par timer.

Jeg gik også en tur ud til spidsen hvor 500+ mursejlere trak på en time. En juvenil sortstrubet bynkefugl rastede desuden i haven. I dag blev også dagen hvor vi måtte sige farvel og tak til Rasmus Momme, som har været en god hjælp.

Kaspisk måge 1k - de sidste par dage er 2-3 individer observeret ved odden. Foto: Anders O. W. Nielsen

Today's ringing:

Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat - 4
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 3
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 1
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 2
Rødrygget Tornskade / Red-backed Shrike - 1
Stor Flagspætte / Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Good day today!

The day started at 4:30, opening the nets. After the slow day yesterday we were hoping for a better day today and we got it. At 5:00 all the nets were open and ready to catch many birds, we went home to have breakfast and wait excited for the first round. Anders went to the tip and Anton, Rasmus and me were in charge of the ringing. It was a really good first round! We got 23 birds, almost the same as the total for yesterday! Went to the lab, Rasmus and me ringing under the supervision of Anton and ready again for the second round. Anders joined us, the migration by the tip was slow and he decided to join the ringing team. And it was really good he did it, in the second round we got almost double amount of birds than in the first one. This time Anton and Anders were in charge of the ringing due to the amount of birds. The third, fourth and fifth were slower but still good in number and species, getting a total of 110 birds.

Happy face with half of the bags from 1 ^st round (Rasmus had the other half)

We got a new species for the season, Tree pipit! Two of them in the same net! And we also got the second Dunnock for the season!

Tree Pipit / Skovpiber

Dunnock / Jernspurv

Flycatchers, Redstarts and a beautiful Red-backed shrike came along with the warblers and whitethroats. It was amazing to have some diversity!

Red-backed Shrike / Rødrygget Tornskade

After the standard period, Anders and Rasmus continued with the ringing until 12:00 when they closed and joined Gert with some moths identification. Anton and me worked in the garden to finish removing the dry branches piles. We can finally say after 3 days of working: Is done!

In the afternoon Anders baked a tasty blackberry and hazelnuts cake and we couldn’t resist to eat most of it! It’s wonderful to life surrounded for blackberries!

Now is time to enjoy the last hours of the day outdoors, the guys are already in the tip enjoying the migration and I’ll run and join them as soon as I finish writing the blog!

Again, another day living and working in paradise! I can’t be happier here!

Withouth forgetting the numbers;

Today’s ringing:

Skovpiber / Tree Pipit -2
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 1
Nattergal / Thrush Nightingale - 1
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 4
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 9
Rørsanger / Reed Warbler - 3
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 6
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat -29
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 19
Havesanger / Garden Warbler - 8
Munk / Blackcap - 4
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 2
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 16
Grå Fluesnapper / Spotted Flycatcher - 2
Broget Fluesnapper / Pied Flycatcher - 2
Rødrygget Tornskade / Red-backed Shrike - 1
Tornirisk / Linnet - 1

Total: 110

Cheers!

Ana

Kort blog i dag! Lang dag og alle på stationen er trætte.

Den startede ud med at et hold fra søndagsbørn podcast kom, og skulle lave et indslag med mig omkring min hobby, og hvorfor det var jeg tilbragte min tid på at se på fugle (og i disse dage på GFU). Det kan ses på deres facebook side i morgen engang, hvis man er interesseret i dette.

Ringmærkningen gik heldigvis sløvt til, men det var fint nok, for så der var tid til at være pædagogiske overfor de 2 besøgende. Dagens total ramte kun lige op på 27, og er fordelt på fuglene under.

Today’s ringing:
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 1
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 1
Rørsanger / Reed Warbler - 1
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 1
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat -7
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 2
Havesanger / Garden Warbler - 3
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 10
Broget Fluesnapper / Pied Flycatcher - 1
Total: 27

Gærdesanger 2k+ - dagens sejeste fugl! I morgen må kunne gøres bedre - selvom den her er mucho sød.

Eftermiddagen er ikke blevet brugt til det store, dog blev der forsøgt noget birding - som til slut endte ud i, at vi hastede ud med net og hele molevitten, for at napse en mega flok på +800 mursejlere, som i flere minutter lå lavt og fouragerede. Vi kunne dog snildt have sparet os for besværet, for da alting var sat op, var der ikke mange flere end 0 mursejlere tilbage her på sydspidsen! Øv - men nu er tingene klar, til at hvis nu det skal ske igen.

Aftensmaden taler vi ikke højt over, men jeg lystede at lave min så velkendte pastabrød! Smagen var smuk, men udseendet kan sendes til vorherres gudsforladte hus - ingen fotos er taget, og det må blive en ommer engang i weekenden måske….

Alle er trætte, og i morgen venter der en stor dag med nordvesten vind og 500 fugle i nettene - med kvaliteter som 2 høgesanger, 3 flodsanger, 1 gulbrystet værling, 1 lille rørsanger, 1 bleg gulbug, 1 musvit, 1 sortstrubet sanger, 2 munke og hvis heldet er med os -> årets første vendehals. Vi er spændte og glæder os!

Nu vil vi i seng og lade op.

Knus til jer alle sammen - de gladeste hilsner Anton