During the night winds have turned south and we can immediately notice that in the songbird migration. Although yesterday was not bad, today we had one of the best days of the season again: 66 birds ringed! And although almost a third of them were blackcaps the morning was not boring at all. We ringed a total of 17 species!

After hoping for it for so long, Fanny could finally ring a cuckoo that Esben managed to scare into the net.

Also, after the first one a few days ago, we caught two more Red-breasted flycatchers today.

Redpolls are moving around in small groups and today we caught a really pretty adult male, shown by the pink on his breast.

As the seabird migration comes to an end a lot more people start hanging out at Kabeltrommeln rather than at World’s End, both for the better company and in the hope for rare birds in the net. We saw several golden orioles fly over and a short-toed eagle next to many finches, rose finches, kites, falcons and bussards again.

Also another Blythe’s reed warbler was recorded again today in Skagen.

Ringing at Kabeltrommeln this morning:

 Gransanger – Chiffchaff - 4

 Lille Fluesnapper – Red-breasted Flycatcher - 2

 Bogfinke- Chaffinch - 1

Tornsanger – Whitethroat - 6

Havesanger – Garden Warbler - 6

Munk – Blackcap - 18

Rørsanger – Reed Warbler - 2

Lille Gråsisken – Redpoll - 3

Kærsanger – Marsh Warbler - 3

Løvsanger – Willow Warbler - 8

Rødhals - Robin - 2

Gærdesanger – Lesser Whitethroat - 4

Gulbug - Icterine Warbler - 2

Rødstjert – Redstart - 2

Gærdesmutte – Wren - 1             

Solsort  - Blackbird - 1

Gøg – Cuckoo – 1

Total: 66

People: Martina Hillbrand, Esben E. Hansen, Lars Bo Jacobsen, Hans Christophersen, Knud Pedersen and Fanny Rey

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

Today we went ringing at Kabeltromlen, now the mornings are very worm witch is nice and pleasant. We had a pretty nice first round with several birds and then it went slowing down but we had in total 40 birds which is nice! With some nice species, a Meadow pipit (Engpibe) and a Eurasian Jay (Skovskade), the species we caught the most is the black cap (Munk) as yesterday. Today we had more Marsh Warbler (Kærsanger) than the previous day.

We were in a good company today with a lot of observer at Kabeltromlen, that was very nice and Hans and Lars were counting passerines and raptors migration helped by the other observers. Thanks again to them for they very useful help. We had again some nice bird in migration today with Golden oriole, Ring ouzel, big folk of Red kite, several Black Kite and good number of Honey buzzard flying very low, amazing spectacle as we love them.

We received an answer from the ringing center about the recapture from yesterday of the Reed warbler (Rørsanger)! It was ringed in august 2019 as a 1 calendar bird near Stockholm so this bird was doing is first spring migration this year!

During the afternoon Hans was observing raptor migration and saw a close White tail eagle (Havørn) and took a very nice picture !

Martina and I went to the beach to try to find breeding Ring plover (Stor præstekrave) and we succeeded, we found at least 3 birds who were incubating, we haven’t seen any chicks yet. They are not easy to see and are very well camouflage with all the rocks around. We will come back in few days to not miss the hatching time because the chicks will move quickly from the place where the nest is after hatching to found food.

We said good bye to Jøgen Hulbæk today who went back to his home, it was very nice to spend some time in his company and we thanks him for his help in the migration counting!

Ringing (Kabeltromlen):

Engpiber – 1

Gransanger – 1

Gærdesmutte – 2

Gulbug – 1

Rødhals – 1

Skovskade – 1

Rørsanger – 4

Gærdesanger – 1

Tornsanger – 3

Havesanger – 1

Munk – 12

Kærsanger – 3

Løvsanger – 3

Grå Fluesnapper – 2

Bogfinke – 1

Sum:40

People: Martina Hillbrandt, Esben E. Hansen, Lars Bo Jacobsen, Hans Christophersen, Jøgen Hulbæk, Knud Pedersen and Fanny Rey

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

Martina og Pernille åbnede net. Fanny kom ud til første runde, Simon og jeg var lige gået ud ad døren da vi fik meldingen om denne sæsons sjældneste fugl i nettet. En lille Rørsanger. Det var ikke kun den lille rørsanger der gjorde 1. juni til en spændene dag i ringmærkningen der var nemlig flere arter vi ikke fanger så tit, heriblandt karmindompap, Bjergvipstjert og en Rørsanger fra Sverige.Karmindompap Foto: Søren PoulsenLille Rørsanger Foto: Hans Christophersen

