Phylloscopus inornatus!

A very exciting bird turned up in the net this morning, a Yellow-browed Warbler (Hvidbrynet Løvsanger)!

This was only the eighth Yellow-browed Warbler ringed at Gedser and the first to be caught in spring. Also the first record of this species in Denmark for the year!

The breeding range of this species ends just West of the Ural Mountains and the birds usually winter in India, southern China and Malaysia. However a very small number winter in Europe ever year. This bird was one of these few making it's way back East for summer.

After all this excitement we realised that we weren't catching anything else - just 22 new birds by 10:00 so we closed up at the end of the standard period. This afternoon we put up a line of nets in the field at the front of the house, winds are very low tomorrow so hopefully we'll catch some wagtails.

Hvid Løvsanger - Joe Krawiec

Close up - Joe Krawiec

Skovsanger... Fluesnapper...

Two new species for the year this morning; a Wood Warbler (Skovsanger) and a Spotted Flycatcher (Grå Fluesnapper)!

We caught 47 birds in total (36 new) the usual May assortment including a Blackbird (Solsort) with a Danish ring not in our database.
That's all for today. The weather doesn't look too bad for tomorrow so hopefully we'll get some more migrants.

Joe & Lucy

Spotted Flycatcher (Grå Fluesnapper)- Joe Krawiec

Xanthorhoe spadicearia - Smalfeltet båndmåler. Attracted to the mercury lamp early this morning - Joe Krawiec

New ringer at GFU!

Today was Luis' first morning ringing with us and it was a pretty good morning.

There were 54 birds today (46 new) and a few interesting species. Another new one today, a Garden Warbler (Havesanger) along with the second Whinchat (Bynkefugl) for the year.

In a repeat of yesterday we also caught another Tree Sparrow (Skovspurv) and a Starling (Stær) the ninth and eighth for the year.

An interesting recapture - we caught a Lesser Whitethroat (Gærdesanger) ringed by our very own Rune Skjold Tjørnløv on the 04/05/2011, exactly 12 months ago today!

On top of all this we've had some very interesting observations this morning thanks to the ever vigilant bird watchers staying with us at the moment. In or around the garden today were; a Ortolan Bunting (Hortulan) a Golden Oriole (Priol), a Serin (Gulirisk) and Luis heard a Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Stor Flagspæette).

A bit windy tomorrow but it's in the right direction!  

Joe & Lucy

Meet Luis - the new ringer at GFU from Portugal

Second Whinchat for the year, a female this time - Joe Krawiec

First Garden Warbler for the year - Joe Krawiec

This post is dedicated to all the wonderful people at ENV Australia - especially you Jamie. We love you Jamie.

A Starling and a Sparrow

A fairly average day today, 51 birds caught (34 new) of 14 species including a Starling (Stær), a Tree Sparrow (Skovspurv) a Firecrest (Rødtoppet Fuglekonge) and a Pied Flycatcher (Broget Fluesnapper).

The species diversity in the garden has changed quite a lot since we arrived here a month ago, the  Robins (Rødhals), Dunnocks (Jernspurv) and Wrens (Gærdesmutte) have been replaced by Redstarts (Rødstjert), Blackcaps (Munk), Willow Warblers (Løvsanger) and Whitethroats (Gærdesanger/Tornsanger).

Luis from Portugal will arrive tonight. He will continue the ringing here at GFU when we leave for England on the 15th.

Joe & Lucy

A Eurasian Tree Sparrow. This one is just the 7th for the year - Joe Krawiec

Things are finally getting a bit greener! - Joe Krawiec

Not many today

Far too windy this morning, but the direction was OK so we managed to find just enough nets for standard ringing.  Just 17 birds, (13 new) mostly Willow Warblers (Løvsanger) and Lesser Whitethroats (Tornsanger).

The weather tomorrow looks much better, clear tonight with some cloud in the morning with low winds, so hopefully lots of birds.

Joe & Lucy

3 Klasse and Pied Flycatchers

Today we were joined by 3 Klasse from Nykøbing Falster Realskole. Unfortunately the weather was against us and we only caught 20 birds this morning (14 new). Still the children got to see Chiffchaffs (Gransanger), Willow Warblers (Løvsanger), a Whitethroat (Tornsanger), Redstarts (Rødstjert) and two new arrivals, a pair of Pied Flycatchers (Broget Fluesnapper)- one male and one female.

On the plus side the small number of birds meant that we could spend more time showing the children what goes on at GFU; mist netting, applying bands, taking measurements etc. They all seemed really interested and excited to see birds in the hand - and we were very impressed with their English skills.

Joe & Lucy

Hans demonstrating how to weight a bird - Gert Jeppesen

3 Klasse at GFU - Gert Jeppesen

First Pied Flycatcher of the year - Joe Krawiec