Just gulling around...

This morning, the northerly winds pushed the counting team to Nordstrand to seek shelter… Unfortunately, it seemed that the birds had also found a place to rest because the migration was surprisingly slow during all four hours of the count.

We still managed to enjoyed nice observation of Long-tailed ducks (Havlit) a Great Northern diver (Islom) and several flock of Whooper swans (Sangsvane) or Canada geese (Canadagås).

 

The counting team counting in the wind. Foto : Louis-Marie Gourmelon

The nice advantage of Nordstand, compared to Grenen, is also that it gives us a way more up close view to the sea. That way we were able to appreciate nice observation of Razorbills (Alks) or Velvet scoters (Fløjsand).

We tried our luck again to catch Snowbuntings (Snespurv) because a flock of around 70 were flying and feeding almost at our feet ! They were not very shy at all.

Comparison in hand of Artcic redpoll (Hvidsisken) to the left and Common redpoll (Gråsisken) to the right. Foto : Simon S. Christiansen

The ringing team had also a very slow morning but one bird was enough to delight everyone (even the counting team) : they caugth an Arctic redpoll (Hvidsisken), a rare subspecies of the nominate Common redpoll species ! They mostly Breeds in tundra regions and are partially migratory. Some birds winter in Finnish Lapland, but the species can also regularly be seen in Southern Finland, though does not usually migrate as far south as Redpoll. Michael Ancher, who is ringing at Jennes sø for the station also caught, later in the morning, 3 Arctic redpolls !

Other picure of the Redpolls. Foto : Simon S. Christiansen

 

After all the standardised programs, the team decided to go back outside and went to Skagen along the beach and the harbour, mostly for some Gull watching ! We always hope to find some colour rings to read… But unfortunately none were find today.

 

Gull watching near the harbour. Foto : Simon S. Christiansen

Gull flocks are also interesting because you can always find a rare species in it ! We couldn’t find any today also but it could be more and more interesting in the coming days…