When my alarm woke me up this morning, I heard the wind howling outside and from time to time, rain showers were drumming against my window. So, I enjoyed the warmth of my bed for a bit longer.

David went out to an unsatisfying morning obs with bad visibility and not much happening on the sea.

In the afternoon, I washed bird bags, cleaned the labs and a bit in the house.

The board of the bird observatory had a meeting at the station in the evening and this was also a good opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, as it was my last day today.

There were not many birds around, but I opened the nets while I was cleaning, wondering if I would get one last bird to ring.

Some birds went in the nets, mainly recaptures, worth mentioning of these a Dunnock “Jernspurv”, that was ringed by Philip in summer 2022. Its eye is already quite reddish by now. I do not use eye color for aging much and if just as additional characteristic, but in Dunnocks “Jernspurv” it is usually good to see how the eye turns from greyish in juveniles to more and more reddish the older they get.

There was one bird without ring that went in a net though, so probably my last ringing species for 2024 was a Brambling “Kvækerfinke”. A funny coincident and I needed to think back to the 15^th of October, the day, when Chung-Chi, Torben and I suddenly stood in front of a net full of finches, but mainly Bramblings “Kvækerfinke”.

Brambling 2k+ male/ Kvækerfinke 2k+ han

It was a nice autumn at Blåvand, although for sure not the best season, numbers were low and rarities missing in the nets. Nevertheless, the season had highlights, I think for me the biggest was the Long-eared Owl “Skovhornugle” in the net. And the Woodcocks “Skovsneppe” were great, also the Ring-Ouzel “Ringdrossel” in week 42 and the resting little Auk “Søkonge” some days ago. And Blåvand has a great landscape to wonder around and to look for birds (and moths in bunkers, although I discovered that quite late ;)

So, it is time to say goodbye for now, but will for sure be back for ringing in Denmark and also in Blåvand.

Come good over the winter!

Greetings, Hanelie

At the station: David, Hanelie and Blåvandgruppen

Ringing:

Now it is 08:00 that the nets need to be open. 08:30 first round. I guess you would call that normal working time. For a ringer it sounds exceptionally late. It´s not bad, but I love the long Scandinavian summer days, although they mean getting up very early to open nets.

Sad is, that there are not so many birds in the nets. But yeah, it is winter. 1^st of December today.  

I ringed four new birds today and recaptured four as well. All new were Blackbirds “Solsort”, the recaptures mainly Great Tits “Musvit”.  And one pretty 2k+ Chaffinch "Bogfinke". I just entered the data and saw; it was ringed here in spring 2022 by Timothy.

Chaffinch 2K+ male/ Bogfinke 2K+ han

While I was ringing, David and Henrik were out observing. It was a quiet day. 9 Caspian Gulls “Kaspisk Måge” were the highlights and a lot of Purple Sandpipers “Sortgrå Ryle” are still feeding on the beach.

Both Henrik and David as well as me, when I went to the beach later had some colour-ringed gulls.

I went to the bog after, further than my usual round and checked some more bunkers for moths. Again, I found Scoliopterix libatrix “Husmoderugle” and Alucita hexadactyla “Kaprifoliefjermøl”. There are not so many species wintering here in the bunkers. But read an article that more moth species might rest in bunkers or caves in the hot summer moth during the days. A reason to come back to check it out. And of course, the birds and landscape…

From the top of one of the bunkers, I could see far and also had my telescope with me. In one of the lakes further in the bog, there are Whoopersvans “Sangsvane” resting. And could observe the sunset.

Sunset from the top of a bunker in the bog.

It was time to go back, the days are short. It was already rather dark, when I arrived at the station and the light show at the lighthouse had begun. Bent and his wife were at the station to see it and we had cake together.

People: Henrik, David, Hanelie, Bent and his wife.