Fogged off

Setting the nets in the still twilight hour this morning, I was hopeful for some more birds. The night sky was clear and the moon illuminated the garden. Shortly after 5 am however, a thick mist rolled in and hung around almost all day; visibility was reduced (unlike previous days) and the brisk wind just didn't shift it.

34 Birds is all we ringed today

Sparrowhawk 2
Icterine Warbler 1
Redstart 1
Robin 1
Dunnock 1
Garden Warbler 2
Whitethroat 5
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Willow Warbler 10
Tree Pipit 1
Blackcap 2
Chiffchaff 3

Sparrowhawk 1cy female

Quite a quiet day compared with the last couple. Nice for Mathias, the trainee to get time for some hands on training.

During ringing we noted only few birds. An ad female type, Marsh Harrier, 28 Crossbills and several Yellow Wagtails were the best. In the afternoon we ventured to the tip, hopeful of a Skua repeat of yesterday.It didn't happen. In 3 hours, our best bird was an Arctic Tern.

We recorded as follows.

White-tailed Eagle 2 (Flying in off sea, resting and thermalling)
Sandwich Tern 22 (intent looking migrants), others were blogging too.
Dunlin 4
Grey Heron 1
SWALLOW 116
Goldeneye 3 birds North
Yellow Wagatail 22
Eider 17
Common Tern 4
Arctic Tern 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Herring Gull 5

Mathias was asleep throughout the watch, Gert drank Cider. Luckily nothing was happening as I was flying fully solo.

With Northerlies, come birds.

First off, apologies for no post yesterday 27th August, ringing was as low as low could be with 0 new birds, plenty of re-captures but the garden was devoid of new life. I took the opportunity to clear some large bushes and make a general mess around the garden,it was great!

Today then, with the wind shifting to the North over night I had hoped the migrant floodgates would swing open and birds flood through on their southward migrations. It wasn't a 'mega day' in the history of Gedser, but it was good enough to keep myself, Mathias and Hans busy for a few hours.

190+ were ringed today then.

Highlights and top scorers were;

Willow Warbler 53
Whitethroat 28
Lesser Whitethroat 26
Blackcap 20

Grasshopper Warbler 1
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1
Thrush Nightingale 1
Sparrowhawk 3

Lesser Whitethroat (2cy+) - Craig Brookes

What would make this a good story other than adding the one that got away? Well first round today, one did get away! In the half light and the mist of the twilight hour we took the first round almost silently. As we approached a net in the corner of the garden a bird (presumably at this stage) scurried out in zig-zags in front of me. I looked harder and sped up, the bird took off and slammed into the net, all hell broke loose for what seemed like forever (dramatic, I know) as I struggled to reach the net and keep this leggy visitor in the net. I failed. Many bad words which are not appropriate for this blog, nor any young man my age were thereafter blurted out. The SPOTTED CRAKE had left the building! Truly gutted I didn't get to see it in the hand, life goes on!

Birding highlights today.

Marsh Harrier 3
Red Kite 3
White-tailed Eagle 1
Kestrel 5 (3 migrated)
Sparrowhawk 32 (12+ Migrated)
Buzzard 5 (3 Migrated)
Arctic Skua 1 Juv, lingering off the point, harassing terns. 

Photo and Blog: Craig Brookes

Hard at work

Today, myself and Anders had a fairly busy day.

With the prospect of rain in the early hours we were reluctant to open too many nets, by 6 am the rain clouds had passed and we were able to open all the nets in the garden. Throughout the day, we caught 57 new birds.

