Morning Obeservations

The wind died down and its getting cold! Two meters per second from east, ZERO DEGREES CELSIUS and thirty birdwatchers. The day brought nice numbers of eiders (ederfugle, roughly 300), mostly males goin north. We also got a lot of gray geese (grågås, 200) some jackdaws (allike 200), rooks (100), crows and some overflying finches and larks and stuff like that. Also starlings. Not a bad day and quite intertaining. The most interesting birds were a great crested grebe (toppet lappedykker) and three lapwings (viber). After the observation i joined the ringers for a couple rounds.

In the evening Anna Beluga, Lua, Andreas, Mikkel Bello and I went for a trip to the military heath area to look for wolves. Well prepared after the presentation from Kent Olsen we were ready to find some beautiful grey beasts. We quickly saw some footprints in the sand, but no actual wolves, Mikkel did however spot a eurasian great horned-owl (stor hornugle). And we saw both cranes and red dear. What a wonderful day!

- Wolve footprints and Sverres hand for scale

- SDP

Ringing

Today, as we had expected, the birds in the nets were plenty and quite special! We started the morning with some interested young birders joining us on the first 3 rounds, to observe and learn the in and outs of ringing birds. We had a few different thrushes to compare, which made for some great pictures and lessons! The same with the bullfinches and chaffinches, which show very easy identifiable sexual dimorphism. Then numbers started to pick up a little bit with several tit swarms, including long tailed tits! And just as we were getting excited about today's numbers, we caught the most amazing little bird, the Pallas leaf-warbler!

This tiny little warbler was also a perfect people magnet, so we got a lot of visitors at the station to witness this amazing moment!

Bird numbers stayed high until we caught 2 other unusual birds in the net, a young male siskin and then a beautiful common starling which fascinated everyone to see it!

It was an amazing day for ringing, with over 200 birds including some very special individuals and hopefully more to come tomorrow!

-LK

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf

Morgenobs:
The westerly wind continues. Henrik Læssøe, Mikkel Bello, Oliver Laursen and i sat sheltered and awaited the migrating birds of the day. Most birds, like the red throated divers, went north. We had a wonderful little auk (søkong) going south, Oliver saw it first and called it out. Later in the day we had two parrot crossbills (stor korsnæb) going north. We heard them, Mikkel caught them on audiotape, and i processed the sonogram. To register a semirare bird like the parrot crossbill you need a good dirscription typically paired with a soundrecording of the flight call for smaller birds. Today the sonogram looks like this.

- The sonogram shows five flightcalls from parrot crossbills

After the obs we tried to go find a rare pallas leaf warbler (fuglekongesanger). No luck but still a nice day. This is officiallt the last day of Felttræf, but people will probably stick around for a couple of days. So i am crossing my fingers for more rare birds througout the weekend. Tomorrow the wind will die down a lot and change direction:)

- SDP

Ringmærkning:

With the wind still being very strong, the day started off quite slow, with one goldcrest (fuglekong) and one robin. Later on we caught a small group of coal tits (sortmejse) and a few other new birds! With a bit more time on our hands, Anna and I (Lua) have been playing a lot "chunky birds", where we compare birds of the same species and the heaviest bird wins. Today it was my Robin (rødhals) on the right with 16.4 grams, against 15.8 grams of Anna's bird on the left!

-LK

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf

Morgenobs:
Vi holder stilen (og vindretningen)! Det er stadig nordvestenvind, nu omkring 10-11 sekundmeter. De fugle som holder vindretningen ud er så småt ved at være trukket. Nu er der ikke så meget tilbage. Vi (Thomas og Jeg) havde en smule alkefugle, lidt lommer og en enkelt fløjlsand. Tja lidt suler og en dværgmåge gav os da også besøg. Småfuglene leverede heldigvis både lille korsnæb (32), stillits og bjerglærker (7). Henrik Böhmer sad på sydhukket, mens Thomas og jeg var på nordsiden. Omkring kl 09 kalder Böhmer ud på walkie-talkien appen zello. Han har en 3k hvidvinget måge, og den trækker nord! Et par sekunder efter fortæller han at den vendte om og fløj syd igen. Hverken thomas og jeg fik denne hvidvingede måge, som altså var et nyt individ, men flere DOF ung'ere fik den heldigvis.

