A Day of Shrikes

Today started off quite differently for me than most days. For the first time in quite a while, I was up early, but not to go out to the ringing, but rather to go observing! Cora and I cycled out to Worlds End and found a large amount of people in the area. Many of whom were searching for yesterday’s Cetti’s Warbler (Cettisanger). 

Over the course of the hour, we had a very nice morning, with highlights including Great Northern Diver (Islom), Black Tern (Sortterne), the continuing 3k Iceland Gull (Hvidvinget Måge), the first Mediterranean Gull (Sorthovedet Måge) and a very nice amount of Red-backed Shrikes (Rødrygget Tornskade) which number to as many as 22. In one scope view, I was able to see six birds, 4 males and 2 females! 

Rødrygget Tornskade hun

Around 0730, we received a Zello from the ringing that they had caught two shrikes themselves! These were the first ones of the season. It was a two females which had flown into the new northern nets! 

Arriving home around 10 AM, Cora and I decided to go down to Stald Grenen to look for the continuing Red-breasted Flycatcher (Lille Fluesnapper). After about five minutes of looking and thanks too Lars Grøn, we were able to see the bird singing across the street from Nordlysvej! It was a very nice 2K male. 

In the afternoon, we prepared a bit for the festival and then we went out to Grenen to put up the Reed nets for the summer. We put these up so that we have better chances of catching the breeding Acrocephalus warblers. This year we have put them up quite late because it has been so cold and the weeds have not been tall enough to support breeding warblers yet. 

Kernebider han

In the evening, Andrew made a nice meal of veggie burgers and we prepared for the bird festival in the morning!  

And so another day passes Skagen Fuglestation. What will tomorrow bring? We will have to wait and see!

 

Highlights:

- 22 Rødrygget Tornskade

- Hvidvinget Måge

- Sorthovedet Måge

- Islom 

 

Ringing:

-Kernebider 2

-Rødrygget Tornskade 2

- Rødhals 2

- Rørsanger 3

-Kærsanger 2

-Gulbug 4

-Løvsanger 1

- Munk 5

-Havesanger 2

-Tornsanger 4

-Bogfinke 3

-Gransanger 2

Total: 32

Today’s observations in Dofbasen from observers in the area

People: Lucas Corneliussen, Cora Köberle, Tue Baaner, Andrew Jacobs, Simon S. Christiansen, Lisa Vergin, Oluf Lou, Lars Grøn, Søren Leth Nissen, Mette & Johnny