An Owl’s Sleep Schedule

And again we had success with the Nightjars (Natravn)! First, after setting up the four nets, we observed their spectacular flights and song all throughout the area, there were many around. Hidden in the sandy ground, I also found an Antlion (Myreløve), an odd-looking lacewing larva that digs little traps in the ground for ants and other small insects to get caught in.

Nightjar (Natravn) in flight.

Antlion (Myreløve)

Around midnight, Alvin, János and Hannah went back to the car, and I was the only one left outside to check the nets every twenty minutes. In between the rounds, I sat down on a small hill, listened to the Nightjars (Natravn), Woodcocks (Skovsneppe) and Quails (Vagtel), and sometimes also just napped for a few minutes. At 01:40 I had the first Nightjar (Natravn) in one of the nets, by then, I had almost started giving up hope. I called the other to wake them up and headed to the car. On the way however, I saw another Nightjar (Natravn) flying around the second double net, seemingly interested in the sounds we put up on the speakers. I stopped by to see what would happen, and eventually watched the bird fly into the net. When I got to the car, I could surprise the others with this nice double catch. What a great reward for us enduring the sleepless nights and all the biting mosquitoes – now everything was absolutely worth it!

Double Nightjar (Natravn), both 3K+ males.

After ringing the Nightjars (Natravn), we all went out again to take down the nets and pack our stuff. It was 03:00, when Lars Bo drove us home. Today’s ringing team consisting of János and Alvin had to head straight out again to open nets in time, Hannah and I had a few more minutes, since we could leave a bit later for the migration count, enough for a little breakfast. It was tough though out there at World’s End 3, only very few birds, apart from some flocks of Common and Velvet Scoters (Sortand og Fløjlsand), and I had quite a hard time staying awake. I did enjoy close views on two resting Black-throated Divers though.

Black-throated Divers (Sortstrubet Lom).

Hannah left after about half an hour, and went to the ringing at Kabeltromlen. There, they had better luck and way more birds than I, almost forty were ringed overall. The prettiest and most special of them was for sure the second calendar year Red Crossbill (Lille Korsnæb). János called me and I immediately went to see it, Mathilde also arrived just in time. The gorgeous red, green, and grey plumage, and its unique crossed beak make it such a fantastic bird.

Red Crossbill (Lille Korsnæb) ringed at Kabeltromlen.

This was basically where our day ended, because in the afternoon back at the station, we used most of the time to catch up on a lot of sleep that we lacked the past days and nights. Only Hannah went out for a walk in the rain.

People: Alvin Johansson, János Schadl, Julian Helbig, Mathilde Sund, Hannah Bangard, Lars Bo