The first ringing days in March were actually not that bad for it being so early in spring. But now it is very slow with birds in the nets. Today I had 4 new and one recapture.

Henrik was out observing and in the bog. The highlight were eight resting Caspian Gulls “Kaspisk Måge”.

4K Caspian Gull "Kaspisk Måge by Henrik

In the afternoon I cleaned up a bit especially in the ringing labs. Now David arrived and is on a walk in the bog and later Sverre from the autumn team will come for a weekend.

At the station: Henrik Bøhmer, Thomas Kristensen, Sverre Dahl Porsgaard and Hanelie Sidhu

The morning started sunny and cold with low southeasterly wind. The weather was too good to give a good ringing day. I had many zero rounds. In one net finally I found three birds! All female Greenfinches “Grønirisk”, one with a ring. I already caught some Greenfinches this season, so I was expecting it to be one of mine from the last days. But when I had a closer look, I saw that it had a Stavanger ring from Norway! What do you think, did the other birds also come from Norway or did they make friends somewhere on their way?

Greenfinch "Grønirisk" from Norway

Some Mistle Thrushes “Mistledrossel” were around the station Garden today. Between the rounds, I sat on the bench in font of the lighthouse lab and one landed on top of a tree just in front of me. Let´s hope for some more birds in the next days - maybe a Mistle Thrush in the net?

At the station: Henrik Bøhmer, Hanelie Sidhu

My favorite color today was definitely orange. This morning was again beautiful and sunny but also cold, there was frost on the nets when we opend, Joseph helped me today before he went to the obs. Orange because auf the great color of the Bramblings “Kvækerfinke”, I caught three of them today.

Brambling "Kvækerfinke" by Hanelie

At the obs Josephs highlight were some Teals “Krikand” that could not really decide in which direction to fly so they flew in circles very close to him. Bent visited us at the station later in the morning. After closing the nets it was soon time for Joseph to leave back to Fanø, but there was still time for a quick grocery tour and as I had a chauffeur today I could not resist to buy some firewood, the house is still cold from winter and there is nothing that gives a more pleasing warmth than than a fire in the oven, which was my third orange joy today.

Fire by Hanelie

The second was the beautiful orange breast of the Stonechats “Sortstubbet bynkefugl”, which I from time to time see in the bog on top of the bushes close to the road on my way to the lighthouse garden!

Stonechat "Sortstubbet Bynkefugl" by Joseph

At the station: Bent Jakobsen, Joseph Stephan and Hanelie Sidhu

Ringing did not have many birds, but some highlights today: First I found a Firecrest “Rødtoppet Fuglekonge” in one of the nets we had put up yesterday!

Firecrest "Rødtoppet Fuglekonge", picture by Thomas

Another round brought a Marsh Tit “Sumpmejse”, which is a local rarity at Blåvands Huk. In hand, the tail is a very good caracter to distinguish between Marsh Tit “Sumpmejse” and Willow Tit “Fyrremejse”. In the Willow Tit, tailfeather 3, 4 and 5 are of visibly different length, while they are of similar length in the Marsh Tit. Furthermore, TF6 is notably shorter in the Willow Tit, while there is not a big difference to the other tailfeathers in the Marsh Tit. Also the bib is smaller and less spreading to the sides.

Marsh Tit "Sumpmejse" pictures by Hanelie

David and Thomas had just returned to the station from the obs, so the could also see the bird. Finally, I caught a screamy Great Spotted Woodpecker “Stor Flagspætte”.

Great Spotted Woodpecker "Stor Flagspætte"

Later in the morning, Joseph arrived from Fanø. He will be working on the Little Tern “Dværgterne” Project again this year but is this year situated on the island. But he will visit us at Blåvand regularly to monitor the birds here. But as it is still to early for them to arrive from their wintering grounds, this visit is just a birdwatching visit. In the afternoon, we went to the beach and the dunes. At the beach there is a nice group of Snowbuntings “Snespurv” around and also Ringed Plovers “Stor Præstekrave”, Purple Sandpipers “Sortgrå Ryle” and Sanderlings “Sandløber”.

Snowbunting "Snespurv" by Joseph

After we went to Skallingen and Nyeng. Many Curlews “Storspove”, Dunlins “Almindelig Ryle” and Grey Plovers “Strandhjeile were resting at Nyeng also Shelducks “Gravands” and Pintails “Spidsand” one of my favorite duck species. Joseph spotted nice White-Tailed Eagle “Havørn”.

Birdwatching at Nyeng, picture by Joseph

After our trip we went to a short visit at Henriks place, as we planned to go nightcatching but the thermal binocular was at his place. After, we went back to the station with a short stop at Netto and Joseph made a lovely dinner, while I was entering data and starting with this blog.

When all was eaten, we packed ringes, pliers and chacher and the thermal binocular. It was a beautiful and star clear night and waning moon was till quite big. Unfortunately, this is not the best conditions for nightcatching, that a rainy and windy night is much better. We saw some gulls, but did not really come close.

Tired we returned to the station, it had been a long day at Blåvandshuk and surrounding.

At the station: David Manstrup, Thomas Kristensen, Joseph Stephan, Hanelie Sidhu

It was again a beautiful and sunny morning today although still rather cold.

Henrik went to do morning observations today while I went on my rounds in the gardens.

I had some more birds in the nets today although less species than yesterday, mainly Blackbirds “Solsort”, another Songthrush “Sangdrossel” and two Chaffinches “Bogfinke”, a new one and a recapture from last autumn.

Blackbird/ Solsort

While I was closing the nets, members of the steering group of the bird observatory arrived. Today was a working day at the station, tidying and rearranging and throwing out stuff at the station. Henrik and I changed four old and broken nets, and we took a tree out of a net lane. Today and yesterday, I had only 180 meters of the standard nets open, from now on I can open everything. In the evening, we all had pizza together at the station.

Tak for mel!

At the station: Hanelie Sidhu, steering group of the bird observatory

Just in time for the 1^st of March, the official start of the spring season, the sun already managed early in the morning to break through the clouds. That was a big improvement compared to yesterday, when I awoke the first morning at the bird observatory this year and everything was covered by deep fog.

While the standardized spring ringing season already started today, daily observations are starting on the 20^th of March at Blåvand. Nevertheless, Thomas, Henrik and David came to the station to be out for observations from sunrise. A few Caspian Gulls/ Kaspisk Måge were resting on the beach and a White Wagtail/Hvid Vipstjert was a nice sign of spring coming soon.

With a Song Thrush/ Sangdrossel in the first round I could also greed a herald of spring.

Song Thrush/ Sangdrossel

In total, a caught 10 birds, seven of them new. Unfortunately, they were not very well distributed over the five hours, five of them in one round, so it was quite some walking without birds.

Greenfinch/Grønirisk

Spring is coming slowly, the next days will still come with single digit temperatures, but it will certainly come, yesterday on my foggy walk on the beach I already saw quite some Ringed Plovers/ Stor Præstekrave, a bit of migration from the south started already!

At the station: Thomas Kristensen, David Manstrup, Henrik Bøhmer and Hanelie Sidhu