Yes autumn is nice

Hej I’m back again, and it is so nice to finally see Skagen and its birds in autumn after I have just been here in summer and spring before. 

I was really looking forward to birding here again and the morning observation with Mio and Knud really delivered! 

The sea was really calm and it did not look like there would be much migrating over the sea except steady coming flocks Razorbills (Alk) which were very nice to watch. 

While there firstly was not much going on over the sea there were many different passerines around including tree Waterpipits (Bjergpber),  some Snowbuntings (Snespurv) and tree Horned Larks (Bjerglærke) which also landed on the beach. It was really nice to watch the Horned Larks (Bjerglærke) and one of them also had a ring, so it was probably one of the birds the others ringed the week before.

In the second hour Mio spotted a Nutcracker (Nøddekrige) coming just in our direction, it circled over our heads and then migrated out over the sea. That was a really exciting observation.

Then suddenly Knud spotted two young Shags (Topskarver) flying over the sea quite close to the shore, they also went down to rest on the water so we got some nice views of them. They were actually the first ones for this autumn season.

Not much later there was a big Diver (Lom) passing by and after a few seconds we were sure, it was a White-billed Diver (Hvidnæbbet Lom)!

 

After we finished the count we went west of the sandormentrack to look if we could find some Lapland Buntings (Lapværling) on our way there we saw another Nutcracker (Nøddekrige) which came just over our heads and then probably  migrated out over the sea. 

On the beach we actually found a Lapland Bunting (Lapværling) and also many Twites (Bjergirisk).
Afterwards we went to Kaberltrommmlen to accompany the ringers, Jule, Sarah, Laura and also Jeppe who helped in the ringing today.

Ringers enjoying the ringing

The ringers also had a very nice morning where they almost caught sixty birds of fourteen different species. The most numerous species were the Wrens (Gærdesmutte) today. They also caught four Twites (Bjergirisk) and a really cute Treecreeper (Træløber). 

Another highlight in the ringing were quite some Bullfinches (Dompap) and two Coletits (Sortmejse).

Treecreeper (Træløber)

When we were back at the station Sarah made us some good lunch. Afterwards  we opened the net in the old lighthouse garden and tried to catch a Nutcracker (Nøddekrige) playing some sound, without success.

Michael Ancher had a busy time at Jennes Sø with more than 200 Redpolls (Gråsisken)!

Later we also welcomed our new Volunteer Louis-Marie.

Now we are looking forward to another nice autumn day tomorrow.

 

Highlights from the observations:

White-billed Diver - Hvidnæbbet Lom 1

Shag - Topskarv 2

Nutcracker (Nøddekrige) 4

 

Ringing Kabeltromlen:

Blåmejse 2

Sortmejse 2

Gærdesmutte 18

Rødhals 6

Munk 1

Gransanger 2

Fuglekonge 7

Musvit 2

Træløber 1

Kvækerfinke 1

Grønirisk 1

Bjergirisk 4

Lille Dompap 6

Dompap 3

Rørspurv 1

Total: 57

 

Nordstjernevej:

Rødhals 1

Skovspurv 1

Musvit 2

Bogfinke 1

Total: 5

 

Jenne sø

Vindrossel 1

Gærdesmutte 3

Lille Gråsisken 145

Stor Gråsken 51

Træløber 1

Stor Dompap 1

Blåmejse 1

Grønsisken 1

Rødhals 1

 

Total: 205

Link to today's observations in the Dofbasen from observers in the area.

 

People: Mio Brix, Cora Köberle, Jule Tappe, Simon S. Christiansen, Jeppe Madsen, Laura Tamminen, Sarah Partridge, Michael Ancher, Knud Pedersen, Louis-Marie.