Today started with Hanelie and me opening the mist nets while the wind blew at 8 m/s from the west. It was quite chilly, just 5 degrees, under a cloudy sky. After a cozy breakfast, the sun began to break through the clouds, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker landed in the net - always a pleasure to see this species up close!

After releasing the Woodpecker, I headed to the dunes to observe the migration. Since there were hardly any migrating birds, I decided to move closer to the water and enjoy watching the many Purple Sandpipers (35) and Turnstones (20) foraging among the Sanderlings (250). I also spotted a single Ringed Plover on the beach.

Later, Hanelie and I were surprised by a short visit from Bent - and by a viper - during our closing run. It was incredible to see both in their natural habitat! ;)

Ringing results: 

In the afternoon, we replaced a broken net in the lighthouse garden.

To end this wonderful day, I made some vegetarian burritos for dinner, which carried us off to our well-deserved rest.

People at the Station: Joseph Stephan, Hanelie Sidhu

Grey sky over Blåvand

This morning unfortunately, the weather was not better than expected. It was blowing too much to do standardized ringing in the morning. Some nets were open for short, and one Blackbird “Solsort” was caught.

Ringing totals:

Solsort: 1/0

A rather cold and quiet day today, we are hoping for better weather to come during the week.

People: Joseph Stephan, Hanelie Sidhu

The ringing:

Today was already a big improvement to yesterday. When I checked DMI in the morning, I saw, that we would have fog again in Blåvand from opening time the whole morning. When I looked out of the window, there was no fog at all. But I was prepared for it, it can get foggy very fast close to the sea. So it just improved my mood a lot, when the fog did not turn up, instead, a bright sun came up at sunrise. First round already brought more new birds than the whole day before, so I was happy. But the best of the morning was still about to come: It appeared in form of a Short-toed Treecreeper “Korttået Træløber”. If there is a Treecreeper with a kind of long Curlew bill in the net, you must be suspicious. Also the step in the wing bar was missing and the tips of the primaries where bright white while they are a little more off-white in the Eurasian Treecreeper. This is a nice species in hand, sometimes, they can soon get a bit tired but this one was very lively.

Some pictures of the Short-toed Treecreeper “Korttået Træløber”

Eight new birds in total and one recap, a nice Yellowhammer “Gulspurv,” were a big improvement to yesterday. Else, it was mainly adult male Blackbirds “Solsort” in the nets.

A bit later in the morning David and Jimmy went to the beach and spotted a Glaucous Gull “Gråmage”!

Glaucous Gull “Gråmage” by David Manstrup

Yesterday evening we had a new arrival at the station: We welcomed back Joseph for the whole spring season and summer, who had already been at the station in autumn 2023.

In the afternoon, Jimmy took Joseph and me to Grønningen. It was a really nice trip and a good variety of species for the time of the year. Great observations were a Hen Harrier “Blå Kærhøg” and lot of Pintails “Spidsand”, a very beautiful duck, I think. Tak for turen Jimmy!

Birdwatching at Grønningen.

People: Joseph, David, Jimmy og Hanelie

The ringing:

This morning, the nets in both gardens were open half an hour before sunrise. The first round brought two new Blackbirds “Solsort” and a recapture of a Great Tit “Musvit”. It was again a very foggy morning. And nearly all the rest of the time of standardized ringing, I had zero rounds until  I found a Wren “Gærdesmutte”, already with a ring, in a net in the lighthouse garden in the secound last round. But it can just improve.

Great Tit "Musvit" on a foggy morning.

The moths:

Yesterday evening I could not believe DMI which showed the foggy morning that we had today. Because when I checked the moth trap in the evening, the night was star clear. I had two moths in the evening, again the Satellite “Satellitugle” and – a small and inconspicuous one, that was new for me: But to be safe, I will put it as slash secies, Agnopterix heracliana/ciliella, probably heracliana, but these are very similar species.

Agnopterix heracliana/ ciliella.

In the afternoon I went to a lake in the military area and saw two Shovelers "Skeand" with some other ducks.

Not dar from the lake, I saw that very white Buzzard "Musvage", a very beatiful one.

People: David, Hanelie, Jimmy and 2 guests