Thunder, lightning, torrential downpours and a strong, gusty, swirling wind seemingly coming from every direction at once from first light curtailed any ringing activity for several hours preventing the standardised ringing from being carried out; once we got a few nets open there were a few birds around as we ended up with 40 new birds made up predominantly of 24 Willow Warblers along with small numbers of the usual migrants – Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat etc.

Today's non-standardised ringing - 1 Redstart / Roedstjert;  7 Lesser Whitethroat / Gaerdesanger;  2 Whitethroat / Tornsanger;  1 Garden Warbler / Havesanger;  2 Blackcap / Munk;  24 Willow Warbler / Loevsanger;  2 Spotted Flycatcher / Gra Fluesnapper;  1 Pied Flycatcher / Broget Fluesnapper

                There wasn’t too much else to mention through the rest of this quiet day with 4-5 Sparrowhawks seen around the garden and a couple of Whinchats along the front fence.

Osprey over the station yesterday evening

For more pictures from around Gedser (not from today though!) see www.wykebirding.blogspot.com

After a disappointingly slow day yesterday, a change in the wind brought us a much better number of birds today. The light north-westerly delivered 121 new birds to our nets, with activity tailing off in the late morning. The bulk of the birds were Lesser Whitethroats (29) and Blackcaps (20). A second Grasshoppper Warbler for the autumn was a nice highlight. 

Totals comprised:

Dunnock/Jernspurv - 3, Robin/Rødhals 6, Redstart/Rødstjert - 2, Grasshopper Warbler/Græshoppesanger - 1, Marsh Warbler/Kærsanger - 2, Icterine Warbler/Gulbug - 2, Lesser Whitethroat/Gærdesanger - 29, Whitethroat/Tornsanger - 17, Garden Warbler/Havesanger - 5, Blackcap/Munk - 20, Chiffchaff/Gransanger - 2, Willow Warbler/Løvsanger - 15, Spotted Flycatcher/Grå Fluesnapper - 1, Pied Flycatcher/Broget Fluesnapper - 5, Red-backed Shrike/Rødrygget Tornskade - 1, Tree Sparrow/Skovspurv - 9, Goldfinch/Stillits - 1.

Migrating birds were low in number - 2 Marsh Harrier and 5 Sparrowhawk were seen. 

An immature male Marsh Harrier with distinctive moult limits today.

It remained hot and sunny but the now southerly wind was a bit stronger than yesterday and the nets were a bit quieter than yesterday; the 28 new birds did however include 2 Wrynecks (sixth and seventh for the autumn) and the third Wood Warbler along with single Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler and Tree Pipit.   It was quiet around the garden and overhead as well with a Sparrowhawk and a few Swifts the only signs of any migration.

Todays meagre totals - 2 Wrynecks / Vendehals;  1 Tree Pipit / Skovpiber;  1 Robin / Roedhals;  1 Redstart / Roedstjert;  1 Marsh Warbler / Kaersanger;  1 Icterine Warbler / Gulbug;  4 Lesser Whitethroat / Gaerdesanger;  2 Whitethroat / Tornsanger;  3 Garden Warbler / Havesanger;  4 Blackcap / Munk;  1 Wood Warbler / Skovsanger;  5 Willow Warbler / Loevsanger;  1 Spotted Flycatcher / Gra Fluesnapper;  1 Pied Flycatcher / Broget Fluesnapper

                I went for a random drive around the fields looking for any raptors in the afternoon and after failing miserably to find anything I got back to the station to find a cracking juvenile Honey Buzzard flying around the garden!   This proved to be the start of a little burst of activity in the evening with 4 Marsh Harriers and 20+ Sparrowhawks coming in from the north – the harriers continued south out to sea but seemingly none of the Sparrowhawks were prepared to head out this late in the day and either turned round or angled off to the west across the fields.   Also in the evening a Temminck’s Stint flew low over the pond in the front field and two Knot flew west.

A day with similar weather to yesterday produced about half the number of birds - just 45 new birds of 14 species ringed today. Blackcaps were most numerous (9) closely followed by Lesser Whitethroat. A Greenfinch was the first caught for a while. 

Not much was noted flying over the garden today - the highlight a flock of 12 Crossbills. Other than that, small numbers of Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail, 3 Sparrowhawks and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were the only birds of note. A Wryneck was seen several times but managed to evade our nets.  

Ringing totals comprised:

Tree Pipit/Skovpiber - 1, Robin/Rødhals - 2, Thrush Nightingale/Nattergal - 1, Redstart/Rødstjert - 2, Icterine Warbler/Gulbug - 3, Lesser Whitethroat/Gærdesanger - 8, Whitethroat/Tornsanger - 5, Garden Warbler/Havesanger - 4, Blackcap/Munk - 9, Willow Warbler/Løvsanger - 6, Spotted Flycatcher/Grå Fluesnapper - 1, Pied Flycatcher/Broget Fluesnapper - 1, Starling/Stær - 1, Greenfinch/Grønirisk - 1.  