Det gik også godt ude på Verdens ende, hvor Henrik og Nicole havde morgenobsen, her kom der både Pirol, Rosenstær, Biæder og Sortstrubet Lom.Biæder restende ved kabeltromlen Foto: Søren Poulsen

Vejret var virkelig flot og så klart at man kunne se en luftreflektion af Sverige. Foto: Hans Christophersen

Vi havde nettene åbne til 11:30 før vi tog hjem. Efter frokost stod på lidt praktisk, Fugleposerne blev vasket, der blev handlet indk og også fundet tid til en kort dukkert i Kattegat.

Hans var om eftermiddagen ude og tælle trækket af rovfugle, på damsted klit og saftevandsbakken, hvor han så den lille skrigeørn højt ude over Kattegat, der var også Hvepsevåger, kongeørn, havørn og sorte glenter i luften.

Vi sagde også farvel til Henrik, Nicole og Pernille.

Ringmærkning: (Grenen)

Skovpiber – 1

Bjergvipstjert – 1

Gærdesmutte – 1

Jernspurv – 1

Rødhals – 2

Lille Rørsanger – 1

Rørsanger – 4

Gulbug – 2

Gærdesanger – 3

Tornsanger – 4

Havesanger – 5

Munk – 25

Gransanger – 3

Løvsanger – 5

Grå Fluesnapper – 1

Sortmejse – 1

Karmindompap – 1

Sum:61

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Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

Folk: Fanny Rey, Martina Hillbrandt, Esben E. Hansen, Henrik Böhmer, Nicole, Michael Ancher, Lars Bo Jacobsen, Igor, Jørgen Kabel, Agnete, Birthe og Hans Christophersen, Simon S. Christiansen Jøgen Hulbæk og Pernille Roed

Esben og Fanny åbnede nettene ved Kabeltromlen kl. 3.30. Jeg stødte til dem kl. 4.30, og lidt senere kom Simon også. Det blev en stille dag med få fugle, så vi lukkede nettene tidligt. For mit vedkommende blev dagens ringmærkning en helt speciel oplevelse, eftersom jeg ringmærkede min første fugl - en havesanger! 

Michael var ved Jennes Sø, og han var så heldig at ringmærke 2 lille korsnæb.

Lille Korsnæb som fik en fin ring på af Michael.

Imellem runderne ved Kabeltromlen blev der set dobbeltbekkasin, lærkefalk, sølvhejre, hvepsevåge, tornsanger, gærdesanger, rørdrum og gulspurv mm. 

Imens vi andre ringmærkede, klarede Martina morgenobservationen sammen med Henrik og Nicole. Sortand, sule, lom, storkjove, strandskade, alk og lomvie var nogle af de arter, der blev set. 

I dag fik vi nye beboere i lejligheden, idet Birthe og Hans kom. De brugte det meste af dagen på Flagbakken, hvor de var så heldige at se den 2k slangeørn, som var blevet meldt ud på Zello. Udover slangeørnen så de mange hvepsevåger - hele 150-200 stk. Det må siges at være det bedste dag med hvepsevåger i år!

Og som om det ikke var nok, så Troels en 2k hvepsevåge, hvilket er specielt, idet de unge hvepsevåger plejer at blive i Afrika om vinteren. Det er kun de gamle fugle, der trækker nordpå. Det vil i så fald være første gang,  det er dokumenteret i Danmark. 

Søren Poulsens billede af den fine meget lyse slangeørn. 

Over middag tog Martina og jeg ud til Skarvsøen for at overvåge kolonien. Det så ud til, at de første unger er udklækket nu. I flere reder observerede vi små næb blive fodret. Det var en stor oplevelse af følge med i. På vejen ud til Skarvsøen så vi 6 musvåger. 

Aktivitet i rederne i skarvkolonien

Hjemme på Det Grå Fyr var Esben var i gang med at lave en video, imens den stod på haveabejde i  “annekset” hos Simon. Han har sikkert Skagens flotteste have nu ;-) 

Dagen sluttede med spændende undervisning i brug af sociale medier. 

