Revtangen BO April 28th

Much of the same weather, cold with only one degree in the morning and very little movement of birds. Nets open 05.30-12.30. Netmeter hours approx. 2200. 

Ringed: Collared Dove 1, Meadow Pipit 2, White Wagtail 1, Fieldfare 1, Redwing 1, Common Linnet 1. Total = 7. Also 5 controls. 

Ringmerket: Tyrkerdue 1, heipiplerke 2, linerle 1, gråtrost 1, rødvingetrost 1, tornirisk 1.

Observations: The Wryneck from yesterday was still around.

Revtangen BO April 27th

Slightly warmer with around 4 degrees in the morning, but very little evidence of any arrivals. Light easterlies tuirning NW around 11, partly cloudy. Nets open 05.30-13.30. Netmeter hours approx. 2500. 

Ringed: Eurasian Wryneck 1 (first this season), White Wagtail 1, European Robin 1, Common Blackbird 2, Chiffchaff 1, Common Linnet 3, Lesser Redpoll 2. Total = 11. Also 4 controls. 

Eurasian Wryneck is a scarce migrant at Revtangen BO, typically we catch one around this time most years. Vendehals.

Ringmerket: Vendehals 1, linerle 1, rødstrupe 1, svarttrost 2, gransanger 1, tornirisk 3, brunsisik 2. Total = 11. Også 4 kontroller. 

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO April 26th

Norteast breeze, increasing around noon, nets open from 06 and closed around 13. Netmeter hours approx. 2200. 

Ringed: White Wagtail 1, Dunnock 1 (first this season), Fieldfare 2, Song Thrush 5, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 1, Greenfinch 1, Mealy Redpoll 3, Lesser Redpoll 3. Total = 19. Also 4 controls. 

Ringmerket: Linerle 1, jernspurv 1, gråtrost 2, måltrost 5, munk 1, gransanger 1, løvsanger 1, grønnfink 1, gråsisik 3, brunsisik 3. Total = 19. Også 4 kontroller. 

Haavard Husebö.

Revtangen BO April 25th

Even colder than yesterday, minus one around 06 but increasing during the day to 4-5 degrees. It actually snowed for a period, despite that we caught the first Willow Warbler of the year. Nets up 06-15, netmeter hours approx. 2900. 

Ringed: Redwing 2, Willow Warbler 1, Common Starling 2, House Sparrow 1, Greenfinch 1, Common Linnet 2, Mealy Redpoll 2. Total = 11. Also 11 controls. 

Ringmerket: Rødvingetrost 2, løvsanger 1, stær 2, gråspurv 1, grønnfink 1, tornirisk 2, gråsisik 2. Total = 11. Også 11 kontroller. 

The first Willow Warbler in 2016 turned up today despite sub-zero temperatures in the morning. Årets første løvsanger.

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO April 24th

The BO has been closed for one and a half week because of constant strong north and northwest winds and generally cold weather. Today the wind was light from NNE in the morning, but increasing to 10-12 m/s from NNW around noon. Still very cold, only 1 degree C in the morning. Nets up 06-18, some were closed earlier because of wind, netmeter hours approx. 3500. 

Ringed: Wood Pigeon 1, Collared Dove 1, White Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 2, European Robin 2, Fieldfare 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Common Starling 9, House Sparrow 5, Tree Sparrow 2, Greenfinch 1, Mealy Redpoll 4, Lesser Redpoll 1, Yellowhammer 1. Total = 34. Also 15 controls. 

Observations: European Golden Plover 110. 

Alf Tore Mjös, Renate Berg, Espen Helgesen.

Revtangen BO April 14th

Almost no wind from dawn til around 10, when the wind picked up from the south. Very quiet in the trapping area. Nets open 06-13, netmeter hours approx. 2200. 

Ringed: Meadow Pipit 1, European robin 1, Common Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 4, Goldcrest 3, Chaffinch 1, Brambling 1, Common Linnet 1, Yellowhammer 1. Total = 14. 

Ringmerket: Heipiplerke 1, rødstrupe 1, svarttrost 1, gransanger 4, fuglekonge 3, bokfink 1, bjørkefink 1, tornirisk 1, gulspurv 1. Total = 14. 