The weather changed yet again with today being a glorious, warm, sunny late summer’s day with a light easterly breeze; this change did produce a decent number of birds in the nets through the day with 109 new birds highlighted by 3 Thrush Nightingales, 2 Red-backed Shrikes and a smart juvenile Whinchat while the main species caught comprised 29 Lesser Whitethroats, 17 Blackcaps, 18 Willow Warblers and 6 Marsh Warblers.

Today's totals - 3 Tree Pipits / Skovpiber;  2 Yellow Wagtail / Gul Vipstjert;  4 Dunnock / Jernspurv;  1 Robin / Roedhals;  3 Thrush Nightingale / Nattergal;  3 Redstart / Roedstjert;  1 Whinchat / Bynkefugl;  6 Marsh Warbler / Kaersanger;  29 Lesser Whitethroat / Gaerdesanger;  8 Whitethroat / Tornsanger;  3 Garden Warbler / Havesanger;  17 Blackcap / Munk;  18 Willow Warbler / Loevsanger;  1 Spotted Flycatcher / Gra Fluesnapper;  4 Pied Flycatcher / Broget Fluesnapper;  1 Great Tit / Musvit;  2 Red-backed Shrike / Roedrygget Tornskad;  1 Starling / Staer;  1 Tree Sparrow / Skovspurv;  1 Linnet / Tornirisk

Whinchat

Blue-headed Wagtail

                A few waders were heard overhead through the morning including Spotted Redshank, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper while a couple of mixed duck flocks also went over with Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal picked out.   Other birds around the garden included several Swifts lingering overhead, a Great-spotted Woodpecker and good numbers of Tree Pipits during the first hour of daylight.

                A look off the point in the evening (1730-1830) then produced a few birds including 5 Black Terns, 6 Little Gulls, 50+ Sandwich Terns, 14 Arctic Terns, 13 Common Terns, 12 Teal, 13 Common Scoter, 3 Velvet Scoter and perhaps the most unusual bird being a breeding plumaged Razorbill which flew south – scarce on the Baltic side of Denmark.

More pictures from around Gedser at www.wykebirding.blogspot.com

It was a very slow morning of ringing today, with just 33 new birds. The star of these was the autumn's first Sparrowhawk - a juvenile female. Sylvia warblers again made up the bulk of the birds caught, with Lesser Whitethroat the most numerous. 

Ringing totals were as follows:

Sparrowhawk/Spurvehøg - 1, Thrush Nightingale/Nattergal - 1, Redstart/Rødstjert - 1, Marsh Warbler/Kærsanger - 3, Reed Warbler/Rørsanger - 1, Icterine Warbler/Gulbug - 1, Lesser Whitethroat/Gærdesanger - 6, Whitethroat/Tornsanger - 4, Garden Warbler/Havesanger -3, Blackcap/Munk - 5, Willow Warbler/Løvsanger - 5, Pied Flycatcher/Broget Fluesnapper - 2.  

In the afternoon Simon and I visited Bøtø to see if there was more wader migration than passerine migration happening! We had a good range of species, the highlights of which were a Temminck's Stint, 3 Little Stints, a juv Curlew Sandpiper, Honey Buzzard, Hen Harrier, 8 Cranes and 3 Great Egrets.

Today's Sparrowhawk 

Bright and breezy with a brisk South-westerly wind limiting things a little bit but there were still decent numbers of migrants in the nets with 68 new birds caught; the most notable being a small influx of 15 Pied Flycatchers along with 4 Marsh Warblers and 4 Icterine Warblers with single figures of most other common migrants.   Other birds seen included a few Tree Pipits first thing, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Green Sandpipers (which spent a short time on the pond) and single Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.

Totals today - 1 Tree Pipit / Skovpiber;  1 Thrush Nightingale / Nattergal;  4 Redstart / Roedstjert;  1 Blackbird / Solsort;  4 Marsh Warbler / Kaersanger;  2 Reed Warbler / Roersanger;  4 Icterine Warbler / Gulbug;  8 Lesser Whitethroat / Gaerdesanger;  7 Whitethroat / Tornsanger;  5 Garden Warbler / Havesanger;  3 Blackcap / Munk;  9 Willow Warbler / Loevsanger;  15 Pied Flycatcher / Broget Fluesnapper;  1 Red-backed Shrike / Roedrygget Tornskad;  2 Tree Sparrow / Skovspurv;  1 Linnet / Tornirisk

Smart Yellow Wagtail from yesterday

Not much else seen during this quiet day with a walk round Kroghage late afternoon producing small numbers of the usual migrants such as Red-backed Shrike, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher etc.

More pictures from around Gedser at www.wykebirding.blogspot.com

Today felt much more like summer than autumn, with clear skies and a warm southerly breeze for most of the day. Migrants were present in smaller numbers than the past few days too, although we still managed 63 new birds, plus another 8 in the late afternoon. The catch was again dominated by Sylvia warblers - the majority Lesser Whitethroat, with another Red-backed Shrike a highlight. The Swedish-ringed Whitethroat from a few days ago was retrapped too. 