Morgenobsen slutter og Thomas og jeg drager mod tipmosen, skallingen og lysbjerg hede for at lede efter fugle. Det blev til 8 sølvhejrer, en flok sortmejser, rørhøg, spurvehøg og lidt blandede ænder. En dejlig tur, efterfulgt af et smut forbi Strib sø. Imens vi er ude af huset finder Böhmer og David Manstrup en fyrremejse ved den nordlige branddam. De er ret sjældne herude, så endnu et lækker fund.

- Fyrremejse omkring den nordlige branddam, Foto: Henrik Böhmer

Om eftermiddagen bliver der fundet en søkonge nord for hukket i Børsmose af Mads Elley. Vi ved at det tager en fugl ca 20 minutter at flyve fra Børsmose til Blåvand. Så vi stiller os på ny ud i klitten og venter. Både Thomas og jeg ser den lille alkefugl flyve HURTIGT imod syd lige under revet. Aldrig har jeg set så lille en havfugl flyve så stærkt, det skyldes nok den stærke medvind. En dejlig fugl at slutte dagen af med. Dette konkluderer endnu en god dag i Blåvand:)
- SDP

Ringmærkning:

I dag har været endnu en stille dag pga vejret med kraftig vind af 10+ m/s. Derfor er det ikke meget at melde fra Ringmærkningsteamet. Trods vejret åbnede vi et par net for at sy de sidste huller. Den kraftige vind, gør det lettere at se huller i nettet. Og med lidt teknik kan man faktisk bruge vinden til ens fordel, når nål og sytråd skal føres igennem nettet

Et par fugle fandt vej til vores net, og pga. dagens rolige tempo, var der rigelig tid til at vise fuglene og ringmærkningsprocessen frem til besøgende familie. Det er altid sjovt at se gæsters begejstring, når havens fugle pludselig ses helt tæt på.

- AB

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf

Morgenobs:
The wind is still going at it from northwest. With plenty of people to count the sea migration, we were hopeful to get everything cover. However we did not have a lot to cover. Some little gulls and a peregrine falcon (vandrefalk). Otherwise a calm and cozy morning at the obs. Nothing special, but not low enough numbers to bore us.
After the morning obs Thomas, Anders Myrthue and i went to service the helgoland trap. We patched some holes and improved the closing mechanism. After that we went kratlusking, and saw three stonechats (sortstrubet bynkefugl). The day ended with a nice lecture about wolves from Kent Olsen. Not a bad at all:)
- SDP

Ringing

With the wind starting to pick up a little, and the weather getting colder, we did not have that many birds, but the ones we did, where amazing as always! After getting a tiny flocks of the little stars of the bird world, the goldcrest (fuglekong). Things slowed down again as we were talking to some birdwatcher that then pointed out a greater spottet woodpecker (stor flagspætte) going directions our net. Just as we had forgotten that we saw the woodpecker and started heading down to check the net, we actually caught it!

As this is a very beautiful and amazing bird to see in hand, we called it out for the young birders around to ask if they would like to see it.

Which some of them did and we had a wounderfull little demonstration seasion, with plenty of questions ( from both sides) and alot of bright smiles after seeing this wounderful bird! 

For the rest of the day, we used the extra time to fix some nets and the Helgoland Trap! 

-LK

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf

Morgensobs

Så er der ved at komme fart over feltet! Vi stod i dag omkring 60 aktivt kiggende feltornitologer, fuglekiggere, ornitter, birders og hvad end man kalder dem. Største delen af det store antal bestod af DOF ung der nu har meldt sig til det store fugleslag i første klit række. De ihærdige (og enormt dygtige) unge birders, ankommer tidligt om morgenen på cykel med skop og kikkert svinget fabrilsk over nakken. Dagen i dag stod desværre stadig på nord-vesten vind, men selv det og en smule morgenregn kunne ikke stoppe den buldrende effekt af danmarks fuglefolk!
Igen i dag fokuserer vi primært på kvalitet frem for kvantitet. Af spændende arter og sjove besøg kan nævnes to vandrefalke, en dværgfalk, en blå kærhøg, omkring 30 rødstrubede lommer og en lapværling som Henrik Böhmer spottede på sydhakket.

Morgenens højdepunkt vistesig dog hverken at være småfugl eller rovfugl. Lidt i 10 spottede Henrik Læssøe en spændende måge på stranden. Den var lys, med lysegrå vinger, en grønlig næbbasis og ca. på størrelse med en sølvmåge. Efter en hurtig diskussion iblandt de absolut hårdeste og dygtigste feltbisser pejede enigheden imod en adult hvidvinget måge. Jeg tillod mig at tilsidesætte min tælling i et par minutter, for at foretage en spontan rastefugltælling fra stranden af hvor man også "tilfældigvis" kunne se og fotografere den lækre måge.

