Slow morning and sweet afternoon

The morning's migration counting was slow-moving with little to no wind and not a lot of birds compared to previous days. It also had to be cut short due to rain. However, we saw a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Sildemåge), the first one for this spring.

The plan for the rest of the day was to try catching and ringing White-throated Dippers (Vandstær) in Blindslev. After the migration count, we took two cars to visit Morten Christiansen and wait for the rain to pass. Along the way, the first car stopped at the bakery to pick up some cake, and the second car made a stop at the yarn store. At Morten’s place we enjoyed coffee and cake while the weather cleared.

When we arrived at Bindslev Gl. Elværk, we quite quickly spotted three White-throated Dippers (Vandstær) and set up a net just downstream from the little bridge. In the end, we managed to catch all three birds. Me, Alix and Janos got to ring one each, which was very exciting since none of us had ringed one before. It was Alix's first time closing a steel ring, something she found both challenging and fun, and it turned out very good. Saxe and Gustav also got to hold the bird, and for Gustav it was his second bird ever in the hand, the first being Blue Tit (Blåmejse) yesterday. A very cool second bird to hold! To finish it off, we of course celebrated with some more cake :)

Setting up net

Ringing table

White-throated Dipper (Vandstær)

Ringing (Nordstjernevej)
Blåmejse (Blue Tit) - 29
Sortmajse (Coal Tit) - 1
Musvit (Great Tit) - 2
Bogfinke (Chaffinch) - 2

Ringing (Bindslev Gl. Elværk)
Vandstær (White-throated Dipper) - 3

Total: 37

Highlights of today:
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Sildemåge) - 1
White-throated Dippers (Vandstær) - 3
Green Sandpiper (Svaleklire) - 1

Link to today’s observations in DOFbasen from observers in the area

People: Alvin Johansson, János Schadl, Alix Bortolussi, Saxe Lind Christiansen, Gustav Juel, Simon S. Christiansen, Lisa Vergin, Morten Christensen, Morten Christensen, Morten Jenrich Hansen, Mogens Neergaard, Carlo Pedersen, Oluf Lou