Some more birds between persistent showers

Migration: Persistent NNW winds with intense and abundant rain throughout the day made the seawatching count a bit challenging, but it still produced some interesting birds.

Migration counts included an adult Caspian Tern, three Arctic Skuas, two Tufted Ducks, three Goldeneyes and again over 270 Oystercatchers, but still low nombers of other waders. Also our first adult Wood Sandpiper of the stay.

Nice groups of Gulls and Terns were still present in the area today, and produced some birding entertainment. Highlights include two Mediterranean Gulls, a few more Caspian Gulls and still interesting numbers of Arctic and, specially, SandwichTerns.

On land, the first migrant Sedge Warbler of the stay in Blaavands Huk was a little surprise, and some migrant Greylag Geese over land completed the morning observations.

Ringing: After having arrived at Blåvand Fuglestation yesterday, it was the plan that I (Alba) was to learn how ringing is performed at this bird station with the help of Henrik by ringing from the early morning. Because of the strong winds and the risk of rain, we started out by only opening a few nets in the station garden, so that we would quickly be able to close them again if needed. After two hours of slow ringing, the dreaded rain finally hit us, and we were forced to close the nets for a whole nother two hours before it cleared up again. Luckily, the radar promised no more rain, and the wind had quieted down a little, so we could open all of the nets at both the station garden and the lighthouse. Ida, who had slept a bit longer due to illness, had joined us at this time, and we ringed for another four hours. 

Most of the birds caught were juvenile, though a few adult birds, some even undergoing post-breeding moults, also snuck in.

Around 10:00, we were joined by two German visitors, who came to have a look at how the ringing station works. Henrik led the guided tour through the gardens and we were able to show them how we ringed about four birds, even including a female Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)!

The guests watch as Alba frees a Bullfinch from the net.

Aging the Bullfinch.

A photogenic Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis) in the sun.

Alba with a young Dunnock (Prunella modularis).

Although we did not get a lot of birds (16 in total, with 9 of them being new birds and the remaining 7 being recaptures), it was nice to have a slow day to get acclimatized to the routes and the procedures for ringing at this station, before standardized ringing begins tomorrow. 

Later in the day, we were also joined by Strummer and Johan, who are going to be volunteering at the station for the next four months. I myself will only be staying here for two months before I travel to Gedser Fuglestation to finish off the fall season. I am very much looking forward to what the standardized ringing season will bring!

List of birds caught today:

People at the station: David, Nico, Miguel, Lois, Ida, Alba, Johan, Strummer, Henrik