Revtangen BO September 30th

Very quiet, probably because the wind turned mainly westerly, even though it was only 2-4 m/s. Mostly cloudy. Nets up 06.30-14.30, netmeter hours approx. 2900. Playback on garden warbler and yellow-browed warbler through the night, grey wagtail and goldfinch later on. 

Ringed: Grey wagtail 3, winter wren 13, common blackbird 1, song thrush 1, blackcap 4, chiffchaff 1, willow warbler 1, goldcrest 1, house sparrow 1, tree sparrow 1, brambling 2, greenfinch 1, lesser redpoll 4, yellowhammer 1. Total = 35. Også 5 kontroller.

Ringmerket: Vintererle 3, gjerdesmett 13, svarttrost 1, måltrost 1, munk 4, gransanger 1, løvsanger 1, fuglekonge 1, gråspurv 1, pilfink 1, bjørkefink 2, grønnfink 1, brunsisik 4, gulspurv 1. Total = 35. Også 5 kontroller.   

Observations: Sparrowhawk 2, common buzzard 1, gyrfalcon 1, turtle dove 1 (1cy), richard's pipit 3, grey wagtail 10, barred warbler 1 (retrap from yesterday), yellow-browed warbler 1 (retrap from the 27th), goldfinch 4, lapland bunting 1. 

Asbjørn Folvik, Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. Also 4 visitors.

Revtangen BO September 29th

Partly cloudy and an irritating wind from S-SW during most of the day, so trapping conditions were not as good as the previous days. Nets up 06.30-14, netmeter hours approx. 2700. Playback on garden warbler and yellow-browed warbler through the night, song thrush and redwing at dawn, and grey wagtail later on. 

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 1, grey wagtail 8, winter wren 9, european robin 6, common blackbird 2, song thrush 4, redwing 7, barred warbler 2, garden warbler 1, blackcap 7, yellow-browed warbler 1, chiffchaff 1, willow warbler 1, goldcrest 2, blue tit 21, treecreeper 1, tree sparrow 1, chaffinch 2, brambling 1, greenfinch 2. Total = 80. Also 4 controls.

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 1, vintererle 8, gjerdesmett 9, rødstrupe 6, svarttrost 2, måltrost 4, rødvingetrost 7, haukanger 2, hagesanger 1, munk 7, gulbrynsanger 1, gransanger 1, løvsanger 1, fuglekonge 2, blåmeis 21, trekryper 1, pilfink 1, bokfink 2, bjørkefink 1, grønnfink 2. Total = 80. Også 4 kontroller. 

Observations: Hen harrier 2, kestrel 2, sparrowhawk 4, richard's pipit 2, grey wagtail 20, european goldfinch 2. 

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. 45 visitors, including 24 studens and one teacher from Godalen school, and 18 persons from "friends of Museum Stavanger". 

Revtangen BO September 28th

No wind in the morning and the mist nets caught a lot of......mist. Consequently the first net round was not as good as yesterday, but not bad either. Nets open 06.30-16.30, netmeter hours approx. 3600. Playback on european robin and yellow-browed warbler through the night, grey wagtail later on. 

Ringed: Water rail 1, tree pipit 2, meadow pipit 1, grey wagtail 17 (a new record), winter wren 8, european robin 13, song thrush 10, common blackbird 3, redwing 2, fieldfare 1, blackcap 4, chiffchaff 2, yellow-browed warbler 1, goldcrest 7, blue tit 7, great tit 1, house sparrow 1, tree sparrow 1, chaffinch 4, greenfinch 1, lesser redpoll 1. Total = 95. 

Ringmerket: Vannrikse 1, trepiplerke 2, heipiplerke 1, vintererle 17, gjerdesmett 8, rødstrupe 13, måltrost 10, svarttrost 3, rødvingetrost 2, gråtrost 1, munk 4, gransanger 2, gulbrynsanger 1, fuglekonge 7, blåmeis 7, kjøttmeis 1, gråspurv 1, pilfink 1, bokfink 4, grønfink 1, brunsisik 1. Total = 95. 

Observations: Hen harrier 1, sparrowhawk 1, kestrel 1, richard's pipit 4 (minimum, probably more), goldfinch 10, lapland bunting 1. Good numbers of song thrush on the move before dawn, also lots of skylarks and pipits in the area. A record 85 grey wagtails flew north overhead, as did around 150 eurasian siskins. 

