SKAF big day out

Saturday was field trip day! “Early” in the morning at 0640, Simon picked us up at the observatory and then we went south. Our goal was to go to Lille Vildmose to see Smew (Lille Skallesluger), Bean Goose (Sædgås), Golden Eagle (Kongeørn), then try for the King Eider (Kongeederfugl) at Egense and then try for the Steppe Eagle (Steppeørn) near Sæby. But what about the morning obs? Thankfully Knud said yes to cover for us, so we could go and thank you so much for that Knud, you are a champion! But off we went towards Lille Vildmose and after aprox one hour we arrived, but everything was frozen over and covered in snow, which is suboptimal conditions for waterfowl such as smew. Lillesø had no birds, except some Bearded Tits (Skægmejse) and Toftesø had a sad looking Whooper Swan (Sangsvane), tracks from an Otter (Odder) and a flyby Green Woodpecker (Grønspætte), but in the eternal words of the legendary urban poet Vanilla Ice “Ice, ice, baby” and therefore no smews or any other ducks. We went over to some fields were Lisa was trying to catch Tajga Bean Geese (Tajgasædgås) to say hello and look at geese.

Proof of us being in Lille Vildmose, thanks to Lisa for holding unto the beans so we could see them

It was nice to see them again as they are quite local, and you need to know where to find them. Among all the beanies were Greater White-fronted Geese (Blisgås), Barnacle Goose (Bramgås) and Pink-footed Geese (Kortnæbbet Gås).

A bunch of beanies and barnacles

After some deliberation we went out to look for the Golden Eagles in the area, lo and behold a nice 2k from last year was perched on a pool like a dark sack of potatoes, but only for a short time before it took off. We kept driving and refound it in a tree where it was mobbed by a Rough-legged Buzzard (Fjeldvåge)!

Simon and Emma looking at the eagle

Golden Eagle 2k

We put up the scopes and got some nice views of one of the better-looking eagles. We kept driving and got very nice views of a male Hen Harrier (Blå Kærhøg) that went over the car, a hunting female-plumaged hen harrier and a nice adult White-tailed Eagle (Havørn). We then turned around and headed towards Egense, were we hoped to smew and the king eider. After a short drive we arrived and very quickly we noticed a disturbing absence of smews but there were loads of eiders far out on the sea. So the scopes were put up and we are started going through the all eiders. I managed to see the King Eider for a very short time! But we never refound it again, though there were plenty of Pale-bellied Brents (Lysbuget Knortegås), Greater Scaups (Bjergand), Redshanks (Rødben), Shelducks (Gravand) and other birds. We spent the remainder of time, aprox one hour going back and forth in the huge gaggle of eider trying to look for a smaller, darker eider, but no dice. I went back to the car to talk with Simon and on the way back to inform the others that we probably should leave I heard the call of a kingfisher (Isfugl) and saw two kingfishers fly onto a rock and then land near were the others were standing! I ran back to the car to grab the camera and then ran towards the others and saw the kingfisher fly off again. I told the others and then I flushed the second one, which everyone saw.

The blue lightning

A nice bird but a poor substitute for a King Eider in my opinion. We then went north towards the Steppe Eagle and on our way we saw a large flock of geese and swans, where Thomas saw what looked like Bewick’s Swan (Pibesvane). Simon whipped the car around and we parked so we could look for it again. We couldn’t find any Bewick’s Swan but found a Canada Goose X Barnacle Goose (Canadagås X Bramgås), a hybrid and some Greylag Goose X Canada Goose hybrids among all the Canada geese.

Canada Geese will hybridise with anything - Canada Goose X Barnacle aka Canacle Goose aka Barnada Goose.

After that short stop at Føtex in Aalborg to resupply we were in Steppe Eagle country southwest of Sæby. Slowly we drove through the Till landscape, a leftover from when glaciers during the ice age were covering Denmark and created a hilly landscape as they deposited sendiments all over the country during their retreat in the post-ice age periods. After some driving around, Thomas spotted another sack of potatoes perched on a coniferous tree, this time a Steppe Eagle! It was sitting very nicely and we all enjoyed awesome views of this quintessential Aquila-eagle. Even though I have seen 56.000 of this central Asian eagle-species, I will never be tired of seeing it and everyone else than me and Simon also got a new tick!

Steppe Eagle, it arrived to Denmark in spring 2023 as a 2k and has spent 18 months in Denmark and will probably stay the winter in Skagen again, instead of Ethiopia

We got the Steppe Eagle, now what? We decided to head north as the sun was slowly setting and first stop at Bangsbo Botanical Garden and then go to Strandby. Bangsbo is a good place to see Tawny Owl (Natugle), Dipper (Vandstær) and other forest-species. But we didn’t see any of them, but instead we saw a Marsh Tit (Sumpemejse) and Nuthatch (Spætmejse), both rarities in Skagen, with Marsh Tit only recorded once or twice ever in Skagen, it is as rare as Marmora’s Warbler (Sardinsk Sanger) in Skagen. We drove north and as we reached Strandby Harbour I spotted the greatest thing I have ever laid my eyes upon: a giant metal statue of a shrimp. I felt like a pilgrim who was seeing the holiest of holy relicts for the first time ever and I made Simon pull the car to the side so I could get a photo with it, it was shrimply too good an opportunity to pass up on. Truly the best thing we saw on this trip in my opinion.

A must-see for everyone visiting the Skagen Peninsula, it rivals the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen in beauty and cultural significance

We then headed to a large tower that was overlooking the entire harbour and we managed to pick up a Black Guillemot (Tejst) and a Common Guillemot (Lomvie). Also, we saw some of the largest gulls we had ever seen, the pictures speak for themselves.

Ragnar thinking about how to steal it and bring it with him back home

Mara realising that we don't have to wake up early tomorrow

But now the sun had set, and we drove north. First a quick drop by Simon’s new house where we got to see the chicken and the inside and then a shopping trip in Lidl, always great to shop at Lidl, 10/10. 11 hours later we were back at the observatory for a quick evening meeting, dinner and some Wingspan, what a day. Tomorrow its going to rain the whole day so we can sleep in.

Highlights from obs:

Little Auk – Søkonge

Caspian Gull – Kaspisk Måge 3

 

Highlights from the trip

Steppe Eagle – Steppeørn

Golden Eagle – Kongeørn

White-tailed Eagle – Havørn

Common Kingfisher – Isfugl 2

Marsh Tit – Sumpmejse

Giant Shrimp - Kæmpereje

Link to today's observations from observers in the area

People at the station: Thomas Weston, Emma Fabre, Mara Glane, Ragnar Smith, Simon Sigaard Christiansen.