Fantastisk dag i Blåvand!

Today began with Freya opening the mist nets while Andreas, Theo, Louis, Leon, and I went out for the morning observation.

The weather was very pleasant, with around 15 degrees Celsius and up to 6 m/s western wind. As we arrived in the dunes, the sun welcomed us with a beautiful sunrise, painting the sky in shades of blue, red, and yellow.

The migration started off quite slowly with only a few waders and ducks heading southwards in the early morning. However, as time passed, the number of migrating birds increased. By the end of the standard observation period, we had seen 334 Oystercatchers, 25 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2123 Black-headed Gulls, and 767 Comic Terns (Common/Arctic Terns, Fjordterne/Havterne). You can see a full list of the observations here. 

The ringing was notable for its variety of species. Highlights included a Black Redstart (Husrodstjert), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Stor Flagspaette) and Crested Tit (Topmejse).

In the afternoon, it got quite hot, which prompted Andreas, Leon, and Freya to take a refreshing swim in the sea.

In the evening, Theo prepared a delicious Pasta Carbonara for dinner, which we all enjoyed immensely, while the steering group had a successful meeting next door.

Everyone went to bed feeling content and excited, as the weather conditions look promising for a good wader migration day tomorrow.