Migration senses are tingling

Cora, Sarah, Louise and I were up at World's End III today for migration watch, with lovely sunshine and calm seas. This meant very few seabirds, including a single Razorbill (Alk) resting near the shore, and four or less fulmars  (Mallemuk) per hour. Even the Gannets (Sule)were relaxed, with over 100 paddling around off the tip. To compensate for little seabird activity, there were over a thousand gulls resting on the beach, and we had regular appearances of waders, including first ever curlew sandpiper (Krumnæbbet Ryle)! We were also visited by a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Stor Flagspætte) and a troupe of sparrows. Louise also saw a couple of breaching porpoises in the calm waters.

Meanwhile, this morning was Markus’ first time opening nets at Kabeltromlen, with seasoned expert Hanlie on her last(!) time opening (until we convince her to abandon her holiday plans and come back to the observatory…). Joined by Simon and Mio for the first round, they had a nice array of species today, starting off strong with a Lesser Redpoll (Lille gråsisken), and a fine example of a 1k male bluethroat (Blåhals).

Blåhals juvenile Male. 

Along with a Eurasian treecreeper (Træløber) in the hand there was another very exciting moment for them, sighting a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Lille Flagspætte)! This was a first Skagen species for everyone there, and the first recorded up here since 2020. They also had some Tree Pipit (Skovpiber) and Yellow Wagtail (Gul Vipstjert) migration and Common Buzzards (Musvåge).

Ringing totals from KAB:
Blåhals 1
Rørsanger 2
Kærsanger 1
Rørspurv 2
Tornsanger 11
Gærdesanger 3
Munk 1
Løvsanger 1
Lille Gråsisken 1
Træløber 1
Blåmejse 1
Solsort 2
Jernspurv 1
Gransanger 1
total: 29 ringed (+ 3 recaptures)

After data entry and a swim (for some), and food shopping (for the others), Simon arrived with Ragner, who successfully defended his bachelor thesis today, congratulations. We had the pleasure of our own academic session today from Hanlie, who gave a meticulously researched presentation on identifying Curruca warblers this evening, before leaving in the early hours tomorrow morning. Thanks to her for all her hard work here this summer, and for teaching us all so much (enjoy your holiday, Hanlie!!).

Curruca presentation by Hanelie.

This evening Simon, Mio and Ragnar went to World's End III, and saw much more activity in terms of seabirds than this morning. Not only with hundreds of fulmar (Mallemuk), 5 Arctic Skua (Almendelig Kjove), one Great Skua (Storkjove) but also a Baleen whale (unidentified but possibly Minke or Humpback) that was seen breaching three times going northwest!

All observations in the area from today can be seen here on DOFbasen.

Highlights from Kabeltromlen:
Eurasian Treecreeper (Træløber)
Bluethroat (Blåhals)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Lille Flagspætte)

Highlights from Worlds End III:
Curlew Sandpiper (Krumnæbbet Ryle)
Baleen Whale unidentified

At the station:
Markus Kemp Clément, Simon Kiesé, Louise Buksti-Ladefoged, Sarah Partridge, Mio Brix, Cora Köberle, Hanelie Sidhu, Rosemary Fricke.