Owling from midnight onwards proved rewarding at 2 am when I extracted the 3rd Tengmalm's Owl for Denmark this autumn from on of the nets in the garden. Rune was more than happy to be woken up by this as it was his first for Denmark. As would be expected this bird was a Juvenile (presumed female) and is part of the invasion sweeping across Fenno-scandia this year. The origins or destination for this bird can only be guessed at but Norway or Northern Sweden would probably be the origin and destination a forest somewhere in Germany?
Around 4am I woke Rune once more with the second Tengmalm's of the night! This time a 2nd Calendar year Female. This bird was sat up in a bush and I managed to take it by hand (regretably giving the bird chance to butcher my left hand - but well worth the pain.
6 am came around quickly and the tapes were turned off ready for the morning's standardised ringing, as I went around the nets to shake off the dew I flushed a Long-Eared owl into one net, I managed to run and catch it just before it escaped the net. Not a bad night for Owling then with 2 gorgeous species of owls caught.
Standardised was quite busy today with 75 new birds, 20 Goldcrests, 17 Robins, 10 Wrens, a few of each Blackbird, Redwing,Lesser redpoll, Great and Blue Tit. Singles of Song Thrush and Northern Bullfinch.
Finch migration overhead was impressive with 1500+ Chaffinch/Brambling. 1000 Siskin, 200 Redpoll, 20 Bullfinch, 10 Crossbill, a few Greenfinch, Linnet and Twite and a single Hawfinch. Rough-legged buzzards powered through the mist and over the sea as did a few Sparrowhawks.
Rune left this afternoon and I'm very thankful for his help without him we wouldn't have been able to cover the whole night and catch these owls.
Craig Brookes
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