Picture 1 – Sun rise

We knew today was going to be a bit stormy, but we did not know when or how extreme it would be. However, our day started around 8am, whereby we woke up and got ready before going out and seeing a rather lovely sunrise over the sea – in fact this was the only time we fully saw the sun today which was a bit of a change to the past few days.

Picture 2 – Forgotten fish!?

Simon arranged to pick us up for some Gull feeding at the harbour around 10am, so the morning was spent chopping up left over fish that was found in the freezer. We presume that this was left by the autumn team, but unsure of its origins, we thought it would make good gull food!

Picture 2 – Gull feeding  

Picture 3 – Colour ringed Herring Gull (Sølmåge)

It was great to see Simon and we headed over to the harbour in search of gulls. On the drive we hardly saw any gulls (Måge) heading towards Grenen, so we presumed they must be somewhere else. That location was indeed the harbour, and, on our arrival, we found large flocks of Herring Gulls (Sølmåge), Great Black-Backed Gulls (Svartbag), a few Common Gulls (Stormmåge), and a couple of Black-headed gulls too (Haettemåge). Eleanor and Simon were using some of the bread to entice the birds over, whilst I used some of the fish that we prepared earlier. The gull feeding was a great success, and many gulls came over to the food! We ring read a Herring Gull (Sølmåge) from Norway and called this one ‘Elsa’ or ‘Sven’ as it was originally ringed in Arundal and thought we must stick to the current Frozen scenes in Skagen. This is not massively far from the observatory, but it was great to see this bird hanging around the harbour and enjoying our fish, plus posing for a photo or two too. We checked other areas of the harbour and found a Long-tailed duck (Halvit), a few auks (Lomvie/Alk) and about 50+ Eiders (Ederfugl) all sheltering from the wind. A big thank you to Simon for the trip and dropping us back off.

Picture 4 – Sanderling (Sandløber).

Back in time for lunch, and a walk to see whether our bird feeding efforts were being successful resulted in food still present at the lighthouse net but no obvious birds in the vicinity whilst we were there. We decided to walk along to Worlds End three to check the Snow Bunting (Snespurv) food, which was half eaten but still present for our Bunting friends. On our walk, we ended up finding three Snow Buntings (Snespurv), two rather showy Sanderlings (Sandløber), and a single Dunlin (Almindelig Ryle) amongst the sea foam.  The wind was strong, and snow started to fall so we walked along the Sandormen track whereby a Woodcock (Skovsneppe) was one of the only birds seen in the storm.

Getting colder in temperature, we spent an afternoon and evening completing admin tasks and relaxing, much needed as the storm intensified outside.

Highlights:

• Snow Buntings (Snespurv) at Grenen
• Long-tailed duck (Havlit) in the harbour

Link to Dofbasen.

Observers: Thomas Weston, Eleanor Harris, Simon S. Christiansen

Picture 1 – Aurora

After a late night of aurora watching in pjs and snow suits, we woke up to a beautiful, sunny but still day. With this in mind we decided to tick a few jobs of the list starting with bird feeding. The first point of call was to check the lighthouse garden nets for food to attract the birds. It seems there was no luck so far with only a Robin (Rødhals) in the area who was not interested in the free food at all.

Picture 2 – Snow Bunting (Snespurv) Feeding area

After this was completed, we decided to head out for a walk, in search of Snow Bunting (Snespurv), and on the way hatched a plan of the best way to create a feeding area to entice the birds near Worlds End Three. We will update you on the outcome soon so stay tuned. Stepping onto the beach it was noticeable that there was a clear shift in the weather with no wind and mild conditions, a real change from the last few days of blustery weather. After scattering food in a suitable location, we decided to continue our walk to the Sandormen track. It was such a lovely day with bright blue skies and sparkling snow, a magical day to be out and exploring the area.