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. 5 visitors.

Revtangen BO September 27th

The station has been closed for 6 days because we have attended the EURING-meeting in San Sebastian (Spain), but today we were back in business. Nets up from 06.30-15.30, playback on garden warbler and yellow-browed warbler through the night, grey wagtail and meadow pipit later on. Netmeter hours approx. 3300. 

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 1, water rail 1, meadow pipit 11, grey wagtail 11, winter wren 13, dunnock 3, european robin 24, common blackbird 2, song thrush 4, blackcap 3, barred warbler 1, lesser whitethroat 1, willow warbler 1, chiffchaff 3, yellow-browed warbler 6, blue tit 1, great tit 1, house sparrow 3, brambling 1, greenfinch 8, eurasian siskin 15, reed bunting 1. Total = 122. 

A record 6 yellow-browed warblers were trapped and ringed today. Gulbrynsanger.

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 1, vannrikse 1, heipiplerke 11, vintererle 11, gjerdesmett 13, jernspurv 3, gjerdesmett 13, rødstrupe 24, svarttrost 2, måltrost 4, munk 3, hauksanger 1, møller 1, løvsanger 1, gransanger 3, gulbrynsanger 6, blåmeis 1, kjøttmeis 1, gråspurv 3, bjørkefink 1, grønnfink 8, grønnsisik 15, sivspurv 1. Total = 122. 

Observations: Hen harrier 1 adult female, grey wagtail 30, yellow wagtail 1, richard's pipit 7, blyth's reed warbler 1 (retrap of the bird ringed on the 16th). A few flocks of siskins moved north during the day, otherwise not much visible migration. 

Asbjørn Folvik. Alf Tore Mjøs and Morten Stokke. 25 visitors, 6 children and 19 adults. 

Revtangen BO September 21st

Bad weather and strong wind, mainly from the north and northwest, has prevented ringing a few days. Today the conditions were close to perfect for trapping in the morning, almost no wind and light clouds. Around noon the sun came out and the wind shifted towards S-SW. Nets up 06-14, netmeter hours approx. 2900. Playback on garden warbler and yellow-browed warbler throught the night and early morning, tree pipit, meadow pipit and grey wagtail later on. A nice day with both quantity and quality took the 2015-total past 4000 birds.

Ringed: Water rail 1, meadow pipit 65, tree pipit 8, grey wagtail 15(!!), winter wren 4, european robin 2, grasshopper warbler 1, garden warbler 2, blackcap 13, yellow-browed warbler 1, chiffchaff 5, goldcrest 3, blue tit 1, house sparrow 1, tree sparrow 4, starling 1, greenfinch 2, linnet 1, eurasian siskin 38, reed bunting 1, yellowhammer 4. Total = 173.

Ringmerket: Vannrikse 1, heipiplerke 65, trepiplerke 8, vintererle 15 (!!), gjerdesmett 4, rødstrupe 2, gresshoppeanger 1, hagesanger 2, munk 13, gulbrynsanger 1, gransanger 5, fuglekonge 3, blåmeis 1, gråspurv 1, pilfink 4, stær 1, grønnfink 2, tornirisk 1, grønnsisik 38, sivspurv 1, gulspurv 4. Total = 173.

Another quality day started off with water rail and....

yellow browed warbler on the first round after dawn, and continued with a record...

15(!!) grey wagtails caught with playback by the new garden pond. 

We finished off with this grasshopper warbler, it bounced twice from the nets in the morning and hid in the bushes all day before we trapped it in the early afternoon. 

Observations: Hen harrier 2, grey wagtail around 50, most flying north, blyth's reed warbler 1 (retrap from the 16th). 

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös. 2 visitors.

Revtangen BO September 16th

Wind and rain has prevented ringing for a few days. Today conditions were fine in the morning, with ESE moderate breeze. But few migrants were around, probably because of the very poor weather to the east of us. Nets up 06.30-14.30, netmeter hours approx. 3000. Playback on garden warbler through the night, meadow pipit later on. Too windy from around 12.

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 2, meadow pipit 21, european robin 1, blyth's reed warbler 1, blackcap 7, garden warbler 1, goldcrest 1, great tit 3, house sparrow 1, tree sparrow 2. Total = 40. Also 5 controls. 

