Two Shearwaters and a Dream

Observation: Today was a day for seabirds, and with strong headwinds of 16 m/s from the NW, Jakob, Johan,
and I were hopeful.

The day started with an almost empty sea, with only a few common scoters (Melanitta nigra)
moving, and some resting gulls close to the beach.

The all-star team desperately searching for shearwaters and storm-petrels. Photo: Anton Ræbild Jensen.

As the sun rose, the number of scoters moving picked up, but somehow the proper seabirds
refused to show themselves. We were really hoping for some shearwaters, as Jakob hadn’t
seen either of the 2 most common species here, sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea) and manx shearwater
(Puffinus puffinus). By 9, none had shown up, and we were beginning to doubt it would happen today, until
Johan suddenly spotted one way out by the windmills. Jakob and I only managed to see it for a
couple of seconds before we lost it in the meter-high waves out at sea. We were still stoked,
though, as this bird was one of the bucket list species for today.

Unfortunately, Johan had to leave obs a bit early today, and by 10 it was only Jakob and I who
kept watch at obs. We weren’t, however, lonely at all, as almost as soon as Johan left, another
sooty shearwater appeared in the left side of my scope field, this one much closer. We managed
to get good looks at it, as it slowly flew north.

Here the best digiscoped photo we could manage - close for a tubenose, but still a tubenose…  Photo: Anton Ræbild Jensen.

As if two sooty shearwaters weren’t enough, while Jakob and I were talking about packing up
around 11, we heard one dry and slightly electrical trill. I immediately yelled “RED-BREASTED
FLYCATCHER” (Ficedula parva) and looked at Jakob. He had also heard the call and agreed with me, so
we decided to see if we could try to find it. It was, however, not to be found, which really is a
shame after Jakob missed yesterday's ringed bird. This might as well have been the same
individual, and it would have been a really cool bird to show off to our guest. Maybe we will try
for it tomorrow, and see if it still is in the area.

The most remarkable numbers if the day were 379 common scoters (which was okay), 23
red-throated loons (Gavia stellata) and 2 gannets (Morus bassanus).

Ringing: Cancelled due to strong winds.

Other things: Johan is taking a few days at home, and will therefore not be featured in the blog for a short while.

At the station: Strummer Edwards, Mathilde Sif Eiby, Jakob Hansen, and Anton Ræbild Jensen