Morning observations:

When we were checking DMI yesterday evening the weather did not look so promising. DMI forecasted a very windy and a bit rainy day. Marit wished a day of sleeping in and Joseph needed to be at the station latest at 09:00 to welcome Kim, John, Svend Aage and the other fence volunteers. It did not really look like Rasmus and I could open the nets in the morning, so we agreed to do the Morning Obs today. We went to Sydhukket but did not stand in the shelter of the bushes, as I also wanted to have a good view to the north. Instead, we went a bit further down the dune where it was quite windy. There were not so many birds migrating, we saw some Gannets “Sule” foraging some Common Scoters “Sortand” and some Red-throated divers “Rødstrubbet Lom”. Many of the migrating birds were going north. My highlight of the morning observation was a Sandwich Tern “Splitterne”, as it was the first I saw this year. We also had some Red-breasted Mergensers “Toppet Skalleslugger”, one male and one female were resting very close to the shore which was nice. In the last hour it started to rain, in the last 30 minutes the rain was quite bad and we did not see much. So I proposed to go down to the beach and count the resting birds. The rain on the scopes did not make it easy. At ten we were happy to go back to the station. We were surprised by buns and cake on the table, which the fence volunteers had brought. We enjoyed them a lot after our windy and rainy morning.

Todays observations can be seen here.

The Little Tern Fence:

After Hanelie and Rasmus returned from the morning observation, Svend, John, Kim, Anders, Connie, and I headed to the beach to set up the fence.

Fueled by coffee, "rundstykker" (bread rolls), and "kanelstanger" (cinnamon sticks) kindly provided by the Nationalpark Vadehavet, we loaded the trailer with tools, poles, and the new electric fence.

Todays team loading up the trailer, Photo: Joseph

Upon arriving at the beach, we divided into teams to work as efficiently as possible. We kept at it nonstop until we were pleasantly surprised by Hanelie, Rasmus, and Marit, who were thoughtful enough to bring us freshly brewed coffee and a boost of motivation. It made for a wonderful lunch break in the sun.

Lunch break, Photo: Hanelie

By the end of the day, we successfully set up the fence and "perimeterhegn" (perimeter fence), although we plan to readjust the westernmost border of the fence next weekend. Just as we were about to wrap up and head back to the bird station, we spotted a beautiful flock of 55 Purple Sandpipers resting just north of the fence - a perfect reward after a long day’s work on the beach.

John and Kim setting up the fence, Photo: Joseph

We're excited to finalize the fence next Saturday and to put up the fence on Fanø on Sunday - in two weeks, we'll continue on Rømø. The Nationalpark Vadehavet will provide two more breeding fences at these locations.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help today, as well as to Kim and John for organizing the entire process, including the new fence, food, and supervision.

The ringing:

After a break and a chat with Henrik, who came to the station to bring us some new tools and other things for the station, we visited the fence people. The wind had slowed down a bit and the rain had stopped, so Rasmus, Marit and I opened some nets in the station garden for a bit. We were not very successful, but Rasmus got to handle one last bird before he left home, a Robin “Rødhals” that we recaptured.

Ringing totals

Rødhals: 0/1

Robin "Rødhals". Picture: Rasmus Tranberg

People: Joseph Stephan, Marit Nillissen, Rasmus Tranberg, Svend Aage Clausen, John Frikke, Kim Fischer, Henrik Böhmer, Anders Myrtue, Connie Olesen and Hanelie Sidhu

Morning observations:

Henrik and I started the morning observation at the autumn spot. After about an hour we moved to the spring migration spot, because most birds were migrating north, so we could see them better.
unfortunately we didn’t see that many ducks as we where hoping. But it was still a good day. We saw a Little ringed plover “Lille præstekrave” which was really nice!

Today’s observations can be seen here.

After the morning observation I went to Hvidbjerg Strand. I was looking for dead birds to collect for Levi’s project. I found three Guillemot “Lomvie” so I brought them with me.

