A sound worthy of a king!

Observation

The morning observation was, once again, filled with experienced birders, totalling 7 observers. And it paid off! At close to eight o'clock, Henrik said, with a great deal of excitement "was that a kingfisher? I think that was a kingfisher!". The kingfisher (isfugl) was only heard, not seen, but this afternoon Henrik confirmed, after reviewing the sound, that is was a kingfisher! Only the fourth kingfisher to be encounteret at Blåvandshuk in 62 years.

The temperature for the morning was 14 degrees, wind 4 m/s east/south east. Other than the amazing news of the kingfisher, it generally was a good morning observation. The migration of the smaller birds has indeed begun and we totalled over 70 species in the four hours we were observing. This included 3000+ meadow pipits (engpiber), 1500+ chaffinches (bogfinke), 5 spoon bills and 70+ sparrow hawks (spurvehøg).
We also had a myrriad of smaller bird migrating in the not-so-strong wind. Including but DEFINETELY not limited to Tree pipit (skovpiber), kestrels (tårnfalke), red-breasted merganser (toppet skallesluger), TWO OSPREYS, a green sandpiber (svaleklire) and even four greater spotted woodpeckers (stor flagspætte)! And ofcourse the usual array of common waders like redshanks, turnstones, red knots, dunlins, bar-tailed godwit and oysrecatchers:)

After the morning observation, Henrik, Henrik, David, Thomas and Anders hung around the station for a while for a cup of coffee and a chat. It was Mathildes bithday today, so Mathilde and Lise baked a (very delicious) banana cake. In the afternoon Sverre, Mathilde and i went for a walk to the sabine bunker, since the military wasn't using the firing range. We enjoyed the nice weather and found a slowworm (stålorm) on the way. 

- GBJ