Klargøring til næste sæson

Benny, Gert og jeg havde sat os stævne i formiddags på GFU, hvor området skulle gøres klar til, at den standardiserede ringmærkning starter om 11 dage.

Vi havde selvfølgelig valgt den dag, hvor årets højeste temperatur blev registreret, vistnok 30,7 grader i Aalborg. Så varmt fik vi det dog ikke, "kun" 22 grader, men det var dog mere end rigeligt til at få tøjet til at klistre til kroppen.

Netstedet H1 før trimning: Brombærrene gror vildt!

Netstedet H1 efter trimning, men før oprydning. Der mangler topskæring af nogle overhængende grene.


 - - - for der blev knoklet med diverse skærende og klippende redskaber, så netbanerne kunne blive klar. Det afklippede blev kørt på bålpladsen nær stranden - - afbrænding først til vinter.

På seks timer nåede vi at få klippet det meste, men der mangler at blive kørt et par læs kvas af sted, før arealet stort set er klar.

Det er ikke meget man ser og hører, mens der arbejdes, men dog kom der vel 25 korsnæb overflyvende, og en karmindompap lod sin dejlige røst lyde nogle gange fra haven.

Stor tak til Gert og Benny for knokleriet i dag!

Over middag kom Munken og Emil på kort visit.

Hans

Mens vi venter på efterårstrækket ..............!!!

Forårssæsonen er forbi, men det varer ikke længe, før der kommer fornyet aktivitet på GFU! 

Siden midt i maj har jeg haft en del stære på kost i min lille villahave i Gedser. I perioder kunne der godt komme 15-20 ad gangen, med nogen udskiftning, og især da ungerne kom på vingerne var der endnu flere. Det måtte kunne udnyttes til ringmærkning!!!

Adult stær med sine unger, siddende på buret

Jeg lavede en kassefælde med en klap, der via et snoretræk til nærmeste vindue kunne udløses - meget lavpraktisk, men absolut virksomt. Foderet til stærene har hovedsagelig været smeltet margarine blandet med havregryn, en blanding som stære og andre fugle er meget glade for. For det meste åd de et pund margarine og en pakke havregryn - om dagen - godt hjulpet af op til seks alliker!

Den ene af de tre ringmærkede alliker

På 9 fangstdage fra 6/6 til 24/6 har det givet 78 stære (heraf 20 gamle), 3 alliker og en enkelt blåmejse, så jeg er godt tilfreds med resultatet. De fleste af dagene i perioden har buret været åbent til fri fouragering for fuglene, og så en gang imellem, når tiden tillod det, blev fælden stillet til fangst.

Hans

It is now!

One final post from me!   I couldn't resist getting up at stupid-o-clock one last time to open a few nets before Hans comes and takes me to the train station and away; 'extracurricular' birds this morning comprised 2 Starlings, juvenile Blackbird and White Wagtail, a Linnet, a Chaffinch and single Marsh Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler.

White Wagtail

 

Well, that's it, all over!   Its been a fun three months here at the station, thanks for reading my nonsense, the next post will probably be back in Danish!

 

Simon Davies

 

 

 



They think its all over...

After staying up to watch England's promising, yet ultimately disappointing World Cup opening game last night and pushing right through to open the nets just an hour or so after the final whistle I was hoping for some reward especially as it was the final official, standardised session of the spring!   It ended up producing a typical 12 new birds with a nice spread of species comprising 3 Icterine Warblers, a Marsh Warbler, a female Common Rosefinch with a huge brood patch, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, a juvenile Blackbird and another still fluffy, short billed young Treecreeper - the third one in the last week, perhaps all from the same brood?

One of a pair of Swallows that has been hanging around the station for ages now without seemingly wanting to get down to breeding - I've put out trays of nice, wet mud for them to use and created some cosy nest site ideas for them but you can't help some people!

 

Louis scored with a Shorelark out on the tip in the morning - a nice interlude from the steady stream of drake Eiders pouring back west almost constantly through the day!

Buff Tip

Poplar Hawkmoth

Penultimate

A much nicer day with much lighter winds than yesterday produced 14 new birds - typical mid-June fare but better than the previous few days; the total comprised a varied mix of 2 Marsh Warblers, 2 Whitethroats and single Swallow, Sand Martin, White Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chaffinch.

Sedge Warbler

The Blackcap in the total was a very recently fledged youngster!

 

A Woodlark in recently cut grass fields on the edge of town was my first here since 29th March

I think spring is indeed over!

Strong westerly winds were blasting through the garden today reducing the number of nets I could open; this also contributed to the total of just 3 new birds caught this morning but there weren't many birds around anyway - it is mid-June after all!   2 White Wagtails (one juvenile) and a Marsh Warbler were trapped along with the nice red, adult male Common Rosefinch originally ringed on 5th June.

Marsh Warbler

 

A Thrush Nightingale was singing in the garden through the morning while a few ducks flew west offshore including small parties of Tufted Duck, Teal and Common Scoter.   Several sharp showers moved through in the afternoon drenching all the clean and nearly dry bird bags I had hung on the line after finally getting round to washing them!