WFH - Working From Lighthouse

Very loyal readers of the Skagen blog may remember me from February 2024 (you would be forgiven if not). That was my only other visit to the lighthouse, when I stayed here alone for six weeks in the middle of the Danish winter. The place gave me a deposit of magic and I have always been desperate to come back. It also left me with an improved knowledge of ducks and a rather wild beard.  

 

On my return, I also had questions to answer: Was Skagen ever warm? Did tourists really ever visit the so called World's End? Can one do a remote job from the lighthouse? The answer to all of the above is, yes! The weather has been magnificent, the tourists plentiful and I have been able to combine my job and birding. I think I will be back soon, if only to appease my wife who has missed out on a visit for the second time. Apparently sending sunset photos does not help her...But enough about me! 

 

Birding often requires a combination of skill and serendipity. This morning came with an extra dose of serendipity. You would think that while sitting at World's End Three that I would be in the best position to see any rare seabirds. Maybe I could get ahead of the team, who were still tidying up their night ringing work in the lighthouse car park. On this morning though, the hotspot for divers was unfortunately for me the lighthouse car park.The remainder of the team (Ruddy Turnstones (Stenvender) in hand) could barely believe their luck as a White-billed Diver (Hvidnæbbet lom) flew overhead. Mio fortunately did not have a bird in his hand (I assume) so was able to get a quick photo.

 

 

 

Mio then joined me for the seawatch. Activity has been rather slow in the last few days, leading to a lot of horizon watching. Mio though declared that things were looking promising. In a form of optimism so far only known among birders, he declared the wind fortuitous and the sighting by Simon Jnr. of a Merlin (Dværgfalk) propitious. He even declared 'good conditions for Orcas, who will be blown to the coast by the winds'. How that works from a hydrology point of view, I never established, but I was buoyed by his positive outlook. Unfortunately, it remained just that, birder's optimism. It nevertheless made the morning pass faster. 

 

I then had to fulfill my other reason for being here, a day's work...My morning commute back to the lighthouse certainly beat the packed train journeys of a previous life of mine. The day also passes a lot faster when you can pop out for a lunchtime birding session and this is the view from the office. 

 

 

 

 

Today while I was working, unbeknownst to me, there was a small drama outside. I was again in the wrong position. The team had seen a Black-winged Kite (Blå Glente)! You can imagine my frustration when I checked my phone during my lunch break. It flew right past the lighthouse! I don’t think there is a phrase for the pain of missing out on a cool bird, but every birder knows the feeling. The pain though is acute and so it deserves one. Something long and probably a German mash of words will do. I propose Vogelverpassungschmerz (or VVS), let’s see if it catches on….

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately the VVS did not last for too long, as the bird was sighted again. A brief view of a white blob zooming by was all I was afforded. Still, a great record for Skagen in late summer/autumn. The hunt for the Black-winged Kite also found us Hen Harrier (Blå kærhøg), Peregrine Falcon (Vandrefalk) and Sand Martin (Digesvale). Maybe Mio was right after all! 

 

Highlights of the observations:
White-billed Diver (Hvidnæbbet lom) - 1
Black-winged Kite (Blå Glente)  - 1
Hen Harrier (Blå kærhøg) - 1

Peregrine Falcon (Vandrefalk)  - 1   

Sand Martin (Digesvale)  - 1

Merlin (Dværgfalk) - 1

Reed Warbler (Rørsanger) - 1 
Chiffchaff (Gransanger) - 1 
Blue Tit (Blåmejse) - 1 
Common Whitethroat (Tornsanger) - 1 
Blackcap (Munk) - 4 
Lesser Whitethroat (Gærdesanger) - 1 
Common Redstart (Rødstjert) - 2 
Spotted Flycatcher (Grå Fluesnapper) - 1 
Pied Flycatcher (Broget Fluesnapper) - 1 
Great Tit (Musvit) - 2 
Jay (Skovskade) - 1 

 
Total: 16