Ringmærkning (Kabeltrommelkrattet og Jennes Sø):

Blåmejse: 1

Rørsanger -  2

Munk - 2

Havesanger - 2

Tornsanger - 2

Solsort - 2

Bogfinke - 1

Lille korsnæb - 2

Grønsisken - 2

Sum: 16

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 Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

Folk: Fanny Rey, Martina Hillbrandt, Esben E. Hansen, Henrik Böhmer, Nicole, Mikael Ancher, Søren Skov, Lars Bo Jacobsen, Igor, Jørgen Kabel, Agnete, Birthe og Hans Christophersen, Simon S. Christiansen og Pernille Roed

Today all of us were ringing at Kabeltromlen, the mosquitos are definitely here and we have to share the space with them for the first hours but when the sun is warming up the are gone which is nice! This morning was a quiet morning in the nets with around 25 birds but to make a good day we only need a good one... And that was happened and not just one but two actually! We had a Red-breasted flycatcher (Lille fulnaspper), a very cute 2 calendar bird that we could not sex because it is a young one. Martina was very happy because she was expected it for some days now and she will have a jump in the sea for it later in the afternoon!

The second interesting bird of today was a Reed warbler with an old ring and we found out it was ring here in 2014 ! So the bird is at least 7 years old ! It is very interesting to have data like that from our ringing so we can see that the bird are coming to the place they have been before and how old they can get.

During the afternoon Pernille arrived to spent the week-end with us. Simon made a session about the Acrocephalus and all the possible bird of this family we could caught here. It was mainly about Reed, March and Blyth’s warbler. It was very interesting and now we are more them ready to have the Blyth’s warbler in the nets in the next few days, one was actually caught at Blåvand an other ringing station in Danmark today.

Tonight, we had a nice barbecue in the lighthouse garden with some friend who came to share this time with us with the nice last sunshine of the day !

Ringing (Kabeltromlen and Jennes Sø):

                Lille Fluesnapper - 1                                                                                                                                                         

                Gransanger - 2                                                                                                                                                                    

                Munk - 3                                                                                                                                                                               

                Havesanger - 2                                                                                                                                                                    

                Tornsanger - 5                                                                                                                                                                    

                Rørsanger - 4                                                                                                                                                                       

                Gærdesmutte - 5                                                                                                                                                               

                Løvsanger - 3                                                                                                                                                                       

                Rødhals - 2                                                                                                                                                                           

                Sangdrossel - 2

                Sivsanger -1                                                                                                                                               

                 Musvit- 1                                                                                                                                                  

                Topmejse - 1                                                                                                                                                                       

                Bogfinke - 2                                                                                                                                                                          

                Solsort - 1           

Sum: 37

Folk: Simon S. Christiansen, Martina Hillbrandt, Esben E. Hansen, Henrik Böhmer, Nicole, Jørgen Hulbæk Christiansen, Karin Krogstrup, Pernille Roed, Knud Pedersen, Inge, Hanne & Jens Eriksen, Lars Bo Jacobsen, Mikael Ancher and Fanny Rey

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

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Martina og jeg var ude at åbne net senere kom Fanny og Simon. Det var fint i ringmærkningen i dag, godt med fugle, dog intet usædvanligt i nettet. Vejret var Koldt om morgenen med tæt tåge, det forsvandt dog og blev erstattet af en skyfri himmel, så det endte med at være varmt nok til at gå rundt I en T-shirt.

Om formiddagen gik der rygter om en 2k Steppeørn, Den var også ude vende 2 gange på Grenen hvor vi fik set den i flot lys, dog gik den højt. Andre højdepunkter var karmindompap, pirol og biæder.

Der kom flere vante ansigter forbi og holdt os selvskab under ringmærkningen, hvilket altid er hyggeligt.

Michael Ancher ringmærkede i dag ved Jennes Sø. Henrik Böhmer var på morgenobs.

AFTENUPDATE: Lille Sejler rastende i lang tid om aftenen ved Hulsig, fundet af Oluf Lou! Og det blev til hele 2 forskellige steppeørne. SINDZYYYG dag!

Pigerne prøvede i at fange en gøg her til aften, det lykkedes ikke. Men måske endnu bedre var det at de fangede en kernebider.

