Once again! I’m back... - couldn’t resist not going to the best birding location in Denmark for this time of the year. And it isn’t really summer before you are here! So yeah…. summer time in Gedser! The place to be without any doubts. Left everything behind me in Jutland yesterday, picked up Ramón in Kastrup and went directly to Gedser. Once again lovely welcoming when we arrived - and as an extra bonus, some grill leftovers from all the hard garden workers was found in the kitchen --- Life is good - thank you all. 

The garden looked amazing, the nets looked almost amazing, we looked amazing - so pretty much everything at the southern tip of Denmark is at the moment amazing. So with a lot of energy Ramón and I went out of bed this morning. We wanted to get a preseason day today having time to start everything up and getting Ramón into the daily routine here at Gedser Bird Observatory. And already before 6:30 AM the day was saved with 26 birds on first round and 23 on the second! Which is good here in mid july. Normally when I have been here in July I have ringed on good days around 30 but it seems this year wants it differently. It was mainly silvia warblers but also chiffchaff was playing very good along. Probably some youngsters from the near area but still I was surprised with this amount of chiffchaff’s. Normally I only get like one here and one there in july and august but a lot of willow warblers but it seems that Chiffchaffs are doing good this year!!! 

Today’s high count and big winner - a Common Chiffcaff 1cy.

And as a little welcoming present a common rosefinch. There gave Ramón a new ring species. 

Todaýs Common Rosefinch.

A german family with friends came for visit in the late morning and went on some netrounds with us. Luckily the birds didn’t stop showing well so there were plenty of space for Hans using his German and us showing how we are doing ringing. Everything in perfect conditions. 

We closed the nets around noon after a round with only 3 new ringed birds and just to mention that we were pretty happy with today’s result. Look at it here below:

Today’s ringing:

Landsvale / Barn Swallow - 3
Hvid Vipstjert / White Wagtail - 1
Jernspurv / Dunnock - 2
Rødstjert / Common Redstart - 3
Kærsanger / Marsh Warbler - 1
Gulbug / Icterine Warbler - 13
Gærdesanger / Lesser Whitethroat - 4 / and 2 recaptures
Tornsanger / Common Whitethroat - 12 / and 2 recaptures
Havesanger / Garden Warbler - 8
Munk / Eurasian Blackcap
Gransanger / Common Chiffchaff - 14 / and 1 recapture
Løvsanger / Willow Warbler - 2
Blåmejse / Eurasian Blue Tit - 3
Musvit / Great Tit - 1
Korttået Træløber / Short-toedTreecreeper - 1
Tornirisk / Common Linnet - 2
Karmindompap / Common Rosefinch - 1

Total: 81 (+ 5 recaptures)

Gert also came for some garden work around noon and to say hello. And he timed it well because both Ramón and me were very tired after lunch so even though we wanted to do a lot this afternoon we ended up resting after our traveling the whole day yesterday and our waking up at 3.50 today. 

We did a little walk to the tip though before sunset and got a little bit of birds over the water. It was great feeling the summer experince of the southern tip of Denmark with sand martins flying around, common eiders laying close to shore, goldfinches calling constantly, wagtails jumping around and a lovely common swift made us feel alive for a bit before it went straight south towards Germany. 

Common Swift - 19th of July Gedser Odde.

A total count of the birds today can be found here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58300218

Now we are more than ready to start the autumn season tomorrow. Both Ramón and me are excited and really have no idea if Gedser have more mid july surprises for us! Can we start the season with a Melodious Warbler - or can a River Warbler save the day??

No matter what - the alarm is sat to 03:50 - and GFU is ready!

Stay tuned.

Best regards -- Anton Liebermann

With kind regards Robert

Rain just clearing as the nets were opened, but came down 100% as the standard netting session finished.

Not many birds:-

Marsh Warbler           1

Lesser Whitethroat     1          (1)

Chaffinch                    1

Totals                          3           (1)

Excellent three weeks again at GFU. May see you next year.

Have a good summer.