Picture 3 – Snow Bunting (Snespurv)

On the way Thomas spotted twenty-three Green Finches (Grønirisk) hanging around with four Snow Buntings (Snespurv) who later continued in the direction of our feeding area. The Snow Buntings (Snespurv) was a good sign for both of us and very lovely to see on such a stunning, snowy, calm day in Skagen. Hopefully they found the feast of food waiting, but we left them to it and continued on our way. We will monitor the area in the coming days. After completing one task we made a slow walk back for some lunch, taking a small deter to Ellekrattet where we saw Siskin (Grønsisken) feeding in the alders. It was a lovely end to a beautiful walk full of sunshine and snow.

Picture 4 – Sunshine in Skagen

After some lunch and tea, we got on with some admin tasks and a break from the cold which were much needed. We proceeded to have a quiet and restful afternoon ahead of our evening plans with Lisa and Simon. It has been a lovely day from start to finish and magical to be in this area on such clear and calm day.

Highlights:

• Snow Buntings (Snespurv)
• Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg)

Link to Dofbasen.

Observers: Eleanor Harris, Thomas Weston, Simon S. Christiansen, Lisa Vergin

Picture 1 – 2k Female Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg). Pic by Thomas

What a day to wake up to! Yes, it was -3’c and feeling like -7’c but it was sunny, clear and feeling very fresh. After a nice breakfast, we decided to go for a walk to Nordstrand via Grenen. We put on our snow suits and headed for our adventure. The first species seen in the breeze included passing Eider (Ederfugl) and Gannets (Sule), with the bushes hosting Blue Tits (Blåmejse) and Blackbirds (Solsort). Eleanor had never been to the secret bunker, so we stopped here first and accidently disturbed a Woodcock (Skovsneppe) on the way, creepy as always but looking nice in the snow! We then continued onwards along the Sandormen track looking for any species in the bushes. They were very quiet, but Eleanor did see a bird of prey briefly, and after a few minutes a Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg) drifted along the track. Thank you to Simon, it was identified as a 2^nd calendar year female who has been hanging around the area for a while.

Picture 2 – Eleanor scanning the beach. Pic by Thomas 

Due to the wind direction, we decided to walk behind the dunes in search of any species. In the bushes a large flock of Fieldfare erupted out of the Sea Buckthorn due to a passing Common Buzzard (Musvåge) before settling again soon after. Our frequent stops to look out at the sea resulted in a good passage of birds heading East along the shore. This included over 1500+ Razorbill/Guillemots (Alk/Lomvie), a few Common Scoter (Sortand), and more Gannets (Sule) too. It was nice to have such a sunny day, a lovely long walk, and good species around us too.  

Picture 3 – Sanderling (Sandløber). Pic by Thomas 

It was not until we reached Nordstrand that we found a flock of Sanderling (Sandløber) and 3 Turnstones (Stenvenger) too. However, time was passing, and we were getting slightly cold on our faces from the exposure to the wind. Therefore, we headed inland and walked along the roads and paths to Jennes Sø. There were few species to be seen, though another Woodcock (Skovsneppe) and the calls of Bearded Tit (Skægmejse) were much appreciated.

Picture 4 – Shifting Snow. Pic by Eleanor.

Back in time for lunch and some warmth, we had been set a couple of tasks by Simon to clear the net ride in the Lighthouse Garden and to feed the birds. Some proof of the clearing snow can be seen in the pic, and Eleanor ensured the birds had a great seed mix consisting of out-of-date bird friendly food she found the cupboards the night before. We received a phone call from Simon to say himself and Lisa were coming round so we got a couple of photos of the sunset and retreated back to the observatory.    

Picture 5 – The lighthouse at sunset. Pic by Eleanor

A lovely end to the birding day, and more tasks set by Simon and Lisa to keep us busy during out stay! More on this to come soon…

Highlights:

• Woodcock (Skavsneppe) at Nordstrand and Grenen
• Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg) 2k female at Grenen

Link to Dofbasen

Observers: Thomas Weston, Eleanor Harris, Simon S. Christiansen, Lisa Vergin

Picture 1 – Lighthouse. Photo by Eleanor.