No wind in the early hours was an opportunity to count Great Northern Loons. This species seems to concentrate along this stretch of coastline in April, or are they just becoming more visible in spring compared to during the winter? From 3 counting spots near the Bird Observatory (Reve kai, Revtangen and Vik) we counted a mimimum of 116 Great Northern Divers, the largest flock numbering 20 birds. 

Other observations:
Reve kai: Pied Wagtail 1, Razorbill 7, Black Guillemot 11, Common Sandpiper 1. 

Revtangen: Red-throated Loon 9, Common Scoter 140, Common Guillemot 1, Black Guillemot 28, Barn Swallow 3. 

Vik: Red-necked Grebe 1, Shelduck 6, Bar-tailed Godwit 1. 

Håvard Husebø og Alf Tore Mjøs

Revtangen BO April 13th

Light rain around dawn, later cloudy and light NE breeze. Close to perfect trapping conditions, if only there had been any birds around...... Nets open 06-15, netmeter hours = 2800. 

Ringed: Meadow Pipit 2, European Robin 5, Song Thrush 1, Ring Ouzel 1 (first this season), Blackcap 3, Chaffinch 1, Common Linnet 2, Mealy Redpoll 1 (first this season). Total = 16.

Although numbers are quite low (but normal for this time) there are some nice birds in between, Ring Ouzel is a good catch and less than annual in the ringing total. 3 blackcaps was also a surprise at this early date.

Ringmerket: Heipiplerke 2, rødstrupe 5,  måltrost 1, ringtrost 1, munk 3, bokfink 1, tornirisk 2, gråsisik 1. Total = 16.

Ring Ouzel. Adult female (all greater coverts of adult type). Ringtrost, 3K+ hunn. Alle stordekkerne av adult type.

Observations: Whimbrel 1, Northern Wheatear 3 (BO/Reve kai), Pied Wagtail 1 (Reve kai, the BTO-ringed bird), Dunnock 1-2, Twite 4. 

There was quite a lot of disturbance to the trapping area today. There was a work crew from our broadband supplier operating compressors to install a fiber cable, and work continued on the new ponds. Two nets by the large pond were replaced.

For the first time this year there was a decent catch in the Robinson-traps, two traps produced 50 moths (7 species ).

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi, left) and Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis). The latter is a Revtangen speciality. Tverrlinjet seljefly (venstre) og punktseljefly.

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös.

Revtangen BO April 12th

Another quite cold morning, 3,5 degrees at 05.30. NE light breeze, sunny. Nets open 06-14, netmeter hours = 2500. 

Ringed: Stock Dove 1 (first ever!), European Robin 6, Black Redstart 1, Song Thrush 5, Redwing 1, Common Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1 (first this season), Chiffchaff 5, Goldcrest 2, Brambling 1, Yellowhammer 1. Total = 25. Also 4 controls. 

Ringmerket: Skogdue 1, rødstrupe 6, svartrødstjert 1, måltrost 5, rødvingetrost 1, svarttrost 1, munk 1, gransanger 5, fuglekonge 2, bjørkefiunk 1, gulspurv 1. Total = 25. Også 4 kontroller. 

Stock Dove, the first ever ringed at Revtangen BO. Skogdue, ny merkeart for Revtangen OS. 

Black Redstarts are scarce migrants along the SW coast of Norway, this is only the 13th ever ringed at Revtangen BO. 2cy female. Svartrødstjert, 2K hunn.

Work continued on the new ponds, thus creating some disturbance to the trapping area. 

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös. 1 visitor.

Revtangen BO April 11th

Light breeze from the east in the morning, turning south and increasing around 10. Not much trapping after that, and the nets were closed around 13. 

Ringed: Common Skylark 1, European Robin 4, Common Blackbird 1, Fieldfare 1, Song Thrush 1, Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest 1, House Sparrow 1, Greenfinch 1, Common Linnet 1. Total = 15. Also 8 controls. 

The highlight of todays catch was this Common Skylark. Though a common breeding bird in the fields around the bird observatory, they rarely come close to our mistnets. This was the first to be ringed since 2004.

There has been a few Chiffchaffs in the catch lately. Though not the easiest species to age, this one can be put down as a 2cy by the contrast in the greater coverts (5 outer are juvenile paler feathers) and the tail (some second calendar years will moult the central tail feathers in the winter quarters, contrasting with the browner and more worn older feathers).

