Calm days with a fast pace

Ringing together with Michael has been a nice change of pace after two months of ringing. And I don’t mean that just figuratively. The young man has a fast pace walking the rounds and every time a bird the size of a Starling or bigger ends up in the nets he runs straight for the bird, not giving them a chance to escape! It is quite a different energy compared to the calm way the days go ringing with Morten.

More Chiffchaffs ended up in the nets compared to the Willow Warblers today, which hasn’t happened in a while. Asking Henrik about it, he mentioned that Chiffchaffs might like the colder weather better (it’s a bit colder today) or more likely they have had some pretty bad days lately and have just given up on breeding this year and are already going back south. But don’t worry Chiffchaffs, as they say, tomorrow will be a better day and if not just wait until the day after tomorrow, that will truly be a good day!

Henrik did the morning observations today and as usual the numbers were not big, but Henrik did spot six Caspian Gulls and a Caspian Tern on the beach!

Caspian Tern

After standard time I went back to work behind the desk while Michael walked the rounds by himself until 1 O’clock catching a view more birds. After closing the nets Micheal went to the dunes to see if he could lure birds with some big fat mealworms into a clap trap. He ended up catching a Stonechat!

Stonechat

Today 23 birds were ringed and 8 recaptured. The day consisted mostly of the more frequent birds of late such as Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroats, Redstarts and Willow Warblers (the Blackcaps were notably absent today). A Garden - and Icterine Warbler were ringed and to top it off my favourites: two Blue Tits and two Wrynecks were ringed as well.

Blue Tit

Wryneck