After a long day of travel from the UK yesterday, with a special thank you to Simon SC and help from local birder Jørgen, plus a good night’s sleep, we woke up to a very snowy day. As we arrived in the dark yesterday, we had no idea the extent of the snow, but we were surprised and shocked by the amounts in the area. Coming from the UK, snow is a rarity, so it was super exciting and special to wake up to a magical Winter Wonderland.

Picture 2 – Enjoying the Snow. Photos by Thomas.

After some nice breakfast and tea, we decided to put on layers consisting of snow suits and to go and explore. With some layers and cosy clothes, we stepped into the snow, crunching along the ice and sand. It is a rarity in the UK to see snow on a beach and it was the first time that I had encountered it. What fun it was to feel the wind in my face and hear the sea crashing and rolling into an almost deserted beech with only a few people out.

Picture 3 – Reed Bunting (Rørspurv). Photo by Thomas.

On our snowy travels some of the birding highlights from our morning walk were 23 Sanderling (Sandløber), two Bearded Tit (Skægmejse)– my first ones ever-, a flock of 6 Woodcock (!) (Skavsneppe), Snow Bunting (Snespurv), ‘Northern’ Long Tailed Tits (Halemejse), a very cold Reed Bunting (Rørspurv) and a Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg).

Picture 4 – Snowy Skagen. Photo by Eleanor.

Thomas was getting hungry, so we came back for some cosy comfort food, lunch, and even more tea, which was much needed after a rather windy and wild walk. After some food our next mission of the day was to go into Skagen and get some food to stock up for the cold weather predicted. We wrapped up warm and walked into Skagen, getting slightly distracted by the Christmas trees and lights still around. In the UK we have a tradition of taking down decorations on the 6th January so we both found it rather lovely that Christmas had been extended. On our walk we saw a Rough Legged Buzzard (Fjeldvåge), the first that I had ever seen, so it was very exciting and a surprise to see it come out of the snowy scenes. On the way back we saw the same bird near the lighthouse so we will see if it hangs around the area in the coming days.

Once back we made two pots of tea to warm up and are just taking it steady for the evening as a long few days we have had. We look forward to sharing our next month with you and what we find and get up too.

Highlights:

• Woodcock (Skavsneppe)
• Rough Legged Buzzard (Fjeldvåge)
• Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg)

Link to Dofbasen 

Observers: Eleanor Harris and Thomas Weston

Godaften kære bloglæsere, her følger en beretning for dagen.

Jeg havde pakket tasken og madpakken i god tid og startede dagen ud med æg og kaffe. Det er jo altid skønt. Derefter tog jeg med pænt høje forventninger på Grenen. Jeg forsøgte mig først med at sidde allerøstligt på Verdens ende 1 da jeg troede der måske ville komme udtræk fra kattegat op langs sydkysten. Det gjorde der ikke og jeg relokerede derefter til Verdens ende 3 hvor Knud sad.

Knud havde godt gang i kliktællingerne og mens vi talte fik vi vendt det meste mellem himmel og jord, særligt "de gamle dage", da jeg var på stationen i 2021 hvor Knud og jeg brugte mange timer med træktællinger blev vendt. 

Vi fik også fornemt besøg af Jørgen og Igor, og med det gode vejr var der ikke nogle mangler på denne morgenobs.

Fugle var der da også nogle af og morgenen endte godt ud med både Islom, bjergpiber, sildemåge, kaspisk måge, sortstrubet bynkefugl og en hvid vipstjert.
Se dagens obs her

Hjemme på stationen efter obs fik jeg pakket det sidste, støvsuget og Simon og jeg fik ryttet ud i køleskabet. 

Det var som altid en fornøjelse at være på besøg i det høje nord. Nu vil jeg sige tak for denne gang også kan vi jo alle, i disse mørke dage, glæde os ved at foråret nok skal komme engang.

Folk på stationen: Knud Pedersen, Jørgen Kabel, Igor, Simon S. Christiansen, Jonas Pedersen

Hej allesammen, som sagt ankom jeg et par dage siden for at forsøge at få birdet lidt her i min læseferie.