Gærdesanger (Lesser Whitethroat) 17
Gulbug (Icterine Warbler) 6
Tornsanger (Whitethroat) 4
Rørsanger (Reed Warbler) 4
Grønirisk (Greenfinch) 4
Rødstjert (Redstart) 3
Løvsanger (Willow Warbler) 3
Tornirisk (Linnet) 3
Kærsanger (Marsh Warbler) 2
along with singles of...
Nattergal (Thrush Nightingale)
Husrødstjert (Black Redstart)
Sivsanger (SedgeWarbler)
Havesanger (Garden Warbler)
Munk (Blackcap)
Skovsanger (Wood Warbler)
Gransanger (Chiffchaff)
Blåmejse (Blue Tit)
Træløber (Treecreeper)
Rødrygget Tornskad (Red-backed Shrike)
and Skovspurv (Tree Sparrow).

Treecreeper 1st CY - Craig Brookes

Wood Warbler 1st CY - Craig Brookes

We also undertook some much needed maintenance work on the garden,with some bushes and grass being removed. In doing so, we came across at least 2 naked people resting along the beach, nice!

Migration highlights included 30 Curlew, 25 Whimbrel, 200+ Crossbill, 1+ Dunlin (Heard pre dawn), 1 Snipe, 1 Kestrel and 2 Black Kite!

Heidi returned with fresh supplies and smiles and we look forwards to tomorrow having a visit from 35 people. Though the weather may put a hold on any ringing, we'll still have high spirits, if we get a lie in of course.

Photos and Blog, Craig Brookes

Gedser Gold

In total contrast to yesterday's slow ringing day, this morning (4th August) proved relatively busy. With 154 new birds throughout the morning we certainly didn't go short of anything.

Rødhals (Robin) - 1
Nattergal (Thrush Nightingale) - 1
Husrødstjert (Black Redstart) - 1
Rødstjert (Redstart) - 2
Solsort (Blackbird) - 1
Græshoppesanger (Grasshopper Warbler) - 1
Kærsanger (Marsh Warbler) - 32
Rørsanger (Reed Warbler) - 43
Gulbug (Icterine Warbler) - 15
Gærdesanger (Lesser Whitethroat) - 17
Tornsanger (Common Whitethroat) - 9
Havesanger (Garden Warbler) - 8
Skovsanger (Wood Warbler) - 1
Gransanger (Chiffchaff) - 4
Løvsanger (Willow Warbler) - 10
Broget Fluesnapper (Pied Flycatcher) - 2
Korttået Træløber (Short-toed Treecreeper) - 2
Tornirisk (Linnet) - 4

The Robin was the first of the Autumn and a sign of things to come as we continue into August and the migration really hots up.

 

Short-Toed Treecreeper 1cy - Craig Brookes

Black Redstart 1cy (Left) and Redstart 1cy (Right) - Craig Brookes

Gert came today to empty his moth traps and didn't find anything of particular interest, it seemed.

Louis phoned to Anders mid morning to tell of a possible Two-barred Crossbill atop a tree in the garden, which he had observed from the point. Anders ran out, heard the bird calling though couldn't place it and confirmed that Louis' thoughts were correct. Thanks Louis, a lifer for Anders. I stayed to ring the birds in the lab, hopefully tomorrow I will get a 'lifer' too. I did get one today however with Short-toed Treecreeper, it's only taken me 3 Autumns in Denmark.

Photos and Blog: Craig Brookes

A bad start.

Well we left October with 4500+ new birds ringed, a great month. We enter November on a blank I'm afraid; no ringing today due to very windy conditions. I did get a couple of nets up for an hour or two. Caught no birds though.

On a migration front (from what I saw) it was quiet, a few Chaffinch/Brambling. On the sea 4 Tufted ducks were the highlight. A few Waxwings went over again, no more than 10 though.

Chaffinch 1cy female

Apologies for the event-less blog today. Hopefully tomorrow will bring some nicer weather, plus some birds. Above is a picture of a Chaffinch from a few days ago. Photo Asbjørn Jensen

Blog Craig Brookes

Tails from Sweden

This morning the ringing was exceptionally quiet, the wind ripped through but I managed to get enough nets up to fulfill standardised ringing. Only 7 Birds were newly ringed today. 2 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Robin, 1 Long-tailed tit. Interestingly the Bullfinch seemed of the "Northern" variety but then started trumpeting whilst in the hand. It measured large too, wing 92mm and weight 29.6 grams. I now suspect it was from the East?

