The wind was present again this morning and it seemed a main part of migratory birds had continued on its way. Not much captures today, and a big part of birds already ringed, like the spanish robin still here, or those two garden warblers ringed last year.

But among them, there was a few satisfying birds, like every day : another breeding female hawfinch and the first icterine warbler of this year.

And the most exciting moment for me was the capture of a red-breasted flycatcher. We were talking about it yesterday, and it was one of my wishes to trap this species here. It's done now.

Birds ringed today :

Rødhals - Robins : 2
Gulbug - Icterine Warbler : 1
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 5
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 1
Munk - Blackcap : 1
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 1
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 2
Lille Fluesnapper - Red-breasted Flycatcher : 1
Broget Fluesnapper - Pied Flycatcher : 1
Bogfinke - Chaffinch : 1
Stillits - Goldfinch : 1
Tornirisk - Linnet : 1
Kernebider - Hawfinch : 1

After a rainy boring day without ringing, the weather became appropriate to open the nets this morning. The first two rounds presaged an intense session, with many willow warblers, but from 7:00 the birds were very quiet, with almost no captures each round.

Finally, not much quantity but high quality with 15 species.
First of all, a spotted flycatcher trapped early, first of the season. A nice bird.

Secondly, the wryneck ringed two days ago was recaptured twice. Apparently still visiting the site.

Thirdly, a breeding female of hawfinch (dedicated to Marie). Be careful with the strong bill !

And last but not least, the most remarkable capture of the day : a male red patch bluethroat! A stunning bird which made everybody happy. A simple photo is enough to realize it.

Birds ringed today :

Jernspurv - Dunnock : 5
Rødhals - Robins : 5
Blåhals - Bluethroat : 1
Rødstjert - Common Redstart : 1
Solsort - Blackbird : 1
Sangdrossel - Song Thrush : 1
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 10
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 1
Havesanger - Garden Warbler : 1
Munk - Blackcap : 4
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 3
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 23
Grå Fluesnapper - Spotted Flycatcher: 1
Lille Gråsisken - Lesser Redpoll : 1
Kernebider - Hawfinch : 1

When I opened the nets at frozen dawn, the clear sky and the absence of wind let me hope for another morning filled with birds. Sadly, a main part of the passerines arrived yesterday had left the site, but some of the laggards were trapped and ringed with the company of a singing wryneck. Nice atmosphere at the sunrise !

Finally, not a lot of birds with a bit more than 40 ringed, but two funny facts :
- the first capture was a young robin ringed in Spain ! That gives good mood early in the morning !
- the last capture was a wryneck, in the same place as yesterday !

Here a picture of this bird which I probably never get tired of :

Birds ringed today :
Vendehals - Wryneck : 1
Jernspurv - Dunnock : 2
Rødhals - Robins : 11
Solsort - Blackbird : 2
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 10
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 1
Havesanger - Garden Warbler : 1
Munk - Blackcap : 2
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 10
Bogfinke - Chaffinch : 1
Stillits - Goldfinch : 1
Tornirisk - Linnet : 1

After a rainy night, I opened the nets under a sky of clouds. As I start the week being the only ringer, I decided to use only 10 nets, and it was more than enough !

Robins have left the site, but the bushes were full of common redstarts and pied flycatchers, there was movements last night ! And quickly, we realized that another wave of willow warblers had arrived at the ringing camp.

So, it was a new great morning : more than 200 captures, half willow warblers, 35 common redstarts, 22 pied flycatchers. I was definitely busy until noon.

At about nine o'clock, we were lucky to see a wryneck very well near the lab. Fourty five minutes later, it was trapped (was it the same ?) ! A captivating species, very appreciate by ringers and birdwatchers.

Others unordinary captures are a breeding female of goldcrest, a redwing, a reed bunting and the second wood warbler of the season.

Birds ringed today :
Vendehals - Wryneck : 1
Rødhals - Robins : 7
Rødstjert - Common Redstart : 35
Sangdrossel - Song Thrush : 2
Vindrossel - Redwing : 1
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 13
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 7
Munk - Blackcap : 2
Skovsanger - Wood Warbler : 1
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 5
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 108
Fuglekonge - Goldcrest : 1
Broget Fluesnapper - Pied Flycatcher: 22
Tornirisk - Linnet : 1
Gråsisken - Mealy Redpoll : 3
Lille Gråsisken - Lesser Redpoll : 2
Rørspurv - Reed Bunting : 1

After the great morning we had yesterday, we could believe it would be less intense today. Absolutely not ! The migration still continue, no mercy for the ringers !

With the good weather - no wind and quite clear sky, we decided to open only half of the nets installed, in order to avoid accidents with birds. Even though a big part of the willow warblers leaved the site, robins took over from them. And other passerines didn't want to be left out !

The result : 248 birds of 19 species ringed, 109 robins, 50 willow warblers, 33 lesser whitethroats and 17 common redstarts. Plus a few other species arrived from Africa : 6 garden warblers, 4 common whitethroats and 2 tree pipits. A real joyful cocktail !

The most remarkable captures are a black redstart, not often trapped (the 5th this year), and the first wood warbler, a gorgeous bird.

The next few mornings could be similar, we'll see what it will produce.