Desværre har vejret ikke været med mig og idag var ikke en undtagelse.

Tidligt om morgenen forlod Florian og Miles station og senere omkring middagstid tog János og Amira også afsted.

Jeg forsøgte mig med lidt obs fra den åbne bunker tæt ved grenen camping og det gav ikke det store, det blæste og regnede virkeligt meget og jeg var kun derude i en halvanden time. I løbet af dagen blev der målt op til 17 m/s middelvind og det er da en pæn sjat.
Se dagens obs her

Tilgengæld havde jeg ingen undskyldning for at få kigget lidt på mine studier og det gik der da også noget tid med. Sammentidig fik jeg klaret alt det overskydende vasketøj fra sæsonen samt ryttet op hist og her.

Imorgen bliver vejret bedre og jeg håber på at en "efter stormen" effekt kan give en spandfuld fugle.

Vi ses til flere løjer imorgen

Jonas out

People: Miles Scheuering, János Schadl, Florian Hatt, Amira Nuseibeh, Simon S. Christiansen, Jonas Pedersen

Today is the last day at the station for the fall crew (though Jonas will be here for a few days), so the feeling is bittersweet. We have had such a wonderful time here, so it is hard to leave. This morning was especially sad, because Lise left, a day ahead of the rest of us. Fortunately, she did not leave first thing, and we enjoyed a nice breakfast with her and Frey before their parents (Birgit and Morten Mastrup) arrived. Simon also came to the station, and we had our last talks, while Lise, Frey, Birgit, and Mastrup went up the lighthouse. Upon their return it was time for goodbyes. It has been so lovely with Lise here, so it was rather tearful to say goodbye.

A final photo of the crew. Photo by Jonas

We consoled ourselves by going out for a last walk in the area in the afternoon. Despite the rain, Jonas had gone out in the morning for some observing. The conditions were not so good, but Black-throated Diver (Sortstrubet Lom) and Long-tailed Duck (Havlit) were nice highlights. He joined us for our walk, and we went out along the beach to the tip, then turned east and walked to Nordstrand, before returning on the path past Jennes Sø. It was great to see Kittiwakes (Ride), Red-throated Divers (Rødstrubet Lom), including some passing directly overhead, and Red-breasted Mergansers (Toppet Skallesluger). It drizzled on and off throughout, but it was so nice to get out for a few hours. On the way back from Jennes Sø, we spotted a Eurasian Goshawk (Duehøg), which was probably the highlight of the outing. It was the first time Amira has seen one in Denmark, and only the second time I’ve seen one here!

Walking out to the tip of Grenen. Photo by Miles

After returning, we had a quick evening meeting with Simon to wrap things up, before playing some ping pong! It is only the second time I have played while being here, the first being with Janna Ouedraogo back in September. Our games were quite spirited but not too competitive, and it was quite fun. Afterward, we ordered pizza for dinner and have been putting the finishing touches on packing and cleaning.

A farewell from the Christmas fulmar (Mallemuk), Lise, and Amira. Photo by Miles

Standard ringing finished

Link to today’s observations from the area.

People: Miles Scheuering, János Schadl, Florian Hatt, Amira Nuseibeh, Simon S. Christiansen, Jonas Pedersen

This morning was VERY grey but most importantly, rainless and so János, Florian and I were keen to venture out along the beach and towards World’s End 3. We did some very relaxed seawatching for a couple of hours and, although it was generally not a busy day for migration, we had some lovely highlights, including a beautiful Black Guillemot (Tejst), a Black-throated Diver (Sortstrubet Lom) and some porpoises (Marsvin) popping up between the waves from time to time.

Florian checked the bushes behind the first line of dunes for rare buntings and saw a nice Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg) and then we then headed out to the tip and along the beach, where there were plenty of Sanderling (Sandløber) and the tide was much lower than yesterday, leaving lots of seaweed, rubbish and animal bones on the beach.

