On Sunday the Observatory had an open garden event where people were invited to come and pick blackberries - provided they kept clear of the nets (these are pretty obvious to most).  On Sunday about fifty people, including families, came and harvested some of the berries.  This opportunity was repeated today with about fifteen people coming and a group of people from a local old persons home too- these people seemed to have a very enjoyable time given that several had mobility issues (going around part of the garden in wheelchairs).  Such events are important in "showing" certain aspects of what happens at the Observatory and importantly does not isolate the Observatory from the local community.

 

Despite the humans harvesting effort there are still many berries left for the birds, and other creatures too.  The blackberries are a very important food for the migratory birds that pass through the garden (hopefully via our nets).  The berries provide the migrants with much needed sugars that they can turn into fat.  Both the sugars and the fats provide the fuel for the birds' migration.  The berries succulence probably also provides the birds with water too.

 

Bird ringers may have doubts about the bird's efficiency at digesting and absorbing the blackberries' sugars.  This is because by the end of a ringing session during this berry season the ringers' fingers, hands, and clothing have deep blue stains; as do the bird bags too!  This is a small price  to pay for the privilege of ringing birds.

 

And so to the bird ringing.  For the third consecutive day our total was over one hundred - this is very pleasing.  The redstart numbers were less today than in previous days but this was sort-of to be expected.  A black redstart was a pleasing catch as was yet another juvenile red-backed shrike.  This later capture brings the total for this species, so far this season to ten, these birds are suspected to be local birds - this is good to know!

 

 

 

People at the station: Anne Hermanns, Chris Sharp, Joakim Matthiesen and Ole Friis Larsen.