Gedser, Denmark 9th to 11th October 2018

9th October

Not so many birds in the garden today and the session would have been really quiet without the arrival of a large flock of Blue, Great and Coal Tits at around 10am. Leading species today was Blue Tit with 27 ringed.

We received news of the Norwegian Dunnock that we captured just three days go. It was ringed in its first year on the 14^th of September last year at Dividalen FS, Målselv, Troms.

There was also a report of some dead Mute Swans on the beach. Chris and Ole went to investigate, finding that the birds were extremely emaciated and weighing well below their normal body weight.  Other birds present showed no indication of sickness.  It is believed that the birds may have been migrating, and unable to feed successfully in the windy weather that we have had of late. Much of the seagrass in the shallower water has been torn up and washed onto the beaches while coastal waters are very stirred up and unclear. One of the dead swans had been ringed under the Gdansk, Poland scheme bearing ring number AH9082. 

People are advised not to approach or touch any dead or sick birds that may be on the beach as there have been concerns of bird flu being present in the area although no signs of the contagion were observed today. The appropriate authorities have been notified.

Mute Swan recovery

Totals:  61 (12)

Spurvehøg/ Sparrowhawk – 1
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 1
Rødhals / Robin –  6 (9)
Sangdrossel / SongThrush – 2
Munk / Blackcap – 1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 5
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest–  0 (1)
Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 2 (1)
Blåmejse / Blue Tit - 27
Musvit / Great Tit – 16 (1)

19th October

An extremely still start to the day, that was very much in contrast to the last few days that have been windy, often increasing into the afternoon. Catching was slow and the reasonable number of new birds only achieved because of the tit party that came into the garden from around 10am onwards. This seems to be becoming a regular occurance. Best birds have to be the two Eurasian Bullfinches, a Coal Tit, a rather nice young male Blackbird and some Siskins.

Eurasian Bullfinch female

Coal Tit

Juvenile Blackbird

Adult male Siskin

Totals:  76 (31)

Engpiber / Meadow Pipit – 2
Gærdesmutte / Wren –  4
Jernspurv / Dunnock – 1 (1)
Rødhals / Robin –  4 (25)
Sangdrossel / SongThrush – 0 (2)
Solsort / Blackbird - 1
Munk / Blackcap – 1
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 11
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest–  6
Sortmejse / Coal Tit – 1
Blåmejse / Blue Tit - 15
Musvit / Great Tit – 12 (2)
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow – 1
Bogfinke / Chaffinch – 2
Grønirisk / Greenfinch – 2
Grønsisken / Siskin – 11
Dompap / Bullfinch - 2

11th October

Another change in wind direction and we hoped there would be more birds on the first round. The result was just twelve and more leaves than anything else. There was a minor flurry of Wrens and of the very few new Robins, quite a lot were adults. We've noticed before how experienced birds sometimes anticipate good conditions a day or two ahead of a larger cohort of prodominantly young birds. Still, we've had no reason to use the communial collecting bags or boxes so far so will wait to see what the next few days brings. With southerly winds forecast, we don't anticipate any improvement in migration through the ringing site for at least a week. We always live in hope of birds to make us busy.

Wren 1k

Common Redstart

Goldcrests outnumbered Robins today and a single Redstart was a bonus.

Totals:  62 (19)

Engpiber / Meadow Pipit – 1
Gærdesmutte / Wren –  10
Jernspurv / Dunnock – 0 (1)
Rødhals / Robin –  15 (12)
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 1
Solsort / Blackbird – 2 (1)
Sangdrossel / Song Thrush – 4
Gransanger / Chiffchaff – 3
Fuglekonge / Goldcrest–  16 (2)
Blåmejse / Blue Tit – 1 (2)
Musvit / Great Tit – 3 (1)
Skovspurv / Tree Sparrow – 1
Bogfinke / Chaffinch – 2
Kværkefinke / Brambling - 1
Grønirisk / Greenfinch – 2

In the afternoon we spent some time locally at the beach where migration on the sea continued until late afternoon.