Gannets

Gannets

Sunday 29 September 2013

Moose antlers in village
 Bedstraw Hawk-moth Caterpillar
 Tree Sparrow
 Male Yellowhammer - a little cracker!
Female Bullfinch - a ringing tick for Kay

Week-ending 29th September 2013
Species Kay Chris
Treecreeper 8 0
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 1
Goldcrest 74 15
Chiffchaff 18 0
Chiffchaff abietinus 1 0
Red-breasted Flycatcher 8 5
Icterine Warbler 2 3
Lesser Whitethroat 121 11
Pied Flycatcher 9 0
Marsh Warbler 0 1
Common Redpoll 63 0
Common Redpoll flammea 41 0
Common Redpoll cabaret 11 0
Redstart 25 1
Bluethroat 0 2
Reed Warbler 2 0
Robin 286 55
Marsh Tit 4 1
Sedge Warbler 2 0
Siskin 37 0
Spotted Flycatcher 32 5
Whinchat 2 0
Wren 15 0
Willow Warbler 174 15
Coal Tit 5 2
Dunnock 6 0
Wood Warbler 5 1
Blackcap 221 23
Blue Tit 19 3
White Wagtail 13 1
Wheatear 1 0
Chaffinch 19 4
Garden Warbler 45 5
Tree Pipit 8 1
Goldfinch 0 0
Whitethroat 16 7
Rustic Bunting 0 1
Brambling 2 0
Reed Bunting 4 0
Yellow Wagtail 1 0
Common Rosefinch 4 2
Great Tit 26 3
Nuthatch 1 0
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 1
Greenfinch 64 3
Thrush Nightingale 3 1
Tree Sparrow 2 0
Bullfinch 1 0
Yellowhammer 5 0
Red-backed Shrike 18 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker 20 1
Blackbird 9 1
Nightjar 0 0
Song Thrush 53 5
Cuckoo 1 0
Sparrowhawk 8 2
Kestrel 1 0



Totals 1518 186
A tricky week this week as the wind has been quite strong, limiting the number of nets we could safely open. it has also turned cold, with ground frost on a couple of mornings. This is good though, as it will make the birds start migration in earnest!  Had some great sunsets this week and despite the cold it has been largely sunny and very enjoyable.

Sadly, the Foxes (there are now three) have learnt that the nets can provide an easy meal! We had hoped this would not happen as they usually go off to sleep for the day before we start catching birds. We suspect that with the colder weather, fewer people living here (so less food being left for them) and fewer berries to eat they are staying out foraging later in the morning and have taken birds from the nets.

Each year they are culled by the community to protect ground-nesting birds, so it seems inevitable that this will now happen sooner rather than later.

The shop closed its doors for the last time today, so we stocked up on a few things and will rely on friends who are coming to the Obs to bring what we need. To be honest it has worked really well so far and we are not short of much, though a conversation last night about Fish & Chips was perhaps not that helpful!

Weather looks good for birding in the nest few days and we did well today with 81 new birds ringed. See below for the summary of how we have done so far. Kay is now ranked 21st for the numbers of birds ringed here by individuals over the last 25+ years. Not a bad effort for 6 weeks work!! For reference, Chris is languishing in 60th place!!

Sunday 22 September 2013

 Autumn light
 A Baltic inlet
 Kay with Cod(ling)
 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Village in evening light
A mixed week of weather, though we caught our second and third Yellow-browed Warblers of the trip and ringed our first Brambing of Autumn.

The Fox is still keeping us company and this week Kay saw a Mink, only about 20' away and unaware of her presence. We have started catching more Great Spotted Woodpeckers and have now caught more than double the previous years record of them, with plenty more to come!

Although still mild there is a real feel of Autumn about the island, and we are picking decent numbers of field mushrooms.

Had only our third night with just the two of us overnight! Went fishing yesterday and Kay caught a codling, too small to keep but at least we know they are there.

From the house today we saw three White-tailed Eagle, an Osprey and a HoneyBuzzard.


