Birds birds birds

Today began with Sarah and I opening the nets at 0715, as we were opening the nets we caught 3 birds- the first sign. In the first round we had about 20 birds so we casually sent James a message asking him to join us to help extracting (he was out observing). Then Erik, Jørgen and Igor arrived saying there were Goldcrests (Fuglekonge) everywhere in the dunes and that there was a poisonous atmosphere! From then onwards we had large numbers of Goldcrests and Robins (Rødhals) every round. Simon joined us briefly at about 0900 but then had to leave for a guided tour in the lighthouse garden- he had 25 people!!!! A Surf Scotor (Brilleand) was sighted out at Grenen but there were too many birds for any of us to see it before it got too far out to see. Then at 11 Jorgen also left us, but Knud, Inge and his friend Thom and his wife joined us and led the extracting team along with Erik and James, while I rang and Sarah scribed! We also caught the Northern sub-species of Long tailed tit (Nordilig Halemjse) which was a real treat!!!

 Simon then joined quickly and helped us process all the birds! By 1300 things had slowed and slowly everyone left leaving James, Sarah and I and although there weren’t such large numbers of birds it was still enough to keep us busy I couldn’t have done it without them! We eventually shut the nets and called it a day and arrived very hungry back at the lighthouse at 1630!!!! What a long day ringing!!! By this point Simon had left to go to Aalborg.

We then had a leftovers feast and entered all the data!!! It took ages!!! As we sat down to eat we heard Simon arrive and was greeted by an amazing surprise of Lisa arriving for a couple days stay before she begins uni again!!! Sadly, no Daniel with her- we miss you Daniel!!! But it was such a lovely surprise!! We should have known we couldn’t have opening the freezer day tomorrow without Lisa- our chief surgeon and dissector!

Birds Rung (206): 1 Song Thrush (Sangdrossel), 1 Blackbird (Solsort),1 Greenfinch (Grønirisk), 2 Great tits (Musvit), 48 Robins (Rødhals), 15 Wrens (Gærdesmutte), 14 Bearded tits (Skægmejse), 10 Blue tits (Blåmejse), 7 Blackcaps (Munk), 1 Bullfinch (Dompap), 9 Chiffchaffs (Gransanger), 75 Goldcrests (Fuglekonge), 21 Northern Long Tailed Tits (Halemejse Nordilig) and 1 Chaffinch (Bogfinke)

People: Molly Brown, Sarah Bedford, James Butcher, Erik Christopherson, Jørgen Kabel, Igor, Knud and Inge Pederson and their friends Thom and his wife. Lisa Vergin and Simon S. Christiansen.