A Wryneck in the net!

Morning observations:

Already on our way up to the observation site, Marit and I had a feeling that rain was on the way. After about an hour of light drizzle, the rain really started to come down. We decided it was too much to continue with a standard count, so after 1.5 hours of observation, we packed up and headed back to the station—soaked through.

The birds didn’t seem too keen on migrating in the rain either, so we only spotted a few of the most common species.

After warming up and drying off a bit back at the station, the rain stopped and the sun slowly began to break through. I decided to go for a walk to see if I could maybe find a Wryneck “Vendehals”, while Marit joined the ringing team as they decided to open the nets.

I didn’t find a Wryneck “Vendehals”, but to my great surprise, a white bird suddenly landed right next to me. It was a beautiful male Pied Flycatcher “Broget Fluesnapper”! I was thrilled and spent a good while admiring him—until I got a message that a Wryneck “Vendehals” had flown into one of the nets.

I said goodbye to the flycatcher and rushed back to the station. After enjoying the Wryneck “Vendehals” and making a quick stop by the Pied Flycatcher “Broget Fluesnapper” again, I decided to head home.

So, a rainy morning with barely any birds suddenly turned into a lovely, sunny day with some fantastic species.

Todays observations can be seen here.

Morning obs under the umbrella. Picture: Marit Nillissen

The ringing:

This morning did not look so promising. Yesterday, DMI forecasted that the rain would hit us just at six o´clock. I woke up at opening time to check if it maybe changed. It did, now the rain was supposed to hid Blåvand probably at seven, so I decided not to open and wait a bit until the radar would show the rain front. For a while it looked like we might just be at the edge and it would not be so bad here but at seven, the rain actually hit so there was no ringing in the early morning hours, but Anne made us a nice breakfast with eggs and backed beans while it was raining outside.

But at 9:30, the rain had stopped, and we went out opening the nets. The first round brought the most birds and, to our big amazement a Wryneck “Vendehals”!

Wryneck “Vendehals”. Picture: Anne Hjortlund Hansen

We also had the second Willow Warbler “Løvsanger” of the season and quite some Robins “Rødhals”.

Willow Warbler "Løvsanger". Picture: Marit Nillissen

We kept the nets open for nearly five hours, the sky was bright and blue, the sun was shining, and in the following rounds, we also always had a few birds.

Not just the birds were active, but also some reptiles came out to enjoy the sun. We had a Slow Worm “Stålorm”.

Slow Worm “Stålorm”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

As well as a juvenile Common Toad “Skrubtudse”. First, we were a bit puzzled about that one, as it had quite some red on its back, which we did not see on these before, later Marit read it up and it is because it is a young one.

Juvenile Common Toad “Skrubtudse”. Picture: Marit Nillissen

The moths:

The moths did not like that night at Blåvand so much, I just had four different species and no new ones for me. I will show Xylocampa areola "Gedebladugle”, it is still the one I catch most.

Xylocampa areola "Gedebladugle”. Picture: Hanelie Sidhu

News of the station:

Yesterday, later than Antonia and Frida, also Annes boyfriend Dimitri arrived at the station. While we were occupied with birds, he went fishing today.

Levi, who will stay at the station with us for a bit more than two months, arrived this evening, so we are a lot of people at the station now!

At the station: Marit Nillissen, Antonia Greil, Levi van den Os, Thomas Kristensen, Hanelie Sidhu, Anne Hjortlund Hansen and Dimitri, Joseph Stephan and Frida