Week-ending 22nd September 2013
Species Kay Chris
Treecreeper 5 0
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 1
Goldcrest 45 15
Chiffchaff 12 0
Red-breasted Flycatcher 7 5
Icterine Warbler 2 3
Lesser Whitethroat 121 11
Pied Flycatcher 9 0
Marsh Warbler 0 1
Common Redpoll 43 0
Redstart 24 1
Bluethroat 0 2
Reed Warbler 2 0
Robin 181 55
Marsh Tit 4 1
Sedge Warbler 2 0
Siskin 36 0
Spotted Flycatcher 32 5
Whinchat 2 0
Wren 6 0
Willow Warbler 170 15
Coal Tit 3 2
Wood Warbler 5 1
Blackcap 206 23
Blue Tit 15 3
White Wagtail 13 1
Wheatear 1 0
Chaffinch 9 4
Garden Warbler 45 5
Tree Pipit 5 1
Goldfinch 0 0
Whitethroat 16 7
Rustic Bunting 0 1
Brambling 2 0
Yellow Wagtail 1 0
Common Rosefinch 4 2
Great Tit 20 3
Nuthatch 1 0
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 1
Greenfinch 64 3
Thrush Nightingale 3 1
Yellowhammer 5 0
Red-backed Shrike 18 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker 19 1
Blackbird 8 1
Nightjar 0 0
Song Thrush 35 5
Cuckoo 1 0
Sparrowhawk 6 2
Kestrel 1 0



Totals 1210 186

Sunday 15 September 2013

 Nightjar - very soft plumage!
 Kestrel
 Rowan & Lighthouse
 Sorcha all poshed up!!!
Rustic Bunting


Kay Chris
Treecreeper 2 0
Yellow-browed Warbler 0 1
Goldcrest 26 15
Red-breasted Flycatcher 7 5
Icterine Warbler 2 3
Lesser Whitethroat 109 11
Pied Flycatcher 9 0
Marsh Warbler 0 1
Common Redpoll 4 0
Redstart 24 1
Bluethroat 0 2
Reed Warbler 2 0
Robin 96 55
Marsh Tit 3 1
Sedge Warbler 2 0
Siskin 20 0
Spotted Flycatcher 31 5
Whinchat 2 0
Wren 2 0
Willow Warbler 159 15
Coal Tit 2 2
Wood Warbler 4 1
Blackcap 128 23
Blue Tit 12 3
White Wagtail 13 1
Wheatear 1 0
Chaffinch 7 4
Garden Warbler 31 5
Tree Pipit 5 1
Goldfinch 0 0
Whitethroat 16 7
Rustic Bunting 0 1
Yellow Wagtail 1 0
Common Rosefinch 4 2
Great Tit 19 3
Nuthatch 1 0
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 1
Greenfinch 63 3
Thrush Nightingale 3 1
Yellowhammer 5 0
Red-backed Shrike 17 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker 12 1
Blackbird 8 1
Nightjar 0 0
Song Thrush 10 5
Cuckoo 1 0
Sparrowhawk 3 2
Kestrel 1 0
     
Totals 867 186
Overall a bit of a mixed week. The main event of the week was Kay departing for High Wycombe on the 10th to attend Sorchas Graduation ceremony, which went very well and they had a great time together.

Whilst she was away the birding was mixed, with our 10-12th Red-breasted Flycatchers of the trip. Mr Fox came and had breakfast with Janne and Chris, approaching to a couple of feet. On the day that Kay returned we caught a smashing Rustic Bunting, only the 13th caught here, followed later in the day by Kay catching a Nightjar, in broad daylight (they are nocturnal), only the 3rd ever caught! Very generously she gave it to Pelle (Per) who was delighted.

The nights are really closing in now, though until today, it has been very warm - T-shirt weather from 0600 onwards and bright sunshine most days. A little rain shower was the first for a couple of weeks, though some more is forecast tomorrow. Today we ringed the 6th Kestrel ever to be caught here and this week we passed the 3,000 birds ringed for the year mark, with Kay & Chris accounting for over 1,000 of them.

Other noteworthy events included Tore, one of the Islands residents and skipper of the Pilot and Ferry vessels, setting the Obs up with wireless connections - what a great difference it makes. He calls round most days for a cuppa and a chat. We are now pretty much accepted by the community here now and chat with many of the residents when we bump into them, which makes it even more pleasurable to be here. For the first time in weeks the sunset is lost behind the clouds tonight!!!

