Easterlies, low on quantity, but always the promise of a quality bird!

Goddag!

We will be here at Gedser until the end of the season so think that an introduction is in order. We are the Lamsdells. We have been birders since the early 80s and started our training as ringers some 10 years ago. Gedser is a very different location to our usual sites, most of which are within 10 miles of Heathrow Airport, London.

This year we were at Long Point, Canada, in May and June, for spring migration and have volunteered for projects in Spain, France and Georgia (on the Black Sea coast) over the past few years. We also go to Cyprus to ring every spring and lately have also been there for a few weeks in the winter.

When we’re not ringing at Gedser, (we know there will be days when it’s just not possible), Chris will no doubt be making the most of the excellent sea watching available just a short walk up the road at the tip. I, Denise will also be there from time to time but am just as likely to be prospecting for fossils on the beach or trying out new recipes at the ringers’ house.

We had a great first day yesterday with 100 new and 28 recaptured birds. We didn’t ring in the afternoon as the wind was becoming increasing strong. We used the afternoon to do some sea-watching, and to put up some extra nets for pipits and wagtails. This evening was much too windy, but now we have them ready for whenever they are needed. 

It was very windy by the end of the day yesterday, and by 5am this morning it was still really blowy. Thankfully the ringing site has plenty of well sheltered areas. We dropped the nets knowing that rain was forecast for later on so kept a close eye on the weather throughout the morning.

It wasn't very busy at all and by the time we felt the first drops of rain and closed at 10am we had only processed 33 birds, half of which were recaptures. Best ringed birds were a Spotted Flycatcher (Grå fluesnapper) and Tree Pipit (Skovpiber).

1k Tree Pipit (Skovpiber)

During the morning a Hobby, Kestrel and Raven were seen interacting about the nets but evaded capture.

A brief sea watch for just over an hour from 12.15pm produced a couple of juvenile Long-tailed Skuas, plus a couple of Little Gull with c250 Common Scoter and a few Eider, all heading west.
Late afternoon, we did a short tour around Gedser picking up a flock of c40 Greylag, a single Wheatear and a Merlin resting on a hay bale outside the ringing station.

 1k Merlin (Dværgfalk)

Denise 

Today's totals: 17 (16)

Tree Pipit - 1

Robin - 6 (3)

Redstart-2

Blackbird - 0 (1)

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

Whitethroat - 1 (1)
Garden Warbler - 0 (1)

Blackcap - 3 (3)

Chiffchaff - 1 (5)
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Blue Tit - 1

Great Tit - 0 (2)