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.

Lille Flue Two

With a continued Northwesterly airflow over night, many of yesterday's birds seemed to have left the garden! At first light the garden seemed quieter than yesterday,though diurnal migrants were certainly evident. We recorded many hirundines early on, along with 28 Crossbill, 50+ Tree pipits and 40+ Yellow Wagtails.

The first rounds were slower than yesterday, though we kept busy throughout the morning and finished ringing with a very respectable 95 birds.

Willow Warbler 23
Lesser Whitethroat 18
Whitethroat 12
Tree Sparrow 11
Blackcap 10
Linnet 5
Garden Warbler 3
Tree Pipit 3
Redstart 3
Marsh Warbler 2
Icterine Warbler 2
Robin 1
Pied Flycatcher 1
RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER 1

Yes, that's two Red-breasted Flycatcher (Lille Fluesnapper) in 2 days. After yesterday's juvenile bird, this adult female was a smart specimen.

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ad female) - Craig Brookes

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Adult female) - Craig Brookes

Birding highlights of the day - Honey Buzzard (Dark adult) migrating mid-morning. A sea-watch from 14:45 - 17:45 produced the following migrants.

Arctic Skua 3
LONG-TAILED SKUA 1
Wigeon 4
Dunlin 44
Whimbrel 1
Bar-tailed Godwit 1
Yellow Wagtail 17 (Migrated)
Red-necked Grebe 2
Common Tern 5
Sandwich Tern 25

Around though, there were more Sandwich Terns, A Marsh Harrier (ad male), Merlin (1cy), Sparrowhawk 6, Meadow Pipit 2, 4 Common Gull, 5 Greater Black Backed Gulls; also mammals, 1 Harbour porpoise and 1 old looking Grey Seal!

Photo and blog: Craig Brookes

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

The Autumn arrives.

Firstly, sorry for not blogging yesterday evening,tasks mounted up and once we had sorted them all, I fell asleep; poor excuse, I know. So I hope to bring you up to date here.

19th August

Quite a busy morning, more so than previous days. I can only post ringing totals as migration wasn't counted yesterday.

Tree Pipit 3
Thrush Nightingale 3
Black Redstart 1
Redstart 7
Sedge Warbler 2
Marsh Warbler 12
Reed Warbler 2
Icterine Warbler 3
Lesser Whitethroat 13
Whitethroat 27
Garden Warbler 17
Blackcap 4
Willow Warbler 23
Spotted Flycatcher 2
Pied Flycatcher 1
Red-backed Shrike 1
Linnet 7

Total 128.

Bird highlight, 3(+) TAWNY OWLS calling in the garden overnight.

A Canary-shouldered Thorn (Moth) was found whilst clearing some trees, my first in Denmark.

20th August 

Today was Thorkild's last morning at the station, we opened nets as usual prior to dawn in near still conditions. Shortly after opening a breeze developed and if I'm honest, I wasn't too hopeful for a good day. I was wrong. By the time Thorkild left around mid morning we had ringed 150 or so birds. By the end of the day, we had ringed 350.

An exceptional day, with the first 'proper' arrival of the Autumn.

Ringing totals then

Willow Warbler - 195
Marsh Warbler - 29
Whitethroat - 25
Lesser Whitethroat - 19
Garden Warbler - 18
Pied Flycatcher - 15
Reed Warbler - 9
Blackcap - 6
Redstart - 5
Icterine Warbler - 5
Spotted Flycatcher - 5
Tree Pipit - 4
Thrush Nightingale - 4
WRYNECK - 2
Greenfinch - 2
Linnet - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 1
Black Redstart - 1
Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Sedge Warbler - 1
Red-backed Shrike - 1

Total 350!

Wryneck - 1cy. Craig Brookes

Gert continued to work on the ringing house today and did a great job with the windows, all that's left to do now is to paint the insides. Hans appeared mid-morning and got stuck in helping with the birds. I am very grateful for all the help we've recieved. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Photo and blog: Craig Brookes

Late start

With rain threatening on every forecast, this morning we didn't open the nets until 09:30.

When we did, it wasn't really surprising to catch only 13 new birds.

Willow Warbler 1
Redstart 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Icterine Warbler 3
Whitehtroat 3
Garden Warbler 2
Linnet 1

Linnet 2k female - Craig Brookes

The highlight bird of the day was a Honey Buzzard. There were also a few Crossbills moving through again and Swifts graced us for one of the last days this autumn?

The windows arrived to put the finishing touches to the ringing house. Which will be great, once installed.

