I don't care what the weather man says! 10/10/2013

With the weather forecast predicting rain we awoke thinking the nets were a no go, but on opening the door it was clear that most nets could be opened with calm conditions in the garden and no drizzle.

 In comparison to yesterday we caught more birds with 44 birds ringed today during our somewhat delayed standardised ringing session!

Sparrowhawk 1

Robin 1

Blackcap 4

Chiffchaff 11

Goldcrest 3

Blue Tit 12
(Two of which were Swedish controls with one ringed at Falsterbo on the 2nd/10/2013. Many thanks to Stephen Menzie for all the quick info regarding these birds)
 

A Couple of Blue Tits alighting on the bushes at the tip of Gedser before heading south across the sea, we still cant get our head around migrating flocks of tits, photo by Jack Ashton-Booth

 Great Tit 1
Tree Sparrow 6

Chaffinch 2

Siskin 2

Yellowhammer 1

With another Sparrowhawk caught in the mist net we thought we would take the opportunity to  show how wing formula measurements are taken here at Gedser Fuglestation whilst the bird is being processed in the ringing lab. Wing formulas on these birds are taken to understand wing shape according to the birds age and sexe and highlights just how variable wing shape in the birds hand can be.

With the help of Hugh's transparent ruler the distance between the wing point (in this case Primary 4 (in some cases P4 & P5 can be equal) which is numbered in an ascend order towards the body) is independantly measured against P3, P4 against P2 & P4 against P1 working outwards (descendantly) in sequence. After which you work inwards (ascendantly) from the wing point (P4) and compare the distance between P4 against P5, P4 against P6, P4 against P7 and finally P4 against P8. If this method is followed the completed wing formula would look like this in the example below:

DESCENDANTLY=
MEASUREMENT 1   P4-P3: 10mm
MEASUREMENT 2   P4-P2: 35mm
MEASUREMENT 3   P4-P1: 78mm

ASCENDANTLY=
MEASUREMENT 4   P4-P5: 05mm
MEASUREMENT 5   P4- P6: 24mm
MEASUREMENT 6   P4-P7: 52mm

MEASUREMENT 7   P4-P8: 67mm

Diagram of Wing Formula used for Sparrowhawks

2k+ Male Sparrowhawk, photo Jack Ashton-Booth

Susanne taking the wing formula on the bird above, in males it is easy enough to take the formula alone but with some of the large Scandinavian female birds assistance is usually required, photo by Jack Ashton-Booth

Wing formula nearing completion, photo by Jack Ashton-Booth

Birding highlightsv per Louis Hansen from Gedser Tip for the 10th of October included:

• Olive-backed Pipit (heard)

• Slavonian grebe 2 (South)

• Parrot Crossbills 150+ (observed to head south/south west)

• Great Grey Shrike (one blogging around the tip)

We would like to say a big thank-you to ALL of our followers and to Louis for the birding totals. Also a BIG thank-you to our British followers who continue to support us on twitter! 

Best wishes from all of us here

Hugh, Rael, Jack, Susanne and Magda