- Adult hvdivinget måge på nordhukket

Imens morgenobsen stod på havde Michael Mosebo fundet en SMUK adult brilleand han omkring sommerhus området på skallingen. Da det er en fugl jeg allerede har misset en gang i min tid i Blåvand, besluttede jeg mig for at den skulle jeg se. Så med et lift fra den altid flinke og hjælpsomme Jens Kirkebye befandt jeg mig lige pludselig på skallingen for dagens anden nye kryds for mit vedkommende. Super skønt! Jeg har desværre intet billede, da jeg selv har blot en gnidret sort glat i min linse. Så I må nøjes med mit ord, og holde mig til det:)

Der blev også fundet en fuglekongesanger omkring Ho plantage. Den fik jeg desværre ikke set, men mit håber et som altid stort og jeg forventer at genfinde den imorgen eller en af de kommende dage.

Om aftenen var der inviteret til foredrag med Hans Larsson på Blåvandgård. Larsson er en formidabel foredragsholder, illustreret til fuglebøger og sindssygt dygtig til måger. Han er dog også meget svensk og holdt derfor hele foredraget på sit modersmål med en tyk skånsk dialekt oveni... Ikke lige det nemmeste når der skal gennemgåes de mindste dragtdetaljer på über-sjældne rariteter, hvoraf flere ikke engang har gæstet Danmark. Måger såsom Tangmåge, Skiffermåge, Vegamåge, Japansk Måge Armensk måge og andouisin måge kan nævnes. Selv sjældne underarter såsom Inuitmåge blev gennemtrawlet. Inuit mågen er endda en underart af vores egne kære hvidvingede måge. Jeg kan godt sige jer at det var spændende, men også pænt hård kost klokken otte om aftenen. Ja der har været tryk på i dag, og med to nye arter er jeg godt tilfreds. Som sagt mange gange før, en god dag i Blåvand:)

- SDP

Ringmærkning

Vi skriver meget om mejser i bloggen i dette efterår- og i dag er ingen undtagelse. I godt 3 timer, var vi i fuld sving ved nettene. Musvitter, blåmejser, sortmejser - og også halemejser (selvom de jo ikke er egentlige mejser, som navnet ellers anstyder).

Parallelt med fallout i Fyrhaven, var Henrik i fuld sving i Stationshaven, med ringmærkningsturer. I dag har der nemlig været åbent hus på Fuglestationen. Og heldigvis var antallet af fugle mindre i Stationshaven, så der var tid til at vise de fine fugle frem under, og efter, ringmærkningen. Alt fra træløber, til halemejse og rødtoppet fuglekonge, blev vist frem til fuglekiggere i alle aldre. Især var det til stor begejstring at kunne vise halemejser frem, af både den sydlige og nordlige variant.

Til åbent hus kom både nye og velkendte ansigter. Snakken gik lystigt om fuglestationens arbejde, fuglene i området og historier om gode oplevelser fra foregående felttræf. Tak til alle der lagde vejen forbi- det er altid en stor fornøjelse at fortælle om vores arbejde til engagerede gæster.

Halemejser i sydlig og nordlig variant.

-AB 

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf 

Morgenobs
The wind died down! We are now down to a mere one meter per second from southeast! Thats exciting as it brings new birds to the area. The day started off great with a BEAUTIFUL peregrine falcon (vandrefalk) eating a meal mid air! What a sight, suvh a graceful animal devouring another bird without even landing.. Next up we had some golden eyes and mallards (hvinand og gråand) along with teals, pintails and wigeon (krikand, spidsand, pibeand) and almost 200 eiders (ederfugle)! Not a bird day for the diversity of the duck species. I heard on the grapewine (the walkie-talkie app zello) that Henrik Bøhmer and the ringers saw a KINGFISHER over the lighthouse garden. That is incredibly rare out here and only the fifth find for the area, the fourth being earlier in the season. The most exciting bird of the day was a beautiful great northern diver (islom) flying north over us. It looked enormous with its clumsy feet sticking out from behind, definetely a first for me. What a day at the obs. Nice with a busy day before its back to the north western wind tomorrow.

After the obs, Henrik, Thomas and i went further down the beach to look for rare scoters like surf scoter or american scoter. We did'nt find anything worth mentioning, but fun none the less.