Fotos: Henrik Böhmer, Skagen Fuglestation

Glade fuglekiggereRingmærkning: (Kabeltromlekrattet + Jennes Sø)

Sivsanger – Sedge Warbler – 1

Kærsanger – Marsh Warbler – 3

Rørsanger – Reed Warbler – 5

Løvsanger – Willow Warbler – 11

Munk – Blackcap – 9

Havesanger – Gardenwarbler  -5

Tornsanger – Common Whitethroat 8

Gærdesmutte – Wren – 5

Rødhals – Robin – 5

Vindrossel – Redwing – 1

Lille Gråsisken – Lesser Redpoll – 2

Topmejse - Crested tit - 4

Gulbug - Icterine Warbler - 1

Broget Fluesnapper - 1

Rødstjert - Redstart - 1

Bogfinke - Chaffinch - 1

Gulspurv - Yellowhammer -1

Dompap  - Bullfinch - 4

Gransanger - Chiffchaff - 3

Gærdesanger - Lesser Whitethroat - 2

Kernebider - Hawfinch - 1

Sum: 74

Folk: Simon S. Christiansen, Fanny Rey, Martina Hillbrandt, Esben E. Hansen Hanne og Jens Eriksen, Jørgen Hulbæk, Knud og Inge Pedersen, Lars bro Jacobsen, Kent olsen, Henrik Böhmer, Oluf Lou og Troels Eske Ortvad

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

This morning we went ringing to the CES site at Jennes Sø. It was a very slow day with only 10 new birds. However, we did also have a couple recaptures from earlier years, which is always nice. A great tit (topmejse) was ringed at the lighthouse garden in February 2018. It was a second year bird then, so was born in 2017. It will celebrate it’s 3^rd birthday some time soon. The great tits that are breeding in the nest box at Jennes Sø are still incubating, however, the chicks are expected to fledge any day now. We also caught this cute crested tit (topmejse), which made Fanny very happy. It was ringed in April 2019 at the same place.

While we were waiting for more birds to fly into the net a rosefinch (karmindompap) arrived in the shrubs right next to us and sang for a while. We were able to see it but not long enough to take a picture. Also Simon heard a bee eater at the same site today. The green warbler is apparently gone, so everybody who wanted to come to twitch it today was disappointed.

Troels did the migration observations for us this morning but it was a very slow day also in the sky at the tip.

In the evening we opened the nets that we have set up in the lighthouse garden and used the tape lure for swallows. The swallows where there hunting around the lighthouse as they often do but they did not fly low enough to get caught in the nets.

We also got news about a great black-backed gull that Jørgen read recently at Skagen harbour on the 24^th. It has been ringed in March 2017 as a second year bird in Essex, UK. You can find the map of the various readings of this bird here: http://www.ntgg.org.uk/cgi-bin/map.cgi?p=recmap&t=r&r=MA30186

Ringing Jennes Sø

Rødhals – Robin – 2

Lille Gråsisken – Lesser Redpoll – 2

Gransanger – Chiffchaff – 1

Løvsanger – Willow warbler – 1

Havesanger – Garden warbler – 1

Tornsanger – Whitethroat – 1

Bogfinke – Chaffinch – 1

Skovpiber – Tree Pipit – 1

Total: 10

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Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

People: Esben E. Hansen, Martina Hillbrand, Simon S. Christiansen, Jørgen Hulbæk Christiansen, Troels Eske Ortvad, and Fanny Rey

Esben and Frederik went ringing today at Kabeltromlen, they had a very nice morning with a lot of birds and some interesting species that we don’t caught a lot. First a Red-back shrike (Rødrygget tornskade) female a bit panful for Frederik who ring it apparently. Then in the same round a young male Sparrow hawk (Spurvehøg) and a Water rail (Vandrikse), this species is not easy to catch and it was the first time for the season so it was very nice, they are tinnier in hand than when we see them on the field!

They also caught a Garden warbler (Havesanger) with a ring from Norway ! And finally a beautiful male Bluethroat (Blåhals), the second capture of spring.

Martina and I went observing at Grenen, the migration is definitely slowing down with few passerine but still some interesting bird to observe like Skua, Oriole, Short ear owl. Thomas Johansen came to join us and help us for the counting. But the highlight of today migration was not at the observation spot but around, with first a Greenish Warbler (Lundsanger) who became some hours after a probably Green warbler (Kaukasisk Lundsanger) at ellekratette, the two species are very likely so this is why the identification was probably rong at the beginiing it was no execpted to be a Green warbler. The Green warbler is very rare in Danmark ! So now we are expecting all the birder (or at least twitcher) of Denmark to come in Skagen if it’s not already done. As you can see on the picture a lot of people already came to see it and it is indeed a nice little bird.