Work continued on the new ponds, and the last one was filled with water today. 

Observations: The first Northern Wheatears (2) and Sand Martins (3) were spotted during the day. 

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös. 1 visitor.

Revtangen BO April 10th

Nice calm weather, but quite cold in the morning with + 3 degrees celcius. Weak shifting breeze, easterlies in the morning. Nets up 06-19, netmeter hours = 4100. After a slow start there was a steady trickle of birds through during the day, mostly European Robins and Chiffchaffs. In the end, a decent spring catch by Revtangen standards.

Ringed: Collared Dove 1, European Robin 31, Song Thrush 1, Chiffchaff 7, Goldcrest 4, Linnet 1. Total = 45. Also 11 controls. 

European Robins made up the bulk of todays catch. This one is a 2cy (around 2/3 of the greater coverts are juvenile feathers).

Alf Tore Mjös. 1 visitor.

Revtangen BO April 9th

Calm, but cold in the morning; 2 degrees and clear skies, not the right conditions for arrivals of migrants at Revtangen. Almost no wind, light easterlies turning NW. Nets up from dusk til dawn, netmeter hours approx. 4400. 

Ringed: Collared Dove 1, Common Blackbird 1, Redwing 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldcrest 1, Common Starling 1, House Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 2, Brambling 1, Common Linnet 2, Yellowhammer 1. Total = 13. Also 13 controls, including two Collared Doves ringed in 2015 and a Redwing not from Revtangen. 

Alf Tore Mjös. 6 visitors.

Revtangen BO April 7th

Nets open 06-16, netmeter hours 3100. Almost no wind in the morning, turning NW and increasing around 12. Mostly cloudy but some sun in the afternoon. 

Ringed: White Wagtail 2, Meadow Pipit 1 (first this season), European Robin 5, Common Blackbird 2, Goldcrest 7, Brambling 1, Common Linnet 1 (first this season),Yellowhammer 1. Total = 20. Also 7 controls. 

Two of the three new ponds were filled with water today, in these one we will experiment with some aquatic plants/reeds. 

Two new ponds close to the observatory buildings.

Observations: Gyrfalcon: A 2cy took a Herring Gull in the fields west of the station in the morning, then sat on the prey through the whole day. Lots of Black-headed Gulls feeding in the surf at Reve kai in the afternoon. We were able to read 10 colourringed birds among then, including JN92 that was ringed as a chick in Risavika a little further north in June 2014.

JN92, first adult plumage. 

Most Black-headed Gulls from the Stavanger-area spend the winter in the UK, most in Scotland. If anyone has sightet Black-headed Gulls with green or whote colour-rings with a code starting with the letter "J", then they are of Norwegian origin and please report them here: http://www.ringmerking.no/cr/

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös. 1 visitor.

Revtangen BO April 4th

Nets open 06-12. Light northeasterlies. Netmeter hours = 1900. 

Ringed: Wood Pigeon 1 (first this season), White Wagtail 1 (first this season), Pied Wagtail 1 (possibly a hybrid pied x white), European Robin 2, Song Thrush 1, Blackbird 1, Fieldfare 1, Chiffchaff 3, Blue Tit 1. Total = 12. Also 7 controls. 

Alf Tore Mjös. 2 visitors.

Revtangen BO April 3rd

Nets open 06-15. Relatively light winds from SE, mostly cloudy. Netmeter hours = 2800. 

Ringed: Winter Wren 1 (first this season), European Robin 5, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 2, Chiffchaff 3 (first this season, ssp. abietinus), Goldcrest 3, Chaffinch 3, House Sparrow 2, Yellowhammer 2. Total = 22. Also 6 controls. 

The first Chiffchaffs of the season was ringed today, all arriving late in the day.

Alf Tore Mjös and Ingvald Ekeland. 7 visitors.

Revtangen BO April 1st

A cold morning, minus one around 6 but increasing to 6 degrees C around mid-day. Light southeasterlies in the morning, increasing and turning south, too much wind in many nets from around 9.30. Nets open 06.30-12.30. Netmeter hours = 1900. 

Ringed: Eurasian Woodcock 2, European Robin 1, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 2, Common Blackbird 4, House Sparrow 5, Tree Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 2, Yellowhammer 1. Total = 19. Also 5 controls. 

Alf Tore Mjös