Hilsen,

Nigel

The Rosefinch was really pleased to see me this morning and an Icterine Warbler was doing it's best to mimic a Thrush Nightingale but sounded like the Spice Girls singing 'Nessun Dorma'.

Sunny and light breeze meant only 6 new birds and 1 retrap. Each of the first few net rounds found the same female Lesser Whitethroat in the same net. Only one thing to do - close the net and let her get on with tending the nest.

Here are todays exciting results:-

Lesser Whitethroat       1            (1)

Linnet                            1

Icterine Warbler             1

Garden Warbler             2

Blackcap                        1

Totals                              6              (1)

Hilsen

Nigel

Today stated with nice calm weather round the nets.

The garden is alive with Painted Lady butterflies but they are not the only new arrivals. It may be the middle of June but today 7 acrocephalus warblers were caught, with some Reed Warblers singing in the garden. Not so much a fall, but a stumble. Nonetheless showing birds are still moving north.

A female Blackcap was also caught with an interesting hair style. Aged as a 3k+ (euring code 6). 

As birds get older oestrogen levels reduce and testosterone becomes more dominant with male features coming to the fore. Old female Reed Buntings can also show black head. Like little old ladies getting moustaches.

Totals for today:-

Wren                      1

Icterine Warbler     1              (2)

Willow Warbler      2

Marsh Warbler       3

Reed Warbler         4

Lesser Whitethroat  1

Blackcap                   1

Whitethroat               1

Chaffinch                   1 

Blackbird                                 (1)

Totals                          15        (3)

Hilsen

Nigel

Is that the first time Freddie Mercury has been quoted on GFU blog?

The storm was so ferocious that netting could not be started until 08:30. But spirits were high in the house and I was ready for what the morning brought.

Marginally better than recent days with 11 new birds and only one retrap.

With an increased number of birds I have restarted the occasional series of competions.

Today, a male Linnet turned up expecting to be in the "Most Beautiful Bird" competition that we run last week. The excuse for lateness was the poor train service to Nykoping and the non-existence of a replacement bus service. Suggested closer attention to the Tweets.

Male Linnet

But todays competition has been won by an Icterine Warbler who has been crowned as "Bird with the Biggest Attitude". Due to the fact that there is a No Publicity Agreement in place an image of the winner is not available.

Here are todays totals.

Marsh Warbler             2

Reed Warbler               1

Icterine Warbler             1            (1)

Lesser Whitethroat        1

Whitethroat                    1

Chiffchaff                        2

Chaffinch                        2

Linnet                             1

Totals                              11               (1)

That's all for now.

Nigel

Nets open at 4.00 as usual to light rain. Radar suggested that it had just passed. By 4.45 it was heavy, persistant rain. Nets closed until 06.40 then dry and progressively sunny until 12.00 when I got fed up. One bird, female Chaffinch at . Decided to finish mowing the lawns that I started yesterday. Amazing the number of Painted Lady butterflies around this year. Not unusual to see 20 at a time.

If you need it in table form here you are:

Chaffinch     1

Total             1

Enjoy your day. I will.

Nigel

Not really much to say about today, again.

Another 1k Linnet presumably from the same brood as the bird caught yesterday. I've seen an adult female collecting nesting materials in the last couple of days. So a second brood is on the way.

Here are the totals:-

Icterine Warbler          2

Blackcap                     1

Chiffchaff                     1        (1)

Linnet                           1

Lesser Whitethroat                 (1)

Total                            5          (2)

Hilsen

Nigel

Typical coastal weather today. Clear skies and a strong breeze.

Unfortunately, not very good for catching birds. Of the three unringed birds that we caught two were a bit special. The first was a female Red-backed Shrike.

Red-backed Shrike female

The second bird worth mentioning was the first 1k bird of the year. A young Linnet, old enough to be independent of it's parents but obviously a first year bird due to it's fresh plumage-

1k Linnet

Here are todays totals,

Blackcap       1

Red-backed Shrike      1

Linnet          1

Lesser Whitethroat        (1)

Icterine Warbler             (1)

Whitethroat                    (1)

Totals        3                   (3)

TTFN

Nigel