Birds ringed today :
Skovpiber - Tree pipit : 2
Gærdesmutte - Wren : 1
Jernspurv - Dunnock : 1
Rødhals - Robins : 109
Husrødstjert - Black Redstart : 1
Rødstjert - Common Redstart : 17
Solsort - Blackbird : 1
Sangdrossel - Song Thrush : 2
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 33
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 4
Havesanger - Garden Warbler : 6
Munk - Blackcap : 6
Skovsanger - Wood Warbler : 1
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 9
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 50
Broget Fluesnapper - Pied Flycatcher: 1
Bogfinke - Chaffinch : 1
Stillits - Goldfinch : 1
Lille Gråsisken - Lesser Redpoll : 2

As we expected, the bad weather move on to a quiet one, and there was no wind anymore but a cloudy sky this morning. I announced this session could be exciting, and what a session we had !
I decided to open all the nets at the beginning, but we had to recognise that wasn't a good idea. We were quickly overflowing with birds, mainly willow warblers. Hundreds of them showed up during the night and invaded the bushes of the station ! Of course, they were not alone, and it's all a group of migratory passerines which was trapped.

The total numbers give dizzy feeling, so be ready : more than 300 birds of 18 species ringed, almost 200 willow warblers, 16 common redstarts, 31 lesser whitethroats, 10 pied flycatchers, the first whinchat, the first sedge warbler, the firsts garden warbler, the second and third common whitethroat ! Add to this list one ring ouzel and one ortolan bunting, and you get a very satisfying morning !

We finished ringing at about noon, and we were tired and starving, but that was good. We have to be ready for tomorrow, we'll probably not have as many birds as today, but the good weather could bring us some surprises.

Birds ringed today :
Gærdesmutte - Wren : 1
Jernspurv - Dunnock : 6
Rødhals - Robins : 36
Rødstjert - Common Redstart : 16
Bynkefugl - Whinchat : 1
Ringdrossel - Ring Ouzel : 1
Sangdrossel - Song Thrush : 6
Sivsanger - Sedge Warbler : 1
Gædersanger - Lesser Whitethroat: 31
Tornsanger - Common Whitethroat : 2
Havesanger - Garden Warbler : 2
Munk - Blackcap : 10
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 11
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 192
Broget Fluesnapper - Pied Flycatcher: 10
Bogfinke - Chaffinch : 1
Tornirisk - Linnet : 4
Hortulan - Ortolan Bunting : 1

The wind grew stronger this morning, so we took our courage in both hands and opened the nets expecting, perhaps, an original capture. But after a little few birds, we were realistic, we had to be patient until the wind drop, which is expected for the week-end.

Fortunately, a pair of yellowhammer brought us a bit of color. They were already ringed : in spring 2015 for the male (bird on the left) and in spring 2014 for the female (bird on the right). A loyal couple, at least to the site.

Tomorrow morning, the weather expected is a combination of rain and wind, so there's a high probability that we'll not open the nets. But a fair weather succeed it in the afternoon. That's the promess of an exciting saturday !

Birds ringed today :
Gærdesmutte - Wren : 1
Jernspurv - Dunnock : 2
Rødhals - Robins : 2
Munk - Blackcap: 1
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 1
Tornirisk - Linnet : 1

The weather does not get better those days. The wind is still present and clouds have filled the sky this morning. Add quite cold temperatures and guess what you get : no birds in the nets. Same conditions are expected the next two morning, we just have to be patient.

Anyway, some birds were trapped today, including 2 common redstarts (one already ringed in 2016), 2 goldfinches (one ringed in 2016 also) and 2 lesser redpolls.

The bird of the day is the tree pipit. We ringed the second of the season, and here is its portrait.

Birds ringed today :
Skovpiber - Tree pipit : 1
Gærdesmutte- Wren : 1
Jernspurv - Dunnock : 1
Rødhals - Robins : 2
Rødstjert - Common redstart : 1
Gædersanger - Lesser whitethroat: 2
Gransanger - Chiffchaff : 4
Løvsanger - Willow warbler : 3
Bogfinke - Chaffinch : 1
Stillits - Goldfinch : 1
Lille Gråsisken - Lesser redpoll : 2

The days come one after another but the weather is the same. A sky without clouds was above us during the opening of the nets, as well as gusts of wind. So it was a session with a limited number of nets, only the more sheltered were efficient.

As we expected, there wasn't a lot of birds trapped. However, a small group of lesser redpolls broke the monotony of the rounds. Luckily, nine birds of this species were captured in the middle of the morning, thanks to them !

Another interesting bird was ringed : a reed bunting. Not much common in the site, it's only the 8th trapped this year. So we enjoyed the moment with this young female.

Birds ringed today:
Jernspurv - Dunnock: 2
Rødhals - Robins: 1
Gædersanger - Lesser whitethroat: 4
Munk - Blackcap: 1
Gransanger - Chiffchaff: 2
Løvsanger - Willow warbler: 1
Grønirisk - Greenfinch: 1
Lille Gråsisken - Lesser redpoll : 9
Rørspurv - Reed bunting : 1

This morning, a new week started with Lars, a danish ringer. We weren't overflow with birds, probably because of the wind, not so strong but enough embarrassing.
Anyway, one more time the sun and a bit of diversity escort us : with the usual common species, we had a chaffinch, 3 greenfinch and a linnet, a male with red chest.

But the real attraction of the day was the starling, not a rarity but the very first one trapped this year. In this season, it's always a pleasure to admire its beautiful feathers.

Notice the colour of the bill and the chest, absent during the winter.

Finally, we ringed 23 new birds for 10 different species.

Birds ringed today:
Jernspurv - Dunnock: 3
Rødhals - Robins: 3
Gædersanger - Lesser whitethroat: 5
Munk - Blackcap: 3
Gransanger - Chiffchaff: 2
Løvsanger - Willow warbler: 1
Stær - Starling : 1
Bogfinke - Chaffinch: 1
Grønirisk - Greenfinch: 3
Tornirisk - Linnet : 1