Later in the day the youth part of DOF arrived to the area. I was on a wonderful camp in the spring, with these young an talented birders. I met a lot of cool, experienced and kind birders and i look forward to seing them again in the coming week. You can easily spot the young birders in Blåvand, as they tend to bike around at full speed with a scope flinged around their back;)

- SDP

Ringmærkning

Today was a very exiting day! It started a few thrushes, including 2 beautiful red wings (vindrossel)! Then after getting a few flocks of goldcrests (fuglekonge) we had our first fire crest (rødtoppet fuglekonge) of the morning, which we were able to show to a nice sized group of enthusiastic birdwatchers! After a lot of busy rounds we ended up getting 3 greater spotted woodpeckers (stor flagspætte) and then our second fire crest! As the day dragged on, as a last bird of the day we had my(Lua) first Red Crossbill! A wonderful young female! And after a busy day of ringing, we ended with over 200 birds! What a great Autumn day!

- a Female red crossbill (lille korsnæb)

- LK

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen, Andreas Pedersen samt gæster i forbindelse med Felttræf

Morning Observation
The wind is still the same... Nothing much is happening over the sea except for some razorbills and guillemots, and a sigle velvet scooter. Most birds go north in days like this. A bird of meadowbirds, some nice big flocks of red crossbills, a teeny bit of chaffinches and les than five bramblings. Not a lot of birds wanted to fly today, so we enjoyed a good look at all the resting birds. I counted eight red throated divers (rødstrubet lom), approximately twenty greater black backed gulls (svartbag) and even a BEAUTIFUL 1k caspian gull (kaspisk måge). The lead for best birds today is either the caspian gull or the four merlins (dværgfalk) we had today. The caspian gull can be hard to destinguish from the hering gull. But there is a lot of small differences like the cvaspian being a bit thinner with a more flat fronthead and bigger contrast in colors. In their winter plumage they are easier to tell apart as the herring gulls head becomes more gray, whereas the caspian gulls stay white in all plumages:)

- 1k Caspian gull (left) and adult herring gull (sølvmåge, right)

After the morningobs we (Andreas Pedersen, Mikkel Bello and I) went looking for rare birds. Not a lot of activity in the shrubberies, but definetely a nice walk and day none the less:)

- SDP

Ringing

As the wind was a bit to strong to open the nets straight away, we used this opportunity to do a maintenance day! Great fun! Mathilde and myself (Lua) fixed a few wind damaged nets, did some leaf control and cut some wood around the nets.

Henrik was in the same headspace and cut the lawn around the nets at the station, everything is nice and in tip top shape! Later on it was possible to open some of our nets, as we had seen a nice movement of diffrent tit flocks. We mainly caught coal tits (sortmejse) but also had a nice little selection of blue tits, great tits, blackcaps and two beautiful bullfinches in their very fresh and shiny adult coat!

-LK

Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen og Andreas Pedersen 

Morning Observations

With mediocre winds from westnorthwest we set out for another day at the obs-point. We were joined by Anders, Jan, Bent and Henrik for the forst two hours of the day. We quickly realised that the main migration of the fay did in fact not pass over the water but by land. The day brought a lot og chaffinches and bramblings (bog- og kvækerfinker), some occasional meadow pipits (engpibere) and other small finches flying overhead. But primarily finches... like a lot of finches. 2000+ passing by the observation post. Of course we also had some scoters (sortænder), red throated divers (rødstrubet lom) and one velvet scoter (fløjlsand). A couple of sparrowhawks passed by, and Henrik saw a possible Pallid Harrier that was too far away for us to fully identify. Otherwise the day was a bit quiet. Especially the last half an hour with light rain. For this period of time it was just Andreas and i left to count the "multitude" of birds in the last half an hour. An occasional fun day at the obs with the great numbers, and as always a great day here in Blåvand:) - SDP

Ringing

This morning rain showers came in and out which really slowed down movement around our nets, and therefore reduced our bird numbers acutely, in comparison to yesterday. However we still had some really impressive individuals, like this very round berry munching green finch!

Fede Finke

 

With a bit more time than usual, me managed to do some needed deep cleaning of our ringing labs and wash the windows even though it was raining!

Nevertheless, todays bird count was still over 30 indivuduals and 11 species! We had not caught a common chiffhcaff in a few days, so that was as always a pleasent and polite visitor in the net!

 

-LK

 

 

 

 Folk på stationen: Lua Koplin, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard, Mathilde Lundt Larsen, Anna Beluga Gade-Jørgensen og Andreas Pedersen