Crake day!
Personal: Magnus, Teresa, Torben, Lena, Marianne and Nico .
Weather: Sunny with few clouds passing by... 20 degrees.
Projects: Great reed warbler, and Farmland birds
Last night a new staf member arrived at the field station, Marianne from d’Alsace in France. She will be assisiting with several projects the next six weeks...it’s good to get some reinforcement because ‘the game is on’.
Today the Great Reed Warbler team allowed themselve a ‘late start’ after they had ringed a Spotted Crake late last night. We are going to try to ring all Spotted Crakes in Kvismare (just like last year) so the comming days it will be a lot of ‘working overtime’. Magnus Friberg (Kismare boardmember, but also known as ‘Mister Kvismare) usualy picks up one ore two team members to assist around ten ‘o clock in the evening (today actually turned out to be ‘Crake day’ Friberg&co ringed also a Corn Crake in the afternoon!!)
The late start did however not affect the results because a new Great Reed Warbler logger male was found and caught. The light logger that is atached to the bird’s back like a little rugsack, works like an antenna which reveals the birds migration route by registrating light (changes) during the year. It’s always a big relief when a new logger bird is found, caught and releaved from this (small) burdon
The farmland boys proceeded their hunt for yellowhammers this morning and were able to identify several pairs, but no feeding behaviour which ‘reveals’ a nest with chicks. Just like with the skylarks, it seems that they will have to wait a few more days for the ‘big bang’. In the afternoon they searchedfor new Ortolans in the woodland areas in the northern part of Kvismare,...and not without succes because two individuals could be identified….. more studying of possible colour rings will folow the next few days.
After returning home, it apeared that the rest of the meadows surrounding the birdstation were cut. The crows and black-headed gulls were enjoying a mouse-mole dinner feast…….they were hungry, just like us!
NDL