The ringing:

Today I was joined by Rasmus in the ringing. He arrived yesterday evening and has received his X-license in February. It was his first day ringing passerines. Luckily, we had a good day with a good number of birds, enough that there were some to practice but not too many so there was time to show things. After practicing taking out birds of the net and holding them in different grips, Rasmus also got his first birds to ring, four Blackbirds “Solsort” and a Robin “Rødhals”. I was again surprised by the Blackcaps “Munk”, because after the first one yesterday, we had two more today, they have arrived, and we will get them in the nets regularly from now on. It was a nice sunny day with very low wind, and we had the nets open for a bit more than two more hours after standard time.

Bullfinch "Dompap". Picture: Rasmus Tranberg

In the afternoon, both Rasmus and Joseph went on walks in the area. Joseph was in the bog and found 17 Common toads “Skrubtudse” near a pond, some of them were mating.

Mating Common toads “Skrubtudse”. Picture: Joseph Stephan

He also took a nice picture of a Water beetle, which is probably the Great Silver Water Beetle “Stor vandkær”.

Water beetle, probably the Great Silver Water Beetle “Stor vandkær”. Picture: Joseph Stephan

In the evening Kim arrived to do some preparations for putting up the fence for the Little Terns “Dværgterne” tomorrow, but he was missing one tool, so in the end he had to leave to Fanø again and will be back tomorrow morning.

People: Henrik Böhmer, Joseph Stephan, Marit Nillissen, Rasmus Tranberg, Hanelie Sidhu and Kim

Morning observations:

This morning I was with Henrik at the morning observation. We were hoping to see a lot of duck, because the weather conditions looked promising. Unfortunately we didn’t see that many, other than some more Common scoters “Sortand” than the other days.
Tomorrow the weather conditions are looking better, so maybe we are more lucky to see a lot of ducks!

Todays observations can be seen here.

The ringing:

I did not expect a very good day this morning, it was a bit windy and cloudy, but I was surprised, there were quite some birds in the first to third round. Then it slowed down but after 8:00, I had just one bird in the round, which was a male Blackcap “Munk”, the first for the season. This was a nice surprise and a quite early one.

The first Blackcap "Munk" for 2025! Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

There was another surprise in the morning, we heard a Green Woodpecker “Grønspætte” calling in the station garden. We also have a very nice recording for it on BirdNETPi, the AI that is identifying bird calls recorded on a microphone in the garden. It was a bit exciting, because when I went on a round, I saw the Green Woodpecker when it hit a net, but it did not get caught. I tried with sound after standard time, but it did not work, I did not even hear the Woodpecker responding. Maybe it will stay in the area, and we are lucky tomorrow!

The moths:

I also got a new moth species today, Biston strataria “Broget vintermåler”, a really pretty one, I think. Besides that, I had my daily Xylocampa areola “Gedeblad-ugle”.

Biston strataria “Broget vintermåler”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

At the station: Joseph Stephan, Marit Nillissen, Hanelie Sidhu, Henrik Böhmer and Henrik

Morning observations:

Today I was at the morning observation with Joseph and Henrik! We saw some pretty nice birds this morning which we don’t see every day, like the Arctic skua “Almindelig kjove”, Glaucous gull “Gråmåge”, Common tern “Fjordterne”, Horned larke “Bjerglærke” and even a White tailed eagle “Havørn” came by!
The Yellow-legged gull “Middelhavssølvmåge” was also there again resting on the beach. There was also somebody with us at the observation this morning, because he really wanted to see this gull.

White-tailed eagle "Havørn" at the beach. Picture: Marit Nillissen.

Todays observations can be seen here. 

The ringing:

It was less wind than yesterday morning so more nets could be opened but they just caught four more birds than yesterday. I decided to make this a picture blog, because there is not so much more to say.

 The little Goldcrest "Fuglekonge" did not understand that it was free when I wanted to release it and sat on my hand for a while until I gently moved my hand to make it fly away. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

I thought there are not really many pictures we take af Wrens "Gærdesmutte" in hand, so I decided to take one for the blog. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

The moths:

Yesterday evening, I went to check the traps and that was a good decision, else a new one for me would maybe have left, it was Agriopis marginaria “Grågul frostmåler”, that was on the window of the lab in the lighthouse garden by my small trap.

