Gedser, Denmark - 12th to 14th October 2018

12th October

The first round was a disappointment. Not even enough to take us into double figures as very little seemed to have roosted in the garden overnight.  The second round was a little better, with the Goldcrests making an effort early on but not enough to make up for a low showing from new Chiffchaffs, Wrens, Dunnocks and Robins. We were expecting another low total day.

Anders dropped by at around 9am to update the ringing data base – and after that there was a definite improvement with flocks of Long-tailed Tit foraging about the site. There were also small parties of Blue Tits, and some Song Thrushes dropped in too.

Long-tailed Tit

Birds were kept and released together as a flock

A Nutcracker was seen in the tall trees above the garden, but would not come down to net level. It was a fair day for migration overhead and several Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzards were watched from the garden.

We continued ringing until 13:30hrs and later went out to see what was happening on the sea.

Eiders on migration

Several Rough-legged Buzzards decided against making the crossing today and were seen to alight on nearby fields.

Rough-legged Buzzard

Totals:  90 (21)

Spurvehøg/ Sparrowhawk – 1
Gærdesmutte / Wren –  1
Jernspurv / Dunnock – 0 (1)
Rødhals / Robin –  8 (10)
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 1
Solsort / Blackbird – 2
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush – 8
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 2
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest–  13 (6)
Halemejse / Long-tailed Tit – 22
Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 2
Blåmejse / Blue Tit – 20 (1)
Musvit / Great Tit – 3 (3)
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow – 2
Bogfinke / Chaffinch – 2
Grønirisk / Greenfinch – 2
Lille Gråsisken / Lesser Redpoll - 1

13th October

Benny and Gert arrived early for their group, due at 8am to see the station, hear all about ringing and see some birds in the hand. After having a few days that weren’t very exciting, we were glad to have a nice range of species for them to see. The first round had been rather low in numbers but the second included Firecrest, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Blackbird.

Although we’d started together Chris completed the 8:00am round alone as I had gone back to the ringing office to ring birds ready for the presentation. It was quite a treat, picking and choosing from the nets as I made my way, lifting a Sparrowhawk from one net and a Coat Tit from another knowing that Chris would be along shortly to clear the nets.

Gert took some birds for the group, then came back to say that Hans had seen a net full of Blue Tits. As I came out to check I could see a large flock dropping into the site, skimming over one of the double height nets, so I swiftly lowered that as it was empty and went to the net I expected to have caught the birds – only ten or so, not too bad so they were extracted and, now joined by Chris we returned to the ringing room.

We’d cleared the birds, with the exception of the Sparrowhawk, before 9:00am and set out for another check of the nets. There was one 12m net with 60 or so tits in it. I began extracting them, non tits first, then birds in reach of another, then the rest while Chris checked around the other nets and brought what we needed to ring at the net. He had another net holding tits but not as many as the first. The group were still being shown around and realising that we had our hands full, Gert and Benny extracted a few birds and left them bagged in the ringing room after doing their ‘show and tell’ presentations.

We closed slightly after standard having done some interesting species that included a first for Chris. He had never ringed Great Grey Shrike before.

Juvenile Great Grey Shrike

Great Spotted Woodpecker female

Totals: 215 (21)

Spurvehøg/ Sparrowhawk – 1
Stor Flagspætte / Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Gærdesmutte / Wren –  5
Rødhals / Robin –  10 (12)
Solsort / Blackbird – 2 (1)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush – 2
Munk / Blackcap - 1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 14
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest– 25

Rødtoppet Fuglekonge / Firecrest - 1 

Halemejse / Long-tailed Tit 0 (4)

Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 2
Blåmejse / Blue Tit –  124
Musvit / Great Tit –  19
Stor Tornskade / Great Grey Shrike - 1
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow – 1
Bogfinke / Chaffinch – 4
Grønirisk / Greenfinch – 1
Rørspurv / Reed Bunting - 1

14th October

More visitors to the station today although fewer birds of fewer species. The total crept up just above the three figure mark and one of the Blue Tits had been ringed in Sweden. The Sparrowhawks were both large females and unusually neither were first years.

We are trying for owls again tonight, not really expecting any greater success than every other night that we’ve tried for them, now 7 or 8 times.

  

Totals:  110 (20)

Spurvehøg/ Sparrowhawk – 2
Gærdesmutte / Wren –  4
Jernspurv / Dunnock – 3 (1)
Rødhals / Robin –  5 (9)
Solsort / Blackbird – 0 (1)
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 21 (1)
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest– 20 (6)
Rødtoppet Fuglekonge / Firecrest – 0 (1)
Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 2
Blåmejse / Blue Tit –  45 (1 control Sweden)
Musvit / Great Tit –  8