For the third consecutive year we have blyth's reed warbler in the ringing total. This one was the 8th ringed at Revtangen bird observatory. A fresh first-year with a wing of 65 mm, notice also the wing formula with a short p2 (the outermost of the long primaries). Busksanger 1K.

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 2, heipiplerke 21, rødstrupe 1, busksanger 1, munk 7, hagesanger 1, fuglekonge 1, kjøttmeis 3, gråspurv 1, pilfink 2. Total = 40. Også 5 kontroller. 

Observations: 

Bird Observatory: Sparrowhawk 15, goshawk 1, hen harrier 1, peregrine 1, kestrel 2, merlin 1, yellow wagtail 2, common swift 2, house martin 6, lapland bunting 1. 

Revtangen: Gyr falcon 1, peregrine 1, brent goose 2, little gull 1 1cy. 

1 cy gyr falcon sitting on the gravel road leading down to Revtangen. 1K jaktfalk.

1 cy little gull at Revtangen. Dvergmåke 1K. 

Some bug news: Spiked shieldbug (Picromerus bidens) was a new shieldbug for Revtangen BO today. Only a handful of records in Rogaland county previously. Taggbreitege.

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs

Revtangen BO September 13th

We are still struggling with the strong SE, and today the rain also set in. The nets were open a short while in the morning, but soon had to be closed. There were very few birds in the garden anyway. But one of the 3 birds ringed was a turtle dove, the first for 13 years and the 6th ever ringed at Revtangen BO. 

Ringed: Turtle dove 1, blackcap 1, garden warbler 1. 

Ringmerket: Turteldue 1, munk 1, hagesanger 1. 

Turtle dove (1 cy). Turteldue (1K).   

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. Also 13 ringing course participants.

Revtangen BO September 12th

ESE 10-14 m/s, part cloudy and a decent temperature. Playback on blackcap and garden warbler through the night and early morning, tree pipit, meadow pipit and barn swallow later on. The wind was a bit too strong for efficient trapping. Continued ringing course with 13 participants throughout the day.

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 3, collared dove 1, barn swallow 2, tree pipit 5, meadow pipit 1, winter wren 2, european robin 1, redwing 2, song thrush 1, blackcap 2, willow warbler 2, spotted flycatcher 2, house sparrow 2, linnet 1, yellowhammer 1.Total = 28.

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 3, tyrkerdue 1, låvesvale 2, trepiplerke 5, heipiplerke 1, gjerdesmett 2, rødstrupe 1, rødvingetrost 2, måltrost 1, munk 2, løvsanger 2, gråfluesnapper 2, gråspurv 2, tornirisk 1, gulspurv 1. Total = 28.

Observations: Sparrowhawk 20+, kestrel 5, marsh harrier 1 1cy, peregrine 1. When the sun was out at least 3 different species of dragonflies were on the wing in the garden, Aeshnea juncea, Sympetrum danae and Sympetrum vulgae. The latter was a first for Revtangen BO, and the first in Rogaland in recent historical times (two old undated museumspcimens from Rogaland exists).

Sympetrum vulgatum, at two different places in the garden and at different times, but with different light it is not easy to tell if both pictures show the same or two different individuals. Sørlig høstlibelle.

Also a very interesting moth trapped today: Dotted Rustic, the first record at Revtangen BO. Sandmarkfly.

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. 2 visitors and 13 participants at ringing course. 

Revtangen BO September 11th

A very pleasant day at Revtangen BO. ESE breeze 6-8 m/s concentrated lots of raptors between the station and the sea. There were not too many birds caught, thereforer we had plenty of time to enjoy the migration. Nets up 06-14 and 18.30-21. Playback on garden warbler and reed warbler throught the night, european robin at dawn, then meadow pipit, tree pipit and dunnock from the morning onwards. 

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 2, tree pipit 2, meadow pipit 12, dunnock 2, winter wren 1, european robin 4, redstart 5, garden warbler 6, blackcap 10, common whitethroat 1, willow warbler 2, goldcrest 1, pied flycatcher 1, house sparrow 1, tree sparrow 2, chaffinch 1, linnet 1. Total = 54. Also 3 controls. 

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 2, trepiplerke 2, heipiplerke 12, jernspurv 2, gjerdesmett 1, rødstrupe 4, rødstjert 5, hagesanger 6, munk 10, tornsanger 1, løvsanger 2, fuglekonge 1, svarthvit fluesnapper 1, gråspurv 1, pilfink 2, bokfink 1, tornirisk 1. Total = 54.    