Agriopis marginaria “Grågul frostmåler”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

In the morning, I found another new one in the trap, which was Orthosia gothica "Gotisk forårsugle".

Orthosia gothica "Gotisk forårsugle". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

Today I will do a list again and I hope also in the next days I will have enough moths that it is worth to do a list.

In the afternoon Henrik made us some danish Smørrebrød. Later I (Hanelie) went to Grønningen by bike, hoping to find a yarelli or a Ring Ouzel “Ringdrossel”. I did not but I saw my first Wheatear “Stenpikker” for the year for me, so it was worth the trip.

Joseph got picked up by Bent and they went on a meeting about the protection of breeding shore birds.

At the station: Marit Nillissen, Henrik Böhmer, Joseph Stephan and Hanelie Sidhu

Morning observations:

Today I had some company of a harbour seal “Spættet Sæl” at the morning observations. It was playing in the water by the shoreline, which was nice to see. At the first hour of the observation, there were not that many birds. After that is was a nice amount of migrating birds, but the last hour was also not that many. Around 09:00 I went back to the station.

Todays observations can be seen here.

In the afternoon I went for a little walk on the beach where I found two bones! One is probably from the spine from a marine mammal, probably a porpoise “marsvin”. The other one looks like a jawbone. We asked some specialist if they can determine for us, so we can be sure from what species it is.

Spine of a marine mammal. Picture: Marit Nillissen

Probably a jawbone. Picture: Marit Nillissen

The ringing:

DMI showed 8 m/s for this morning but it felt like it was more. During the morning it slowed down a bit. I did not have so many nets open and they did not catch so many birds, it was mainly Blackbirds “Solsort”, most of them females.

Blackbird, female/ Solsort hun. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

On the way down from the station garden I found a quite chunky Common Frog “Butsnudet frø”, which was a welcome change on a slow morning.

Common Frog “Butsnudet frø”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

In the afternoon, Joseph came back to the station from Copenhagen and while we had dinner, Svend Aage, Bent, John and Svend had a meeting.

At the station: Marit Nillissen, Joseph Stefan, Hanelie Sidhu, Bent Jakobsen, Svend Aage Clausen, John Frikke and Svend

To begin with, a little update on last night: First, we did not catch an owl, unfortunately. Second, our “UFO” on the nightsky comes from the launch of a Space X rocket and has been observed by many people last night. Find more information here.

Morning observations:

This morning at the observations I saw the first Common tern “Fjordterne” and a few Little gulls “Dværgmåge”! Also the 3K Yellow legged gull “Middelhavssølvmåge” was again resting at the beach. There were a few diving Northern gannets “Sule” again, which was really cool to see! The variety of species this morning was really good, so it was a nice morning!

Todays observations can be seen here.

The ringing:

Chiffchaff "Gransanger". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

There was much time between the rounds today, I had very few birds. But a little surprise in the closing round: When I arrived at the first net at Krattet I thought I would first check all the four nets in the little forest if there were any birds and then close them from the back. That was a good idea, because when I was closing one of the other nets, a Collared Dove “Tyrkerdue” flew in the first net and got caught. I immediately ran to the net and had the Dove in my hand. We see them every day in the gardens but they do not get caught so often, so it was a fun catch. Just when I was sitting with the Dove in the lab, Bent came in the garden and together with Marit we were admiring the bird with its red eyes, after it got its ring.

Collared Dove "Tyrkerdue". Picture: Bent Jakobsen

At the station: Bent Jakobsen, Marit Nillissen and Hanelie Sidhu

Morning observations:

The weather was much nicer this morning at the observation, as it wasn’t that windy anymore. The Great Northern diver “Islom” is still resting in the water. It has been here for a few days now. I did saw a lot of Common scoter “Sortand” this morning!

Today’s observations can be seen here.