Photo 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

Swedish meatball and an Eastern Chiff.

Today was much quieter ringing than yesterday with only 19 new birds. 12 Blackbirds, 5 Robin, 1 Greenfinch and 1 "Eastern type" Chiffchaff.

The Chiffchaff was a very pale individual. Though it was too green to be a tristis. Speaking with some more experienced people and looking at many photos ruled out fulvescens for me also and we settled (almost) on my initial thought which was "Odd abietinus". We concluded that this bird was an Eastern type bird, probably abietinus. The bird did not call.

Eastern Chiffchaff- Gedser 18/11/2012

Eastern Chiffchaff close up - Gedser 18/11/12

 We took the nets down due to increasing wind and some rain late morning and we managed to take a further 5 nets down for the enitre winter. In the afternoon I opened 2 nets and caught one bird, a recapture Wren. Not any old recap though but a control from Sweden, nice! It seems this Wren has been ringed in Falsterbo but we will wait for museums to conclude that.

Birds of the day included 120 resting Waxwing a wondering Hawfinch and 2 Cranes seen/heard at the point, though they did not migrate!

It's home time for me tomorrow and I would just like to thank everyone at Gedser for having me again, it's been a great autumn! 


Photo: Troels
Blog: Craig Brookes

Black Magic.

Last night Jesper came up with a cunning plan to ground some Blackbirds ahead of his final ringing day (today). His plan was executed and this morning we reaped the rewards! An exceptional number of Thrushes have been moving the past nights and this time we had managed to ground a few! In total today we ringed a hefty 42 Blackbirds! This exceeds the previous day record by more than 50% which was also set this year and equals to my knowledge the record day total at Falsterbo, Sweden.

Blackbird 2cy+ male - Turdus merula

I also had a lovely surprise when Jesper woke me to tell me he had trapped a Black Redstart, a bird I had hoped for the entire autumn and only fitting that it came within the last 2 days of my stay! Cheers Jesper!

Black Redstart 1cy - Phoenicurus ochruros

As well as amazing totals of Blackbirds and the latest ever trapped Black Redstart here at Gedser we also managed to trap and ring 17 Waxwings today and 9 Robins (A good number in mid-late November). Also ringed a scattering of other species, Song Thrush, Redwing, Redpoll, Siskin, Goldfinch and Goldcrest. 

A Sparrowhawk was seen in the garden late afternoon though the highlight was in fact a stunning adult male Hen Harrier which flew in off the sea early morning and was lost to view behind the lighthouse. A Hawfinch was the only highlight from us at the station and this was seen to migrate, as were 35 Blackbirds this evening as the light faded! A Bullfinch was a grounded migrant as were 70+ Waxwings.

Troels arrived this evening and will be taking over the ringing for the next few weeks!


Photos and Blog: Craig Brookes

Signing off

Last night we attempted to catch some Owls and were again successful. 2 Long-eared Owls and 1 Tengmalm's Owl making it a total of 7 Long-eared and 12 Tengmalm's for the year. The latter is a new season record.

Record breakers; Jesper and Craig happy with the 12th new Tengmalm's for the season. Photo Ragnar Smith.

Tengmalm's Owl - Craig Brookes

Long-eared Owl female - Craig Brookes

This morning marked the last standardised ringing session of the year here at Gedser. It was been a great autumn and up to now we have caught over 11,500 since August. Combined with the spring total we have ringed almost 16,000 birds here at Gedser this year with is looking like our 3rd best year ever. There have been many highlights throughout the ringing season and maybe people have worked hard to achieve such a great volume of data. Thanks on behalf of Gedser Fuglestation to all whom have been involved. Particular efforts by Jesper Brinkman, Anders Nielsen, Heidi Vibe, Heather McGinty, Henrik Jørgensen, Rune Tjørnløv and myself should be noticed. We also had help from many great people along the was which we are always grateful for. Hans Lind, Benny Steinmejer and Gert Jeppesen in particular.



Today we ringed only 15 new birds a few Goldfinch and Chaffinches were the highlights.

Sightings today were limited but 3 late Barn Swallows were noted, 60 Common Scoter plus 1 Velvet, 7 Wigeon, 5 Red-throated diver, 1 Black-throated, some Goldeneye also. Ca50 Waxwings rested in the garden and the lingering Kestrel was present.

Tonight we will try for Owls again, fueled by a hearty meal provided kindly by Louis Hansen; thanks Louis!!

Photos: Ragnar Smith and Craig Brookes
Blog: Craig Brookes