Another interesting thing today is that we controlled 5 Long-tailed tit from Sweden (in 1 net) each had consecutive ring numbers. CS80031-35. I suspected these were from Falsterbo, but it seems not. It will be interesting to find out when and where they were ringed and so we can see how fast these birds are migrating, that is one of the great things about marking and re-capture in bird ringing.

Long-tailed tits

The photo above shows 2 races of Long-tailed tit, plus a hybrid type; not today's photo. Observation wise it was quiet with a single Waxwing over the garden and Ca 1000 Fieldfare and some Redwing mixed in!

Photo and Blog: Craig Brookes

Owls about that then.

Last night we finally broke the duck when trying to catch Owls. In fact, it was the most successful evening I can remember here at Gedser. In total we caught 1 Long-eared Owl and 3 Tengmalm's Owls. It was thought that there were at least another 2 Tengmalm's Owls sounding in the garden though these were not caught!

Long-eared Owl - Asio otus

Tengmalm's Owl - Aegolius funereus

 
This morning then we set limited nets after yesterday's Blue tit day. With only 4 nets open today we still caught 188 or so birds. Blue tits dominated with 113, Sparrowhawk 1, Wren 4, Robin 12, Chiffchaff 16, Goldcrest 39, Great Tit 1, Tree Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 1.

Migration was superb today with 20 Rough-legged Buzzards, 12 Buzzards, 4 Red Kite, 100+ Sparrowhawk, 3 Woodlark, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Heron, 1 SERIN, 8 Crossbill. Chafflings were well into the 1000's today and Greenfinch, Siskin and Goldfinch each into their 100's.

Photo and Blog: Craig Brookes

Moskva Musvit

Today was quieter than recently. 138 new birds is all. Blue tit dominated again with 46. Great tit 17, Dunnock 17, Wren 13, Chiffchaff 13, Robin 11, Chaffinch 5, Song Thrush 4, Tree Sparrow 3, Brambling 3, Sparrowhawk 2, Goldfinch 1, Reed Bunting 1. A control of another Swedish Blue tit was nice but the control of a RUSSIAN marked Great tit was exceptional, probably a first for Gedser and maybe significant in answering many questions about this Blue, Great and Coal Tit invasion from the East which has recently swept across Scandinavia. The bird in the spot light today is pictured below, looking like any other Great tit caught today, but very special indeed!

Great Tit - Parus Major. Adult female. Craig Brookes

A Nutcracker was seen in the garden (only briefly). Few Red Kites and Buzzards moved across to Germany in favourable conditions.

Photo and Blog: Craig Brookes

Migration slows

Last night I attempted to catch Owls. Again succeeding which was nice. Just 1 Long-eared Owl, better than a night with nothing however (I've had plenty of those).

This morning, 14th November. 11 new birds were caught.

1 Stor Dompap - Northern Bullfinch
1 Fuglekonge - Goldcrest
3 Solsort - Blackbird
3 Lille Gråsisken - Lesser Redpoll
1 Rødhals - Robin
2 Stillits - Goldfinch

Hopefully I can catch another Owl or 2 this (my last) evening.

I will blog tomorrow with an Update

Craig Brookes

Back to it

Last nights owling attempts failed to be brief, a Tengmalm's Owl was heard in the nearby area though.

This morning there seemed to be a few birds around, maybe they'd dropped in at night or maybe just roosted last evening, either way they were in good number and good voice.

39 New birds were caught today. Siskin being the most common with 20 caught. Also Redpoll, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Robin, Dunnock, Redwing, Fieldfare and Northern Bullfinch.

There was a heavy passage of Brambling and Siskin first thing this morning, this had ebbed to nothing at midday. I went to bed in anticipation of another night Owling. Here's hoping...

Craig Brookes