Another rare bird today was the Blyth’s reed warbler (Buskrørsanger) who was spotted by his song. It was around Grenen singing but not easy at all to see! with a little bit of patience we manage to see it.

This afternoon, Martina and I went to Jennes sø to prepare the ringing site for tomorrow because we are going to do the CES session.

Frederik went away today for a bird trip, he will come back in around 10 day with some new species we wish for him !

Ringing (Kabeltromlen):

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

People: Esben E. Hansen, Martina Hillbrand, Simon S. Christiansen, Frederik Johansen, Thomas Johansen and Fanny Rey

I dag tog Fanny og Martina i ringmærkningen. Det var en rigtig god dag i dag med massere af fugle!!

Jeg tog på morgenobs, og var der i nogle par timer, før jeg tog hjem og sov. Det var dejligt efter gårsdagens hårde twitch ;)

Omkring klokken 14:00 tog Fanny, Simon og jeg, sammen med Jørgen Kabel ud for at kigge på Sommerfugle. Vi skulle specifikt kigge efter Hedepletvingen, som er en Nordjyllands specialitet. Den var super, super fed!

Ringmærkning (Kabeltromlen): 

Bjergvipstjert - 1

Gærdesmutte - 3

Rødhals - 3

Rødstjert - 1

Solsort - 1

Rørsanger - 1

Gulbug - 1

Gærdesanger - 4

Tornsanger - 11

Havesanger - 8

Munk - 11

Gransanger - 1

Løvsanger - 3

Grå Fluesnapper - 1

Lille Dompap - 2

Rørspurv - 1

Folk: Simon S. Christiansen, Fanny Rey, Martina Hillbrand, Jørgen Kabel, Jørgen Hulbæk, Knud Pedersen og Frederik Johansen.

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen

This morning we went out ringing as usual and since yesterday was so good now with less wind and a nicer weather we assumed that we would have a good amount of birds but then without the rain so it promised to be a really nice day. And the day was nice but the birds were lacking for a big part. Interestingly, after several days of mainly migrants and very few whitethroats (tornsanger) today we had a lot of whitethroats again. Several of them had been ringed by us before, showing that they are here breeding. One male was actually ringed in 2019 in late August. It was an adult then so very likely already migrating from a breeding site further north. On his way down south he discovered this beautiful sport of land in Skagen and decided to come back this year to found a family here. We think that this is a very reasonable decision. Also, of course, he is in good company with all the other whitethroats that are singing everywhere around our nets.

Other than whitethroats, gardenwarblers and reed warblers we also had one rather special catch today: A hawfinch (kernebider). Hawfinches have really strong beaks in order to crack nuts. Frederik who took him out of the net also  learned that they can crack the skin of your fingers if you are not careful. Because of the strong beaks hawfinches receive steel rings because they could open an aluminium ring with their beak and thereby hurt their legs. Despite everything they are very pretty birds.

In the afternoon me and Fanny went out to try and catch a cuckoo with a tape lure. Unfortunately we were not lucky enough to catch one but we had a nice picknick in the dunes and did some relaxed bird watching so that was still a nice afternoon.

Frederik “I don’t really twitch any more” on the other hand, opted for the less relaxed version of the afternoon and drove all the way down to Horsens with a colleague in order to see a mourning dove reported this morning. In 2008 was the last record for Denmark of this species here in Skagen. How they get here is another question, since the bird is native only to North America. Every few years one seems to get very lost on their migration and ends up being seen on the western shores of the British Isles or even here in Denmark.

Ringing (Kabeltrommlen):

Bogfinke - Chaffinch      2  

Havesanger – Garden warbler       1 

Munk – Blackcap        2

Gransanger – Chiffchaff          2

Løvsanger – Willow warbler        1

Gærdesanger – Lesser white-throat        1                                                  

Tornsanger – Whitethroat      6

Kernebider – Hawfinch     1

Rørsanger – Reed warbler      2           

Sum: 18

People: Simon Sigaard Christiansen, Frederik R. Johansen, Martina Hillbrand, and Fanny Rey

Klik her for at se dagens observationer indtastet i Dofbasen af observatører i området

Klik her for at se opsummeret observationer af rovfugle i Skagen