The last day of the spring ringing season at KAB - with Grashopperwarbler and Mandarinduck in the field!

Today, the 20th of June was the last day of standarised ringing at Skagen Fuglestation. While the windy weather did not allow ringing in the last days, we were lucky today, conditions were good to go to Kabeltromle and we also needed to do the CES at Skarvsøen. Andrew and I were the first being up to head to the CES, as it takes a while to bike and walk there. We had quite a nice morning with the first 1K Lesser Whitethroats "Tornsanger" in hand, the first 1K Blue Tit "Blåmejse", some first Calender year Chiffchaffs "Gransanger" and else mostly Reed Warblers "Rørsanger".

Bluetit "Blåmejse", 1K. Pictuere: Andrew Jacobs

There was also a surprise for us on the lake, Andrew found a immature male Mandarine Duck "Mandarin-and" on the lake! It is only the 4th record of Mandarine Duck in Skagen, last time, two individuals were recorded in 2018.

Mandarinduck "Manderin-and" at Skarvsøen. Picture: Andrew Jacobs.

There was also a family of Bearded Reedlings "Skægmejse" calling close to our ringing table for quite some time. Unfortunately they did not go into our nets.
In the meantime, Cora, Tue and Lucas had a nice last standarised ringing day at Kabeltromle. They too had mostly first calender-year birds in the nets mostly Chiffchaffs "Gransanger" and a notable number of ten Crested Tits "Topmejse". In the field close to the ringing site, the heated and saw a Grasshopper Warbler "Græshoppersanger".

Grasshopperwarbler "Græshoppesanger", Picture: Tue Baaner

Ringing Kabeltrommle
Munk 1
Tornsanger 5
Rørsanger 1
Kærsanger 2
Gransanger 6
Topmejse 10
Total: 25

CES Skarvsøen
Rørsanger 5
Gærdesanger 2
Blåmejse 1
Topmejse 1
Tornsanger 1
Munk 2
Solsort 1
Gransanger 3
Total 16

Highlights at Kabeltrommle
Grasshoppersanger

Highlights Skarvsøen
Manderin-and
Skægermejse

After ringing, I opened my moth trap, I had already checked the wall in the dark before leaving to Skarvsøen. I had 30 different species in the trap, two of them were new for me, Drepana falcataria "Birkeseglvinge" and Eulithis mellinata "Solbær-havemåler". The Hook tips are a group of moths I really like and Birkeseglvinge was my favourite moth of the day.

Drepana falcataria "Birkeseglvinge". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

Eulithis mellinata "Solbær-havemåler". Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

Anne and Jesper had a nice walk in the morning and enjoyed some Honey Buzzards "Hvepsevåge" and other birds in the area.
In the evening, Andrew, Tue, Cora and I had a nice walk on the beach, the Swifts "Mursejler" were flying low and we saw some Red-breasted Mergensers "Toppet Skakalkeslugger".
Tomorrow we are leaving to the island of Hirsholmene, we will stay there for one night and will do a count of passerines on the island, so we also did some planning in the evening. Now we are exited for the Black Guillemots "Tjeist" tomorrow.

At the station: Tue Baaner, Cora Kørbele, Lucas Corneliussen, Andrew Jacobs, Hanelie Sidhu and our guests Anne and Jesper Sandfeld