Landsort diary 14th August 2016

After overnight rain the wind dropped by dawn, so all 30 nets opened at 0400 and closed at 1000 when a band of heavy rain arrived from the north.

 

A total of 54 new birds of 13 species, with a nice movement of both Lesser Whitethroat (16) and Willow Warbler (23). Two new species for the year; Yellow Wagtail and Grasshopper Warbler - all in all a good mornings ringing and hopefully a taste of what is to come.

 

Final lecture of the year was attended by two people. Like all of the previous lectures, it prompted a lot of positive comment about the work of the Observatory and much interest in the spectacular migration of birds into and out of Sweden each year. Although it would have been nice to have attracted more people, all in all they were well worth providing as a service to the island community and visitors.

 

Per, Niklas and Mikael leave the island today, after a good weekend of migration watching which provided some great records of birds seldom seen on Landsort as well as good migration data on a range of more common species.

 

Just Chris & Kay at the Obs overnight.

 

Wind: Southwest

Wind strength: Moderate wind, 4-7 m/s

Temperature: 15

Visibility: Moderate, 4-10 km

Cloud cover: Cloudy, 6-7/8

Precipitation: Showers

Birds ringed

• Yellow Wagtail            Gulärla                          Motacilla flava               1 
• Robin                            Rödhake                        Erithacus rubecula         1 
• Grasshopper Warbler Gräshoppsångare         Locustella naevia           1 
• Lesser Whitethroat      Ärtsångare                   Sylvia curruca                 16 
• Whitethroat                  Törnsångare                 Sylvia communis             1 
• Garden Warbler          Trädgårdssångare       Sylvia borin                      2 
• Blackcap                       Svarthätta                    Sylvia atricapilla              1 
• Wood Warbler             Grönsångare                Phylloscopus sibilatrix     1 
• Willow Warbler           Lövsångare                  Phylloscopus trochilus    23 
• Spotted Flycatcher      Grå flugsnappare         Muscicapa striata             1 
• Pied Flycatcher            Svartvit flugsnappare  Ficedula hypoleuca          1 
• Red-backed Shrike      Törnskata                      Lanius collurio                 1 
• Greenfinch                    Grönfink                       Carduelis chloris              4

Sightings of interest - all migrating south

• Little Stint                      Småsnäppa             Calidris minuta                       1
• Common/Arctic Tern   Fisk/Silvertärna     Sterna hirundo/paradisaea  567
• Common Crossbill        Mindre Korsnäbb  Loxia curvirostra                 115
• Pintail                             Stjärtand                Anas acuta                             17
• Golden Plover                Ljungpipare           Pluvialis apricaria                28
• Red-necked Grebe        Gråhakedopping    Podiceps grisegena                 1
• Red-throated Diver      Smålom                   Gavia stellata                          1