A Night to Remember: Storm-Petrels, Nightjars and Morning Migration

Today (or in the night), me and the other volunteers woke up around midnight, because a European Storm-Petrel (Lille Stormsvale) has flown into the net. It’s a species that the bird station tries to ring every year, and I have been here for several times the past two years without catching any, so I was very happy (and very tired) when I saw the little, black bird. 

European Storm-petrel (Lille Stormsvale) with it's small tube-nosed bill. Photo: Simon Kiesé

After seeing (and holding!) the Storm-Petrel, I decided to try and sleep some more. But one and a half hours later we were woken up again. This time, because a European Nightjar (Natravn) had flown in the other net. A very special bird, which we were also very happy to see.

 1cy. Nightjar (Natravn) 

Another European Storm Petrel (a 3K+) flew into the net at 3 am. At 4 am, another Nightjar (an adult male with white patch in the wings and tail) flew in the net. I didn’t see any of them, because the sleep kept me in the bed.

Second Storm-Petrel (Lille Stormsvale) of the night, a 3cy.+. Foto: Simon Kiesé

When we woke up in the morning, (except for Mio, who had been up all night) me and Alexander went to Verdens Ende 3 to do migration count, while 2xSimon, Jule and Moritz headed to Kabeltromlen to ring. Here they where visited by Lars Askholm from Sjælland and an Italian Bird Ringer; Michelangelo Morganti. They both also experienced the great birds last night.

The highlight in the first two hours on observation was a Ruddy Turnstone (Stenvender), but in the last two hours, we saw over 400 Common Swift (Mursejler) on migration. There were a lot of Barn Swallow (Landsvale) and Western House Martin (Bysvale) as well. The highlight at the ringing was also the many swifts, and the wader migration. They even got a big flock of 27 Oystercatchers (Strandskade).

When we got home, almost everyone went to sleep, but Simon and Simon took to Skagen station to pick up Katia, Simons girlfriend. When me and Alexander woke up, we put the birds we saw today on Dofbasen, while the rest either slept or was eating watermelon.

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

People: Jule Tappe, Mio Brix, Simon Kiesé, Katia Kit, Moritz Morteani, Alfred Godsk Geckler, Páll Van Kjærbo, Sophie Booker, Michelangelo Morganti, Lars Askholm, Alexander Nyholm, Simon S. Christiansen