The ringing:

Yellowhammer "Gulspurv". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

To my great joy, the wind had slowed down a lot and it was perfect conditions for ringing again. I could open all nets and went on the rounds with a bag of freshly washed bird bags. I think all of these bags got used today, as I had quite many birds especially in the first two rounds. There was a little flock of lesser Redpolls “Lille Gråsisken”, one of them a recapture, ringed by Morten in 2023. Else I had a good number of Dunnocks “Jernspurv” and also Robins “Rødhals” and the biggest number of Chiffchaffs “Gransanger” this spring season, it was five of them. I recaptured a Wren “Gærdesmutte”, that was ringed by Merit in 2022, it is nice to see that these little fellows can live quite some years. My highlights of today were a Bullfinch “Dompap” and a Yellowhammer “Gulspurv”.

Bullfinch "Dompap". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

When it had slowed down in the nets, I had time to go to the observation spot because Marit had found the Great Northern Diver “Islom” again, it was resting in the water approximately at the same spot as the last days and I was happy that I have now also seen it.

 Besides birds I also had other animals in hand, that I found in the gardens, one was Xylocampa areola “Gedeblad-ugle", I had seven of them in the trap and on the wall by the trap in the lighthouse garden. Unfortunately no other moth species.

Another animal in hand was this beautiful Common toad “Skrubtudse”, that went out to sunbath.

Common toad “Skrubtudse”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

In the Helgoland trap I do not have birds do often (but today I actually caught a Robin “Rødhals” in it), but I could admire a Heath bumblebee “Hedehumle” which was feeding on the young catkins in the trap. I like these fluffy insects. Sometimes they a so busy with feeding nectar from flowers that you can gently strike over their fur. But that one already noticed me, when I came to take a picture with the phone, so no bumblebee petting today.

Heath bumblebee “Hedehumle”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

Now in the evening, we are trying to catch owls with sound in both gardens, we did not have luck so far, but there is still the closing round…

On one round, we saw a very weird looking unidentified flying object in the night sky, this is no photoshopped picture and we are still wondering, what it was…

UFO in the sky over Blåvandshuk. Picture: Marit Nillissen

People: Marit Nillissen and Hanelie Sidhu

Morning observations:

Today was still windy at the morning observation. But we did see some variation in species! We saw a lot of Razorbills “Alk” and Common Eider “Ederfugl”. Thomas was also joining the morning observations for the first time. He will be joining us in april with the observations every morning!

Henrik and two people from DKU were also there, so it was a nice busy morning!

To the joy of us and the participants of the DKU meeting, the Yellow-legged Gull “Middelhavs-sølvmåge” was resting on the beach and there were also some Caspian Gulls “Caspisk Måge”

Yellow-legged Gull “Middelhavs-sølvmåge”. Picture: Henrik Böhmer

Caspian Gull "Kaspisk Måge". Picture: Henrik Böhmer

Tomorrow the weather will be less windy, so it will be less cold.

Today’s observations can be seen here.

The ringing:

The wind was less strong than yesterday so we could have most of the station garden open and do a standardized ringing day. While most of the participants of the DKU meeting either went to do morning observations or slept in today, Morten stayed with me at the station, and we did the rounds in the garden together. Considering that it was less than half of the nets that we had open and there was still quite some wind, we had an okay number of birds, 10 new and 7 recaptures. It was mostly new Robins “Rødhals” and we also had one Chiffchaff “Gransanger” in the net. Morten controlled a Chaffinch “Bogfinke”, that he had ringed in February 2024 and we had a Blackbird that was winged by Lisa in 2019.

Blackbird "Solsort". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

We cleaned the ringing bags from shit and feathers, and they are now washed and dried in the washing machine, ready for many new birds tomorrow, the weather looks good!

People: Henrik Böhmer, David Manstrup, Marit Nillissen, Hanelie Sidhu, Morten Jenrich Hansen and DKU

Morning observations:

Morning observations on a windy day. Picture: Marit Nillissen

This morning it was very windy at the morning observation. Some people from DKU where also at the observation. There was some variation in species, such as the Avocet “Klyde”, Garganey “Altingand” and Ruffs “Brushane”. We even saw two Northern gannets “Sule” diving, which was really cool to see! Around 09:15, I went back to the station.

