Bluethroats and Buzzards

Today was another windy day where we couldn’t open nets for ringing again. We went to do observations at world’s end 1 again where it was warmer today than it had been the last few days. Migration numbers for finches, swallows and swifts were up with large numbers of Hawfinch (Kernbider) migrating. On the water there was a good selection of divers with all 4 expected species passing through and generally a few more birds than the last couple days. A highlight was a Bluethroat (Blåhals) that briefly landed near us then flew off, only the second for the station obs this season.

A little later around noon we decided to go out and try to find some close up European Honey-buzzards (Hvepsevåge) which we managed to see a few very nicely as they passed through with the other Common Buzzards (Musvåge) and the fork tailed Rough-legged Buzzard (Fjeldvåge), there was a interesting very white Common Buzzard (Musvåge) in the flock. On the way back we saw signs of spring with European Skylarks (Sanglærke) carrying food and a European Stonechat (Sortstrubet Bynkefugl) feeding a chick that was with it in the bushes.

In the late afternoon we set up the Northern Wheatear (Stenpikker) trap again and got a couple, today one of the recaps went in a couple times to eat the mealworms.

Tomorrow we will be conducting the CES project again at Skarvsoen for ringing, we hope more of the migrants will have arrived in the area!

Observations in the area today on DOFbasen

A brief shot of the Bluethroat (Blåhals) before it bounced away. Photo Andrew Jacobs

The white Common Buzzard (Musvåge). Photo Andrew Jacobs

European Honey-buzzard (Hvepsevåge). Photo Andrew Jacobs

European Honey-buzzard (Hvepsevåge). Photo Andrew Jacobs

 

Highlights from the observations today

Bluethroat (Blåhals) 1

Yellow-billed Loon (Hvidnæbbet Lom) 1

Common Loon (Islom) 1

Hawfinch (Kernebider) 39

 

Other notable observations reported in Skagen

Glaucous Gull (Gråmåge)

European Shag (Topskarv)

Bohemian waxwing (Silkehale)

Black Kite (Sort Glente)

 

Ringing (Fyrtårnet)

New

Northern Wheatear (Stenpikker) 1

Recaptures

Northern Wheatear (Stenpikker) 1

 

People: Lucas Corneliussen, Cora Köberle, Tue Baaner, Simon Sigaard Christiansen, Andrew Jacobs.