Monday 9 September 2013


Species Kay Chris
Treecreeper 2 0
Goldcrest 11 0
Red-breasted Flycatcher 6 3
Icterine Warbler 2 3
Lesser Whitethroat 106 9
Pied Flycatcher 9 0
Marsh Warbler 0 1
Common Redpoll 3 0
Redstart 23 0
Bluethroat 0 1
Reed Warbler 2 0
Robin 53 3
Marsh Tit 3 1
Sedge Warbler 2 0
Siskin 20 0
Spotted Flycatcher 30 5
Whinchat 2 0
Wren 1 0
Willow Warbler 156 13
Wood Warbler 4 1
Blackcap 116 8
Blue Tit 12 2
White Wagtail 12 1
Wheatear 1 0
Chaffinch 6 2
Garden Warbler 31 4
Tree Pipit 5 0
Goldfinch 0 0
Whitethroat 16 6
Yellow Wagtail 1 0
Common Rosefinch 3 2
Great Tit 18 2
Nuthatch 1 0
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 1
Greenfinch 62 2
Thrush Nightingale 3 1
Yellowhammer 5 0
Red-backed Shrike 17 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 12 1
Blackbird 8 1
Song Thrush 3 2
Cuckoo 1 0
Sparrowhawk 3 1



Totals 771 79

Sunday 8 September 2013

A quiet week in terms of numbers of birds caught, as the fantastic weather continues. We are opening the nets at 0430 each morning and by the time we do our first check of them the sun is just breaking the horizon on the Baltic and you can walk round in T-shirts.

Earlier in the week, Chris had Mr Fox for company again; he followed beside me as i wandered round to open the nets, sitting waiting for me as i opened each one, before heading off to his den somewhere to the north of the netting area.

Although quiet in terms of birds caught, Chris flushed a Great Snipe from the reedbeds today, only the 15th record for the Observatory in it's 25 years, so a good bird, seen by most of the Obs volunteers who came out.

the 7th, was the Open Day to mark the 25th anniversary of the Observatory, with over 120 visitors coming to see our ringing demonstration, learn about the importance of this type of bird research and to spend some time watching migratory birds passing overhead. Despite the best efforts of everyone who attended, there is still a mountain of hotdog sausages, rolls and cinnamon buns in the freezer!

It is interesting to note how many young Swedes are interested in birds and birding. Many of those at the open day brought small children and there is a heathly number of the Obs members who are in the 16-23 age group - if only that were the case back home!!

Good also to see quite a few of the Island residents make the effort to come to yesterdays event. From what we hear, the Obs was not always welcomed, but that certainly is not the case now.

Kay and I are now recognised as 'locals'

Sunday 1 September 2013


1st September - juvenile male Sparrowhawk, one of over 200 on the Island today


 
1st September - juvenile Red-breasted Flycatcher. Our 3rd of the autumn and the 137th since 1978 

 
Sunrise from the house


View towards west harbour

 
Shelter in east harbour


Week-ending 1st September
Species Kay Chris
Treecreeper 10
Goldcrest 2 0
Red-breasted Flycatcher 21
Icterine Warbler 23
Lesser Whitethroat 84 9
Pied Flycatcher 8 0
Marsh Warbler 0 1
Common Redpoll 1 0
Redstart 14 0
Reed Warbler 2 0
Robin 17 3
Marsh Tit 31
Sedge Warbler 2 0
Siskin 8 0
Spotted Flycatcher 21 5
Whinchat 2 0
Willow Warbler 131 12
Wood Warbler 3 1
Blackcap 77 8
Blue Tit 8 2
White Wagtail 10 1
Wheatear 1 0
Chaffinch 4 2
Garden Warbler 28 4
Tree Pipit 5 0
Goldfinch 0 0
Whitethroat 15 6
Yellow Wagtail 1 0
Common Rosefinch 32
Great Tit 15 2
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 1
Greenfinch 62 2
Thrush Nightingale 31
Yellowhammer 50
Red-backed Shrike 16 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 11 1
Blackbird 5 1
Song Thrush 0 2
Cuckoo 10
Sparrowhawk 1 0



Totals 574 74