Todays observations can be seen here.

The ringing:

I woke up this morning to see if it was okay to open the nets, but it was very windy, so I went back to bed and enjoyed sleeping in. When I came down, Morten, who is here for the DKU meeting had opened four nets in the station garden. He caught in total 8 new birds, mostly Dunnocks “Jernspurv” and recaptured tree. At 11.30 we closed the nets.

Dunnock "Jernspurv". Archive picture by Hanelie Sidhu

I used the slow day to do some data check, so all full sheets are checked and archived now.

At the station: Marit Nillissen, Hanelie Sidhu, Henrik Böhmer, David Manstrup, Morten Jenrich Hansen and the DKU meeting

My morning started actually with some difficulties. There was frost on the net poles and they were very slippery. When I wanted to open one of the 18 meter nets in the stations garden, the rope just slipped down on the poles on both sides of the nets and the net fell on the ground. The poles were too slippery to fix it in the morning, so I continued opening the lighthouse garden. Unfortunately, the same happened with one of the nets in the lighthouse gardens. So, two nets needed to stay closed. Yesterday was a good day but I wasn´t sure if I should expect the same for today, as it was so cold.  I was surprised how many birds I had to take out of the nets in the first round, it was mainly Robins “Rødhals” and Dunnocks “Jernspurv” but also two Songthrushes “Sangdrossel”.

Seven new Robins "Rødhals" were ringed today. That is a good sign, that spring migration is starting. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

The second round continued busy, there was a little flock of Lesser Redpolls “Lille Gråsisken” in the nets in the lighthouse garden. Also some other nice species were in the nets today, three Chiffchaffs “Gransanger”, a female Bullfinch “Dompap” and some Goldcrests “Fuglekonge”. I had the nets open for two more hours after standard time and had two visitors, who followed me on a round. In total 40 new birds were ringed, the best number for March so far.

The Lesser Redpoll "Lille Gråsisken" was the secound most bird caught today. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

I also found the first moth for days in the trap in the lighthouse garden, it was again Xylocampa areola “Gedeblad-ugle". As it is feeding on catkins and there are some both gardens, it is not surprising to find it here.

Xylocampa areola “Gedeblad-ugle". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

While I was busy in the ringing, Marit and Henrik went for morning Observations. The biggest highlight was a Great Northern Diver “Islom” resting in the shoreline. They saw again three Sandwich Terns “Splitterne”. There were also five Goosanders “Stor Skalleslugger”, which we do not see so often here and some Caspian Gulls “Caspisk måge” resting on the beach. Apart from that, it was a rather calm morning.

Todays observations can be seen here.

Around 13:00, Henrik proposed go on a little birdwatching tour in the area, so we closed all nets. While closing, we saw Det hvide C, which is called Comma in english in the stationgarden.

Polygonia c-album "Det Hvide C". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

We checked Grønningen for Pied Wagtails, the British subspecies yarelli, but there were none. At Nyeng and another place we had a good number of birds but all more winter species as Curlews "Sorspove" and Pintails "Spidsand".

Birdwatching at Nyeng. Picture: Marit Nillissen

After, we went to a heathland on the way to Veijers strand where we saw a Great Grey Shrike “Stor Tornskade” and went to a place where Henrik had found badger "Grævling" and most possibly wulf "Ulv" tracks.

There are some wulfs "Ulv". Here (most possibly) one of their tracks. Picture: Marit Nillissen.

On our trip we saw some Buzzards “Musvage” and two White-tailed Eagles “Havørn”.

It was a nice tour and also nice to get around a little more sometimes.

In the late afternoon, the participants of the DOFbasn quality assurance arrived at the station.

The bird to end todays blog: The Great Grey Shrike "Stor Tornskade". Picture Marit Nillissen

At the station: Henrik Böhmer, Marit Nillisen, David Manstrup, Hanelie Sidhu and DKU