Gannets

Gannets

Sunday 21 December 2014

Our final week on Landsort

So, our final week came and went!!! Quieter for birds with Kay and I ringing just 48 birds of 17 species. During the latter half of the week we spent time taking down most of the 30 nets we had been using since mid-July, so on the 30th November, our last day, we had just 5 nets open by the time we closed them for the last time at 1430. By then we had given up hope of breaking the record for a year for Waxwing, which stood at 78, with us stuck on 77!!! 

Luck was with us though, as on our last net round, as we were closing the last net we caught 3 Waxwing, taking the record to 80!! A splendid way to finish the trip, and we even got a ringing tick for Janne!!!

So, nets closed, data entered and the last few files backed up, it was time for the final bit of packing, a shower and then load most of our luggage onto the ferry ready for leaving the next day. All safely stored on board (now that is service!!) it was down to the the pub, where Hanna and Inga had laid on a farewell meal for us; traditional Swedish Christmas food, with fish and cold meats, pickles, potatoes and a cake to round it off. What a great way to end our stay there, in their company, along with Lasse, Lena, and Ellan, Janne, Monica and Tore. Really good company and a lovely night.

First thing on the 1st December were were off on the ferry at 0635 with Lasse at the helm and Monica on duty. Tearful farewells at Ankerudden before a trip to Nynshamn for some shopping and then our trip home by road began, after our breakfast stop at Rosenhill for pancakes, jam and cream.

Uneventfull trip home, with temperatues not rising above 0 degrees all the way through Europe and sometimes dropping to -4. It was dry though, so no problems with the roads. Stayed at Ljungby in Sweden on the first night before getting to Maribo in Denmark on night 2, where we picked up Smew for the birding list and a lifer for Kay. Cold walks along the lake at dusk and in the morning before leaving to get to Osnabrook in Germany, where we found the hotel after an hour or so!!!

All three hotels were comfortable, with good food, reasonably priced and WITH FLUSHING TOILETS!!! What a treat. Well done Kay for finding them. On the 4th, it was a trip to Rotterdam to get the overnight ferry before leaving Hull on the 5th, across England to Heysham for the 1415 sailing to the good old Isle of Man. Home at last by 1800. Feels good to be back, but we both miss Landsort, Sweden and all the many friends we have made there.

Safe to say, it will not be our last trip to a wonderful country and a beautiful island.


Some scenes from our last week on Landsort

Late afternoon light looking south

 Sunset looking to the village

 Afternoon light looking north

The Observatory at night with the Manx flag in the window!!!

Birds ringed on Landsort as at 30th November 2014



w/e 30th  Nov
Species As at 23rd  Kay  Chris    Total
Barred Warbler 6 6
Bearded Tit 3 3
Blackbird 98 3 101
Blackcap 267 2 269
Black Redstart 1 1
Bluethroat 2 2
Blue Tit 210 210
Blyth's Reed Warbler 1 1
Brambling 17 1 18
Bullfinch 37 2 39
Chaffinch 126 2 128
Chiffchaff 75 75
Chiffchaff abietinus 5 5
Coal Tit 14 14
Common Redpoll 229 229
Common Redpoll cabaret 129 2 1 132
Common Redpoll flammea 62 6 68
Common Rosefinch 10 10
Dunnock 36 36
Dusky Warbler 1 1
Fieldfare 10 10
Garden Warbler 67 67
Goldcrest 2607 1 2608
Goldfinch 9 9
Great Grey Shrike 1 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 2
Great Tit 197 197
Greenfinch 256 2 258
Greenish Warbler 2 2
Hawfinch 1 1
House Sparrow 3 3
Icterine Warbler 44 44
Jack Snipe 1 1
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 2 2
Lesser Whitethroat 240 240
Long-tailed Tit 177 177
Magpie 1 1
Marsh Tit 8 8
Marsh Warbler 2 2
Meadow Pipit 7 7
Nuthatch 4 4
Pied Flycatcher 31 31
Red-backed Shrike 76 76
Red-breasted Flycatcher 9 9
Redstart 36 36
Redwing 3 3
Reed Bunting 103 1 104
Reed Warbler 6 6
Robin 1027 1 1028
Sedge Warbler 6 6
Siskin 74 74
Snipe 1 1
Song Thrush 53 1 54
Sparrowhawk 15 15
Spotted Flycatcher 38 38
Starling 0 1 1
Swallow 49 49
Thrush Nightingale 20 20
Tree Pipit 15 15
Tree Sparrow 87 87
Treecreeper 181 181
Twite 5 1 6
Waxwing 53 10 8 71
Wheatear 4 4
Whinchat 1 1
White Wagtail 34 34
Whitethroat 88 88
Willow Warbler 334 334
Wryneck 1 1
Wood Warbler 10 10
Wren 127 2 129
Yellow-browed Warbler 3 3
Yellowhammer 29 1 30
Total 7489 36 12 7537