On our way back to the bird observatory, we met Miles, Lise and Frey and walked back together to have lunch. Miles had been for a nice morning run past Jennes Sø and the Nature Centre and then the three of them had walked to Kabeltromlen and spotted lots of Bullfinch (Dompap), Starlings (Stær), a Sparrowhawk (Spurvehøg) and heard some Bearded Reedlings (Skægmejse). Then the afternoon was dedicated to deep cleaning our lighthouse apartment ready for the end of the season. We scrubbed and vacuumed every corner, wiped every window and surface, and even took the carpets outside for a shake.

Just as János and I were whacking the carpets to shake out all the sand, we heard an interesting bird call in the courtyard of the lighthouse. János recognised the call as a Black Redstart (Husrødstjert), so we immediately dropped our carpet and stick and searched the skies around us. It flew across from the roof of the bike shed to the roof of the lighthouse and then dropped down out of sight and we never found it again. Without our binoculars with us we could only say that it looked like a female-type Black Redstart, which is slightly frustrating because at this time of year it could quite possibly be the much rarer central Asian subspecies (phoenicuroides).

Once we’d finished all our cleaning duties, Miles and I went for our final sea swim of our stay in Skagen. It was definitely the most challenging and coldest dip of our time here but strangely still really fun, and we even saw a huge orange jellyfish floating in the waves close to us which was very cool! We also welcomed Jonas this afternoon who was a previous volunteer here in Skagen back in 2021. For dinner, Lise and Frey are cooking us all a traditional Danish Christmas meal called Risengrød which already smells delicious.

Today is our penultimate day in Skagen and also sadly my final time writing the blog; I really hope you’ve all enjoyed hearing about our experiences and hopefully I’ll be back again in the future!

Standard ringing finished

Link to today’s observations from the Skagen area

People: Miles Scheuering, János Schadl, Florian Hatt, Amira Nuseibeh, Lise Mastrup and our guest Frey Mastrup

The weather was rather grey again, but since it was dry, Amira, János and I went for a walk to Grenen this morning. Shortly after arriving at World's End 3, we saw a large diver flying towards us. When it was close enough, we could all see that it was a Great Northern Diver (Islom)! It was most likely the individual that Knud had seen resting at Nordstrand a few minutes earlier (whose Zello message we only noticed after the bird had already flown past us). Shortly afterwards, Knud reported another Islom from Nordstrand, which arrived shortly afterwards at Grenen and landed on the water. We tried to get closer and went down to the beach. Unfortunately, we only saw it flying away, but we also spotted a Black-throated Diver (Sortstrubet Lom) migrating northwest. We also checked the gulls and at least spotted one Caspian Gull (Kaspisk Måge) and some unusual dark coloured Herring gulls (Sølvmåge).


Birding at Grenen

On the way back along the Sandormen Track, we observed two Hen Harriers (Blå Kærhøg) fighting with each other! At least one of them was the one with missing feathers in its wing, that had been in the area for a long time now. Meanwhile, Miles was birding in the Industrial Area. A late Blackcap (Munk) was quite a good highlight there!

At noon, we started with doing some cleaning. Today, we worked on the lab and the bicycles. Especially for the latter, it was really needed to do this. Fortunately, this didn't take forever, so Amira, János and I decided to look at gulls and ducks in the harbour.


Scanning the Eiders (Ederfugl) in the harbour

Afterwards, we went to the bakery, where Miles and Lise joined us. We had some hot drinks and something to eat. It was very hyggeligt there!

As it was very warm in the bakery, János, Amira and I had to cool off in the sea as soon as we were back at the station. This swim was really refreshing!

In the evening Lise's sister Frey arrived, Miles prepared a delicious dinner and Amira held her presentation about conservation of Bonelli's Eagles (Høgeørn)!

Standard ringing finished

Link to today’s observations from the area.

People: Miles Scheuering, János Schadl, Florian Hatt, Amira Nuseibeh, Lise Mastrup and our guest Frey Mastrup