Just a Bullfinch

Ringing: Today we reached 30 birds of 11 species. Most notably was this beautiful female Bullfinch (Dompap), that looked adult in the net, but on closer inspection had a clear moult limit in the wings, which means it must have been born this year.

Young female Bullfinch from today, sexed by the grey overall look (the sun distorts the colour here), and aged by the browner feathers in the feather group on the wing called greater coverts. Picture by Mathilde Sif Eiby.

With these slower ringing days, tomorrow I'll join Anton for the observation instead, so I can become better at distinguishing sea birds and bird calls as well. 

Today's numbers:

Observation: Although the weather today seemed promising, it was another relatively quiet day on the dunes. Nice numbers of gannets (Morus bassanus) and red-throated divers (Gavia stellata) today, but nothing extraordinary. Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) numbers also quite low, only just making it to 600 individuals. The North-Eastern winds seem to have pushed many migrants inland, including the few flocks of geese we saw, which took the route over the heath behind us rather than over the sea. Today's highlight was a pallid harrier (Circus macrourus), potentially the same individual as spotted yesterday. 

This evening, we were joined at the station by a group of young birders from Århus university, who are staying for the weekend and will join us for observation tomorrow, as well as partake in some "kratluskeri" a.k.a. bush creeping for cool birds in the Blåvand area. 

Today's observations

At the station: Strummer Edwards, Mathilde Sif Eiby, Anton Ræbild Jensen, Storm Hauris Borum and Johan Them Steffensen