Not so many Rødhals, Fuglekonger and Gærdesmutte today.

After yesterday's rush of birds following the rain, today seemed really rather quiet. We opened extra nets as we were to be joined by Hans and Bo but in contrast to our ringing sessions over the last week or so, after the first couple of rounds, we were checking some nets to find them empty.

There was more processed than we expected.

 Grønsisken -han / Siskin - male

Around midday there was enough warmth from the sun to encourage birds of prey to use the thermals, some migrating while others continued to rest in the area.

Fjeldvåge / Rough-legged Buzzard 

Totals: 155 (18)

Gærdesmutte / Wren -16 (1)
Jernspurv / Dunnock -1
Rødhals / Robin -  23 (5)
Solsort / Blackbird - 13 (3)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush - 6
Vindrossel / Redwing - 2
Rørsanger / Reed Warbler - 1
Munk / Blackcap -1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff -11
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest -53 (9)
Blåmejse / Blue Tit -5
Musvit / Great Tit - 4
Træløber / Treecreeper - 1
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow -1
Bogfinke / Chaffinch - 1 
Grønsisken / Siskin - 15
Stor Dompap /Northern Bullfinch - 1

After the rain many birds & Perleugle.

The rain had stopped today and we bagged a very healthy 329 new birds. The total was swelled by the numbers of Robins (137), Goldcrest (67) and Wren (53). It was very pleasing to catch 30 Blackbirds but our favourite has to be the Tengmalm's Owl (Perleugle). We have tried for these on several evenings but this was our first successful capture.

 Tengmalm's Owl age 5 / Perleugle 2k

 Pattern of flight feather replacement shows this to be a second year bird.

Good birding!
Denise

Totals: 329 (21)

Perleugle / Tengmalm's Owl - 1
Landsvale / Swallow - 1
Gærdesmutte / Wren - 53
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 1
Rødhals / Robin - 137 (14)
Solsort / Blackbird - 30 (2)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush - 13
Vindrossel / Redwing - 3
Munk / Blackcap - 3
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 9
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 67 (5)
Musvit / Great Tit - 1
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow - 2
Bogfinke / Chaffinch - 3
Grønsisken / Siskin - 1
Lille Gråsisken / Lesser Redpoll - 1
Rørspurv / Reed Bunting - 3

Nothing to be done about the weather

For the second day running we have had to close nets, during what should have been standard  ringing, due to rain. There were times when the precipitation eased a little, and a couple of times it virtually stopped altogether, but we had had a message that there were still large numbers of Fuglekonger (Goldcrests) in Gedser town so we could not risk a sudden arrival of many, many birds in such damp conditions. It is now almost a week since we processed over 700 of these diminutive little birds but they still continue to influence the number of nets we can use and are affecting our catch rate of other species.

 Fieldfare - 3F / Sjagger - 1k hun

During the morning a flock of Cranes (Trane) flew over and migrated. Apologies for the shaky filming - but an impressive sight nonetheless.

Barnacle Geese (Bramgås) also passed overhead as they moved to a different field.

We continued as best we could but closed nets, for the last time today, soon after midday. The weather cleared a little in the afternoon and the wind was not too fierce so we took a couple of nets and went to a stretch of beach along from the ferry terminal. We hoped to take a break from Goldcrest (Fuglekonge) and target finches and buntings. Of course, the Goldcrest are everywhere so we caught yet more, but at least there were a few Chaffinch (Bogfinke), Reed Bunting (Rørspurv) and a Yellowhammer (Gulspurv).

If the weather forecast is to be believed there may be no ringing at all tomorrow due to rain.
Take care and stay dry.
Denise

Gedser Fuglestation
Totals: 82 (8)

Gærdesmutte / Wren - 7
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 1
Rødhals / Robin - 18 (6)
Solsort / Blackbird - 5
Sjagger / Fieldfare - 1
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush - 1
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 48 (2)
Stor Dompap /Northern Bullfinch - 1


Vesterhave
Totals: 65

Landsvale / Swallow - 3
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 6
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 36
Bogfinke / Chaffinch - 9
Gulspurv / Yellowhammer - 1
Rørspurv/ Reed Bunting - 10 

Day of the drossels

A damp and drizzly day that forced us to abandon standard. Just too much time was spent with nets inoperative due to the weather, and the numbers of Goldcrests (Fuglekonge) that continue to forage in the ringing garden.