Observations: Sparrowhawk 115, goshawk 2, hen harrier 4, pallid harrier at least one 1 cy, marsh harrier 3 (1 cy), osprey 1, peregrine 3, kestrel 30. 

In the evening we started the first ever ringing course in the recently renovated old station building, with 13 participants. 

This sparrowhawk needs glasses. It took aim at the photographer from a long distanse, and only less than a meter from my face did it realize that I was not a bullfinch. Spurvehauk.

1 cy goshawk (top) and sparrowhawk. Hønsehauk 1K (øverst) og spurvehauk.

Håvard Husebø, Alf Tore Mjøs and Morten Stokke. 3 visitors.  

Revtangen BO September 10th

The weather was much like yesterday. Nets up 06-14, playback on garden warbler and reed warbler through the night, european robin around dawn and meadow pipit/tree pipit the rest of the day.

Ringed: Sparrowhawk 3, tree pipit 3, meadow pipit 57, dunnock 2,  european robin 3, redstart 1, sedge warbler 1, garden warbler 5, barred warbler 1, blackcap 3, common whitethroat 1, chiffchaff 3, willow warbler 3, goldcrest 1, house sparrow 2, tree sparrow 3, chaffinch 2, common rosefinch 1, yellowhammer 1. Total = 96.

Ringmerket: Spurvehauk 3, trepiplerke 3, heipiplerke 57, jernspurv 2, rødstrupe 3, rødstjert 1, sivsnager 1, hagesanger 5, hauksanger 1, munk 3, tornsanger 1, gransanger 3, løvsanger 3, fuglekonge 1, gråspurv 2, pilfink 3, bokfink 2, rosenfink 1, gulspurv 1. Total = 96. 

1 cy common rosefinch, this first in 2015. 1K rosenfink, årets første.

Observations: Hen harrier 1, pallid harrier 1 1cy flying north, kestrel 5, sparrowhawk 15+, green sandpiper 2, grey wagtail 5, red-throated pipit 1 flew over, yellow-browed warbler 1.

A distant record shot of the pallid harrier. Steppehauk. 

Asbjørn Folvik, Håvard Husebø, Alf Tore Mjøs. 4 visitors.

Revtangen BO September 9th

Strong north- and northwesterlies have prevented any trapping of migrants at Revtangen BO the last four days. This morning was clear, cool and with only a very faint eastern wind, and the nets "trapped" a lot of dew before the sun came out. But they trapped a fair number of birds also, since playbck on garden warbler and reed warbler dropped a morning rush of more than 50 warblers into the nets. Nets up 06-19, netmeter hours approx. 4700. Playback on tree pipit and meadow pipit through the day, an effort with playback on grey wagtail produced no result despite quite a few fly-over candidates.  

Ringed: Meadow pipit 51, tree pipit 6, winter wren 2 (first this autumn), european robin 3, bluethroat 1, redwing 1, reed warbler 2, sedge warbler 4, garden warbler 12, blackcap 27, common whitethroat 5, lesser whitethroat 1, willow warbler 2, chiffchaff 1, yellow-browed warbler 1, goldcrest 7 (first this autumn), house sparrow 7, tree sparrow 1, linnet 1. Total = 135. Also 4 controls. 

Ringmerket: Heipiplerke 51, trepiplerke 6, gjerdesmett 2, rødstrupe 3, blåstrupe 1, rødvingetrost 1, rørsanger 2, sivsanger 2, hagesanger 12, munk 27, tornsanger 5, møller 1, løvsanger 2, gransanger 1, gulbrynsanger 1, fuglekonge 7, gråspurv 7, pilfink 1, tornirisk 1. Total = 135. Også 4 kontroller. 

Bluethroat is a scarce species at Revtangen, less than annual and this is the 64th ringed at the bird observatory. The greater covert wing bar created by tawny well-defined notches on the feather tips identifies it as a 1 cy, and the lack of any blue in the breast band means it's a female. Blåstrupe 1K hunn.

This yellow-browed warbler is number 36 at Revtangen BO, and the earliest autumn record ever (one from September 11th 2003 was the earliest so far).

Observations: Hen harrier 3, goshawk 2, sparrowhawk 12+, kestrel 7+, common buzzard 2, grey wagtail 6+, yellow wagtail 1, red-throated pipit 1 flew over. 