Totals for the day were as follows:

Yellow Wagtail/Gul Vipstjert - 3, Dunnock/Jernspurv - 1, Robin/Rødhals - 1, Redstart/Rødstjert - 3, Marsh Warbler/Kærsanger - 5, Reed Warbler/Rørsanger - 2, Icterine Warbler/Gulbug - 4, Lesser Whitethroat/Gærdesanger - 15, Whitethroat/Tornsanger - 13, Garden Warbler/Havesanger - 8, Blackcap/Munk - 5, Chiffchaff/Gransanger - 1, Willow Warbler/Løvsanger - 1, Pied Flycatcher/Broget Fluesnapper - 1, Rødrygget Tornskad - 1, Tree Sparrow/Skovspurv - 1, Starling/Stær - 5, House Martin/Bysvale - 1.

A Hobby and a Sparrowhawk were seen over the Obs today, with a couple more of each in the surrounding area, along with good numbers of Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike and a Wheatear.

 The Swedish ring on the Whitethroat (note Stockholm inscribed) 

One of today's Icterine Warblers

A change in the weather meant that light rain from first light delayed the ringing to such a degree that we couldn’t put in a standardised session for the first time this autumn; when we did get underway we managed a good total of 105 new birds with the dominant species (both in the nets and in the field) were 42 Tree Pipits and 9 Yellow Wagtails caught.   Throughout the day there were big numbers of these two species around with many flocks passing over the garden in the morning totalling hundreds of each but we couldn’t really get any accurate counts.

                Other birds caught included a Red-backed Shrike, the first Grasshopper Warbler of the autumn, 19 Whitethroats and a House Martin; a Golden Oriole which was seen briefly in the garden and an Osprey which drifted south were the day's other highlights with Dunlin and Curlew overhead and 4-5 Thrush Nightingales present in the garden.

Todays totals comprised - 1 House Martin / Bysvale;  42 Tree Pipit / Skovpiber;  9 Yellow Wagtail / Gul Vipstjert;  1 White Wagtail / Hvid Vipstjert;  2 Redstart / Roedstjert;  1 Grasshopper Warbler / Graeshoppesanger;  1 Marsh Warbler / Kaersanger;  1 Reed Warbler / Roersanger;  3 Icterine Warbler / Gulbug;  8 Lesser Whitethroat / Gaerdesanger;  19 Whitethroat / Tornsanger;  6 Garden Warbler / Havesanger;  2 Blackcap / Munk;  4 Willow Warbler / Loevsanger;  2 Pied Flycatcher / Broget Fluesnapper;  1 Red-backed Shrike / Roedrygget Tornskad;  1 Goldfinch / Stillits;  1 Linnet / Tornirisk

Grasshopper Warbler

For more pictures from around Gedser see www.wykebirding.blogspot.com

We had a good day's ringing today, depsite most of it happening within the first two hours of catching! Clear skies meant birds cleared out from the garden early and despite evidence of some birds passing overhead, few moved through the garden later in the day. The total at close of nets was 121 birds ringed of 25 species, the highlights of which were yet another Wryneck (the 5th this autumn), another Sedge Warbler and 3 Thrush Nightingales. The bulk of birds caught today were Sylvia warblers, with a notable increase in Blackcaps. Walk-in traps on the pond were set with birds coming to bathe and drink in the heat, catching a few Wagtails. After the first Robin yesterday, 5 were caught in the first round of the day today.

Totals were as follows:

Wryneck/Vendehals - 1, Tree Pipit/Skovpiber - 5, Yellow Wagtail/Gul Vipstjert - 3, White Wagtail/Hvid Vipstjert - 1, Dunnock/Jernspurv - 1, Robin/Rødhals - 6, Thrush Nightingale/Nattergal - 3, Redstart/Rødstjert - 1, Song Thrush/Sangdrossel - 1, Sedge Warbler/Sivsanger - 1, Marsh Warbler/Kærsanger - 8, Reed Warbler/Rørsanger - 4, Icterine Warbler/Gulbug - 1, Lesser Whitethroat/Gærdesanger - 16, Whitethroat/Tornsanger - 22, Garden Warbler/Havesanger - 17, Blackcap/Munk - 15, Chiffchaff/Gransanger - 1, Willow Warbler/Løvsanger - 3, Spotted Flycatcher/Grå Fluesnapper - 3, Pied Flycatcher/Broget Fluesnapper - 2, Red-backed Shrike/Rødrygget Tornskad - 1, Starling/Stær - 1, Tree Sparrow/Skovspurv - 4.

A Black Kite drifted south over the Obs in the late afternoon, and good numbers of common migrants were present in suitable cover in the surrounding area. 

 Today's Wryneck - stunning birds

Detail of the head and eye - incredibly intricately patterned feathering