Ramón and I returned from a week in sunny Spain (on wedding business (not ours!)) in time for a busy day at the station. It was a classic autumn day – misty and damp, with leaves periodically clogging up the nets, but beautifully atmospheric. We startled an owl as we opened the nets, renewing our determination to catch one… We’ll keep you posted!

I was worried that a week off would leave me rusty, but I got straight back into the flow as we collected a steady stream of birds from the nets. It felt good to be back at work! We caught at lot of the usual suspects – robins, chiffchaffs, and goldcrests, as well as other common visitors – dunnocks, wrens, blackbirds, and song thrushes. We also caught a stunning male siskin, and a more notable highlight – two fieldfares! Considering that only around 200 have been caught in the history of Gedser, and generally only a couple each year, they are an exciting find in the nets.

Alex and Esben have now left to seek their fortunes in the real world, so Ramón and I are back at the helm for the rest of the season. The house is unusually quiet!

All the best,

Gail

The data: