Seldom slow.

With weather similar to yesterday, again I was reluctant to open all nets. At first light the garden was absolutely buzzing with birds. Rødhals (Robins) and Jernspurv (Dunnocks) ticked and rattled as they awoke and began heading out of the garden, probably numbering in their hundreds for both. Gransanger and Løvsanger (Chiffchaff and Willow warbler) Phwipt from seemingly every bush!

This morning was one of those when anybody present, birder, ringer or general public could not help but be captivated by the spectacle. As the sun rose on a beautiful morning around 2000 Hirundines decended onto the freshly mown field outside and evidently there had also been a huge insect hatch. Landsvale (Swallow) and Bysvale (House Martin) made up the majority but a couple of late Mursejler (Swift) sythed the thin air snapping up some breakfast, all the while the Rødhals and Jernspurv jangled, with Skovpiber and Gul Vipstjert (Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail) tseeping their way south en masse. 5 Tårnfalk (Kestrel) juveniles made an absolute mess of trying to catch an avian breakfast and seemed to opt for diced mouse out in the cut meadow. So, autumn in full swing I donned the rubber boots and headed out into the dewed grass.

The first round was by far the busiest of the morning with 50 birds immediately after first light. Thankfully, it slowed thereafter and throughout the standardised period I ringed 85 new along with a few recaps.

Skovpiber (Tree Pipit) 1
Gærdesmutte (Wren) 1
Jernspurv (Dunnock) 11
Rødhals (Robin) 27
Rødstjert (Redstart) 5
Gærdesanger (6)
Tornsanger (Whitethroat) 5
Havesanger (Garden Warbler) 1
Munk (Blackcap) 6
Sydlig Gransanger (Chiffchaff) 5
Løvsanger (Willow warbler) 11
Grå Fluesnapper (Spotted Flycatcher) 4
Broget Fluesnapper (Pied Flycatcher) 2

Interesting birds resting but not caught were one Spætmejse (Nuthatch) and one Husskade (Magpie) - Yes, those two birds really are oddities out here on the tip! 'One man's trash is another man's treasure'.

After the excitement of the ringing and the beautiful weather Gert arrived for some birding at the tip. We expected a lot would be happening out there.

Out on the tip in four hours I had a relatively varied migration watch. Nice numbers of some ducks and the pace is most certainly quickening.

Sortand (Common Scoter) 805
Splitterne (Sandwich Tern) 20
Pibeand (Wigeon) 403
Krikand (Teal)158
Fjordterne (Common Tern)31
Fløjlsand (Velvet Scoter) 7
Gråand (Mallard) 7
Knarand (Gadwall) 7
Spidsand (Pintail) 25
Ederfugl (Eider) 178 Mainly males!
Havterne (Arctic Tern) 1
Fiskeørn (Osprey) 2
Almindelig Kjove (Arctic Skua) 9
Hjejle (Golden Plover) 7
Dobbeltbekkasin (Snipe) 2
Almindelig Ryle (Dunlin) 29
Stenvender (Turnstone) 2
Islandsk Ryle (Knot) 8
Gul Vipstjert (Yellow Wag) 58
Spurvehøg (Sparrowhawk) 2
Trane (Crane) 2
Rørhøg (Marsh Harrier) 2
Troldand (Tufted duck) 4
Knortegås (Brent Goose) 39
Skeand (Shoveler) 10
Gråstrubet lappedykker (Red-necked Grebe) 3
Toppet Skallesluger  (Red-breasted Merganser) 10
Stor Skallesluger (Goosander) 1
Hvepsevåge (Honey Buzzard) 1
Lærkefalk (Hobby) 1
Gravand (Shelduck) 3
Sule (Gannet) 1

There was also 1000's of hirundines feeding on recently emerged insects over the fields by the tip.Gulls and birds of prey also joined the feast with 6 Tårnfalk, 5 Spurvehøg, 5 Musvåge (Common Buzzard) and 2 Ravn (Raven).

Another memorable day in Gedser.

Windy waders

Today the wind and rain pelted the tip, here at Gedser. As a result, no standardised ringing. Lydia joined Gert and Benny for a birding trip in Jutland today, leaving the boys at home.

The Common Sandpiper we've been playing cat and mouse with for a couple of days finally baffled itself in the wader trap and was duly ringed.

Common sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos. Photo: Anton Liebermann

Craig and Anton battled the elements for a couple of hours out at the tip watching migration. With visibility less than a kilometre and the wind gusting well over 20 m/s any birds were a result! We managed a few bits and bobs, all the waders were in very smart summer plumage, which is great to see.

Migrating between 11:15-13:15

Eider 95
Arctic Tern 9
Common Tern 48
Grey Heron 3
Common Gull 5
Black-headed Gull 34
Herring Gull 6
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 Juvenile
Teal 2
Sandwich Tern 2
Spotted Redshank 2
Redshank 1
Common Scoter 99
Curlew 1
Ruff 2
Golden Plover 1

Apologies, these are straight from the notebook and therefore not in taxonomical order.

Resting at the tip

Cormorant 46
Eider 440
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Common Scoter c250 (hard to count in the swelling sea)
Sandwich Tern 6
Common Sandpiper 1
Wood Sandpiper 1
Herring Gull 1
Mute Swan 4
Common Gull 1

A grey seal was about just offshore.

The forecast tomorrow looks a little more pleasant than recently, fingers crossed for some ringing and migration. It's starting to hot up though.

Craig

A lesser whitethroat was the only new passerine caught today.

Birding in the wind

The weather this morning was poor, a brisk southwesterly wind bringing horizontal rain and low visibility. With no option to open the nets, bird watching was the only thing.

A couple of hours at the tip in the morning produced a few quality birds, no quantity.

Migrants from the tip included

Dunlin 8
Curlew Sandpiper 1
Grey Plover 5
Redshank 1
Greenshank 1
Curlew 1
Snipe 2
Black Tern 2
Little Gull 1

With the migration tap switched off it was back to the station. Gert arrived and the three of us headed to Bøtø. A brief look between showers produced an impressive list of migrant waders.

Dunlin 35
Curlew Sandpiper 3
Ruff 17
Ringed Plover 18
Little Ringed Plover 1
Whimbrel 26
Curlew 2
Wood Sandpiper 21
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Sandpiper 3
Greenshank 7
Snipe 2
Temminck's stint 1

Also an impressive show from 2 Great white egrets, amongst 16 Grey Heron and a pair of White-tailed eagles were also observed.

In the afternoon a net was opened briefly but no new birds were caught. Hans brought Anton to the station in the evening, he will stay a fortnight, learning to ring and bird watching. Some wader traps were dusted off and placed by the freshwater pond in the south field, where common and green sandpiper have been frequenting. Fingers crossed for some success.

The weather tomorrow is improving with a dry but windy morning. We should be able to complete standardised, though conditions aren't favourable for migration.

Thanks for reading,

Craig