There were lots of thrush species going through, either feeding in the garden or surrounding fields and passing overhead but few found their way into the few nets that we were able to open. We were aware of at last two Ring Ouzel (Ringdrossel) near the house and from time to time large numbers of Mistle Thrush (Misteldrossel) dropped into the large trees on the observatory boundary. There were also Song Thrush (Sangdossel) and a few Fieldfare (Sjagger) and Redwing (Vindrossel) on site.

 Juvenile (above) and adult (below) Redwing (Vindrossel).

We also captured a juvenile Ring Ouzel (Ringdrossel) at the end of the day.

Ring Ouzel (Ringdrossel)

Denise

Totals: 270 (12)

Gærdesmutte / Wren - 3 (1)
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 2
Rødhals / Robin - 50 (7)
Ringdrossel / Ring Ouzel - 1
Solsort / Blackbird - 3 (2)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush -7
Vindrossel / Redwing - 2
Munk / Blackcap - 2
Gransanger / Chiffchaff -18
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 182 (2) 
Bogfinke / Chaffinch - 2

Passerines on passage

A very windy day with rain due mid afternoon. The migration of thrushes and finches was apparent all morning, only slowing after 11am. Most shot straight over the site - it seems that they intend to go by the time are this near to the tip, although some groups change their mind and rush back again. There were still Goldcrest (Fuglekonge) around and more of these were caught throughout the morning.

A single Treecreeper (Træløber) was captured and of all the finches passing overhead, just a few ventured down into the garden.

Treecreeper (Træløber)

Female Chaffinch (Bogfinke - hun)

As so few finches and thrushes were coming down to net rides or open areas where they may be caught, after standard, we had a drive around before the rain and did find some places where birds may have been caught were it not for the wind that had quickly become much too strong for netting in unsheltered locations. 

At the end of the day as the wind howled and rain beat down we noticed that Blackbirds (Solsort) and Song Thrushes (Sangdrossel) were coming into the trees and bushes around the house. Perhaps there may be some chance of catching a few tomorrow morning.

Denise

Totals: 144 (27)

Gærdesmutte / Wren - 2
Rødhals / Robin -27 (9)
Solsort / Blackbird - 1
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush - 11
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 1

Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 94 (18)
Blåmejse / Blue Tit - 1
Træløber / Treecreeper - 1
Bogfinke / Chaffinch - 4 
Kværkerfinke / Brambling - 1
Grønsisken / Siskin-1

A chill wind

We opened enough nets to comply with standard ringing, but after the last few days with hugh numbers of Fuglekonge (Goldcrest) being captured, we are running short of rings so opened nets less likely to catch birds since we have no more than 140 or so of the size that they take.

The wind was very cold from the start of the day and strengthened as the afternoon went on. Birds were passing overhead all morning, flying ahead of the next weather system bringing yet stronger winds and rain.

We caught quite a few Fuglekonge (Goldcrest) but not enough to completely exhaust our 2.00mm rings so we were also able to ring a Sibirisk Gransanger (Siberian Chiffchaff) that was captured.

Sibirisk Gransanger (Siberian Chiffchaff)

Another new species and a splendid addition to our list of birds ringed at Gedser this autumn was a Stor Dompap ( Northern Bullfinch). This bird was so much larger than the birds that we get in the UK.

Stor Dompap - han  (Northern Bullfinch male)

We spent the afternoon trying for finches, buntings and thrushes both on and off site but had no success as birds were not attracted to the audiolures and the nets became too visible in the wind.

Visual migration over the garden included Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Brambling, Chaffinch and Siskin.

Migrating passerines

A Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl were both seen hunting over the garden in the afternoon and
we were most relieved that the new rings arrived by the end of the day ready for tomorow.

Totals: 118 (42)

Gærdesmutte / Wren -7
Rødhals / Robin -27 (25)
Solsort / Blackbird - 1 (2)
Munk / Blackcap - 1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff - 1
Sibirisk Gransanger / Siberian Chiffchaff - 1
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest - 73 (14)
Blåmejse / Blue Tit - 1
Musvit / Great Tit - 1 (1)
Grønsisken / Siskin- 2
Stor Dompap / Northern Bullfinch - 1
Rørspurv/ Reed Bunting - 2