This peacock butterfly was the first recored in the station garden in 2015. Dagpåfugløye, den første på stasjonen i 2015.

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. 11 visitors.

Revtangen BO September 4th

Easterlies in the morning, but only a few m/s, turning towards west in the middle of the day. Nets up 05.30-14, netmeter hours approx. 3100. Playback on garden warbler and reed warbler through the night and early morning, tree pipit, meadow pipit and barn swallow later on. 

Ringed: Barn swallow 4, tree pipit 4, meadow pipit 40, northern wheatear 2, whinchat 2, redstart 2, european robin 2, reed warbler 1, sedge warbler 6, garden warbler 19, blackcap 1, common whitethroat 3, lesser whitethroat 1, willow warbler 5, pied flycatcher 2, tree sparrow 2, linnet 2. Total = 98. Also two controls, including the barred warbler from the 1st. 

Observations: Goshawk 2, sparrowhawk 1, kestrel 1, merlin 1, yellow wagtail 2, grey wagtail 1. 

Our third Convulvoulous hawk-moth of the year was the highlight from the moth traps this morning, a much nicer specimen than the previous two. Årets tredje vindelsvermer.

Morten arrived with new garden furniture, which was perfect since we recently threw away the old remains of the wooden bench and table we had before. 

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs. 32 visitors, including 30 students from St. Olav videregående skole. 

Revtangen BO September 3rd

Easterlies and cloudy, a few very light showers but we also saw the sun a few times. The wind picked up late morning and was a little too strong for efficient trapping i most nets for the rest of the day. Nets open 05.30-18, netmeter hours approx. 4100. Playback on reed warbler and garden warbler through the night and early morning, but no noticeable fall today. Probably the heavy rain that has battered SE Norway the last couple of days are stopping the arrivals from the east. Playback on meadow pipit 07-18, tree pipit and barn swallow 09-16. 

Ringed: Collared dove 1, barn swallow 13, meadow pipit 97, tree pipit 4, redstart 1, whinchat 1, european robin 3, sedge warbler 2, garden warbler 6, blackcap 3, common whitethroat 1, lesser whitethroat 1, willow warbler 5, spottet flycatcher 1, tree sparrow 9. Total = 148. Also 12 controls, including the barred warbler ringed on the 1st.   

Ringmerket: Tyrkerdue 1, låvesvale 13, heipiplerke 97, trepiplerke 4, rødstjert 1, buskskvett 1, rødstrupe 3, sivsanger 2, hagesanger 6, munk 3, tornsanger 1, møller 1, løvsanger 5, gråfluesnapper 1, pilfink 9. Total = 148. Også 12 kontroller, inkludert hauksangeren fra 1.9.

Whinchats are rarely trapped at Revtangen, this 1 cy was the second in 2015. Buskskvett 1K.

Observations: Goshawk 1, sparrowhawk 1-2, kastrel 1, merlin 1, peregrine 2, yellow wagtail 1. 

Håvard Husebø and Alf Tore Mjøs

Revtangen BO September 1st

The weather forecast promised NE and cloudy but no rain. The rain came anyway, but in very modest quantities. We put up most of the nets, but left those in the northern part of the trapping area closed. Nets open 06-14, netmeter hours approx. 2200. Playback on reed warbler, garden warbler and grasshopper warbler from 02-09, meadow pipit and linnet after that. Again a good fall of warblers in the morning, slightly better than yesterday.

Ringed: Green sandpiper 1, meadow pipit 85, european robin 3, sedge warbler 2, reed warbler 19, garden warbler 47, barred warbler 1, blackcap 10, common whitethroat 8, lesser whitethroat 1, willow warbler 8, pied flycatcher 2, common starling 1, linnet 1. Total = 189. Also 4 controls, including a reed warbler not from Revtangen (or nearby Erga ringing site). 

Ringmerket: Skogsnipe 1, heipiplerke 85, rødstrupe 3, sivsanger 2, rørsanger 19, hagesanger 47, hauksanger 1, munk 10, tornsanger 8, møller 1, løvsanger 8, svarthvit fluesnapper 2, stær 1, tornirisk 1. Total = 189. Også 4 kontroller, inkl. en fremmed rørsanger. 

Håvard Husebø, Alf Tore Mjøs, Bjørn Mo.